LESSON IN HUMILITY

We had a deaf sister visit from St.Louis about a month ago to "spy out the land."  She, some friends, and Shelina and I went out to a local restaurant before she left.  From left:  me, Shelina (from Masaya Sign Language and roommate extraordinaire), Kelly (from San Marcos Sign Language), and Marquita (the deaf sister).

Here I am trying to informal witness on a local bus.  I say "trying" because I stink at informal witnessing...it makes me soooo nervous!!!!

I know you guys love service anecdotes, so here's a funny one for you.  A few weeks ago, I was working territory Saturday morning and preached to a very friendly older gentleman named Cesar.  Everything was going well, and then suddenly, he started saying all these words that seemed to have nothing to do with the conversation...I soon realized he was quoting something.  When he finished, he revealed he was a poet and had penned said poem years ago.  He really took to me and said he was going to write a poem for me, and I could hear it on my next visit.

Needless to say, I felt pretty fancy after that visit.  Yes, he might've been 80 but I was like, "Yep!  That's right! Stiiiiiilllll got it!" So I rejoined the service group and recounted the story humbly stating how my beauty has inspired poetry.  A 16-year-old brother in my group, Oliver, responded with, "Hmmm.  He must be old AND blind."  Waaa waa waaaaaaaa.

MY NEW BEST FRIEND JUANITA

Meet my new best friend, Juanita, with her two daughters.  She's a Bible student who comes to our congregation, and through word of mouth, I learned she's a seamstress by trade.

Here's a wonderful fact you will LOVE to know about Nicaragua.  Often, if you provide the fabric and a photo, a seamstress can make an outfit RIGHT OFF THE PHOTO!!!  So I tried it out and here are the 2 results from Juanita for a cool $6 apiece + the cost of the fabric I purchased.  She's officially my lifesaver.

What do you think?  Is she a keeper?

COUNTING MY BLESSINGS

All of my family and friends from the States have already had their Regional Convention for this year, so I've been hearing nonstop about the amazing tie-ins with International Conventions, talks from the Governing Body, missionaries coming home, etc.  It really got me excited for my own convention which took place October 3-5.  I DO realize that this is going to sound 100% ungrateful, but I was intensely disappointed.  Don't get me wrong, the information is great and many of the talks were just what I needed, but once again, I realized all those one-of-a-kind moments my family described to me was not for ALL conventions, it was just for U.S. conventions :(

Since I've moved to Nicaragua in 2011, I personally have often felt cut off from world headquarters.  Momentous changes like Annual Meeting for all, a new Bible version, and your normal assigned convention just so happening to be an international one....well, those are NOT world changes, they are U.S. changes only.  It's made me feel really left out and often, jealous.

So imagine my tears of joy when a friend texts me Monday morning with the simple message, "check out tv.jw.org."   Do you understand how my heart rejoiced to know that I PERSONALLY could be present for a Gilead graduation?  Or enjoy Morning Worship comments from Bethel?  Or receive a Governing Body talk?  This is like having a fat, juicy steak after 3 years of rice and beans.  Thank you, Jehovah!

On that note, I'll share some pix with you from my recent convention.

I had an interview Saturday of the convention before ours all about learning another language and what advice I'd give others.

Fellow pioneer Selene and I gave a demonstration on the Saturday session on how to offer the new tract "What is God's Kingdom" in house-to-house ministry.

Karla, a Nindiri publisher, and I on Sunday.

26 new brothers and sisters!  We have a new one in Nindiri too....Brother Agustin.