Sunday, August 22, 2004
Well I had a bit of a rude awakening today that people here are just like people at home. I guess I thought that here they would just sort of be the perfect people. I am writing this because of what happened today with Sister Tess and here “friend” Marisa Chamberlin. We were told at the beginning of priesthood meeting that Sis. Tess had texted to Brother Guanzon that she had a really high fever. She wanted us to come and give her a blessing. We left priesthood and went to her apartment. She didn’t answer when the guard called her room so we decided to go up and see if she was with Sis. Chamberlin. She wasn’t there so we went up to the 24th floor to see if she was really not there. She was there and she had been resting and hadn’t heard the phone call. We gave her a blessing and then left. Before we left she told us that she was upset because her friend Sis. Chamberlin hadn’t talked to her for a week. When we went back down to Sister Chamberlin’s apartment she told us basically that she didn’t want to have anything to do with Sis. Tess. She told us that she already had enough troubles without having to help Tess. She basically told us that she didn’t want to be bothered with having to worry about Tess. I was really upset. I just thought about how much help Tess needs that can only come from a friend. I was actually beginning to get mat at here. People really are rude sometimes. I wish they would all just want to be Christlike and not be offended so easily. That is the #1 problem in our ward. The members get offended at the most stupid things and they have a really hard time forgiving others. I think that people taking offense is the main reason that our ward is having such a hard time.
San Juan district wishing farewell to Sister Bautista before she left for Hong Kong (f. Bautista, Antanante, Riparip, Catubag, Sangco b. Matthews, Arnesen)
I’m beginning to understand why this missionary work is so hard. You have to know everybody’s troubles and try to help them. It is really emotionally and spiritually draining.One good thing that did happen today is that Sister Juris came back to church. She was in our teaching pool when I first got here but we dropped her because she seemed to have no desire. I was really glad to see her there. I hope that I can get to have a good enough relationship of trust so that after this transfer I can keep on working with her.