True Progression

     This week I wanted to share an experience that changed the way I view things in the mission. This last Sunday as we ran about looking for our investigators to come to church we had limited success. Many times in the mission I have had the experience of all my investigators just not wanting to progress and flaking out at the last moment. This last week as I sat in the Chapel thinking to myself and feeling a little frustrating for not having brought more people to church; I looked around and to my surprise and complete joy I saw every one of my converts I had in that area. All with their hymn books in hand and singing and listening to the speakers. It filled my eyes with tears to see that these people had been truly converted and that every one of them to that day was persevering and following what God had taught them to do. 

     Gratitude beyond words filled my soul to know that my Heavenly Father made me an instrument in His hands to bring the true gospel to the hearts of these people. I know He is merciful and knows every one of our needs. I know that this gospel heals and liberates us from our all our worries, doubts, and fears. I felt Gods love not only for me but for the people that were around me and I knew that even though we are common and many in this world that he knows us personally and intimately. That if we seek the good in our lives then we will always have good in our lives. The Lord and Savior Jesus Christ once promised his disciples:

"Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."

     I know this promise to be true and that as long as we are in the Lords service he will lift our burdens and give rest unto our souls. Just as he let me know of His love for me and gave me rest, He will surely give it unto all His beloved children.

Miracles in San Judas

The work continues here in San Judas. We had transfers this week and I am still here in the office for one more transfer. I am excited to be here in San Judas still but being in the office another transfer looks a little daunting. I have a new companion named Elder Hernandez from Guatemala. I don't know him very well yet but from what i have seen he is a cool guy. I think we will have lots of success. 
     This last week we had 2 baptisms. The first is Luis. He was a 13 year old kid we met contacting one day and he was kind of shy but accepted our message. His parents were slightly opposed at first but they let him decide for himself and he decided to keep receiving us and preparing for baptism. We almost thought he wouldn't get baptized because he got sick a couple days before but when we asked how he was for this Saturday he was excited and ready to go! 
    The second baptism was a young woman named Daniela. Her story was a little different. She has met the missionaries about 2 years ago and had been off and on receiving them until I first met her a few months ago. She had never wanted to progress and so she was never baptized. A few months ago we were teaching her but it was still the same, she just couldn't find it within herself to go to church. Then all of a sudden she disappeared and we didn't think she would ever be baptized. Until a few weeks ago we randomly ran into her on the streets and she wanted us to visit her again. Well this time I think the Lord had prepared her because she accepted right away the invitation to be baptized and she felt like it was something important in her life. So this last weekend she was baptized! 
     Only miracles here in San Judas! I know that God had prepared these people for this time and I am grateful to have been an instrument in helping them receive the spirit and to take these steps in their paths toward salvation and eternal life.

Conference Weekend

     This last week was more or less regular. I wish I could have seen the conference all the way through, but, since we have to bring 4 different investigators to every session in order to attend them (excluding priesthood and Sunday morning) I wasn't able to attend as I did not have sufficient investigators come to church.
     As we committed our investigators to church and as they accepted and later decided not to attend. I reflected on how I felt. Yes, I felt deceived and depressed for the unrighteous decisions of the people i cared about so much but unlike before when my investigators didn't come and I felt angry and hurt at God, I knew that God was just as upset as I was for their decision to not obey him, and I knew that maybe now I would be put as a leader or be rewarded, but the work would go on.
     Sometimes I feel like President is the one running the mission and the work, but I know that someone far greater and merciful is at the head and he knows in all his divine wisdom where I need to be. I know that the work doesn't change if I don't have any investigators in church or if I don't baptize one month, as long as I am trying my best and doing what the Lord expects of me that I can be sure I am doing what I need to be doing.
"Believe in God; believe that he is, and that he created all things, both in heaven and in earth; believe that he has all wisdom, and all power, both in heaven and in earth; believe that man doth not comprehend all the things which the Lord can comprehend." Mosiah 4:9
     Trust in God and believe that He has all wisdom. When we trust in God and His wisdom we can find comfort in the knowledge that if we are doing what we should be doing and obeying his commandments that all challenge will be for our benefit.

Influenced by the Spirit this Easter

     I don't know why, but I feel the influence and guidance of the spirit more and more in my life. I feel more patience and love towards others and I do not come to anger very easily. I cannot tell you how much of a blessing it is to be able to look at people who hate you and don't understand you and just love them as they are and know that someday they might come to the knowledge of Gods plan for His children. It is interesting how the apostasy of the gospel has come to make people change the nature of God. I talk to many people who are confused and because of their confusion say that God doesn't have a church or the church doesn't save us only faith can, or we all worship the same God so it's all the same path that leads towards the same destination. It saddens my heart to see that Satan has confused the children of men in such great extreme. 
     I love sharing the message of the restoration. It not only shows us that God lives and guides us today, but it gives us comfort and solace in a world of mixed ideas and confused morals. I have seen hearts soften, lives change, and minds open as people have accepted the message of the restoration of the gospel and the Book of Mormon. I know the Book of Mormon to be the word of God unto the convincing of men that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God, the Savior and Redeemer of the world. I pray that all men will have the opportunity to read it and live by its precepts, that they may too learn of the Will and Power of God in their own lives. I know He lives and was resurrected from the dead and broke the bands of death so that all might come unto Him and not perish but have everlasting life. I know I am a man and that I am imperfect and am a sinner, nevertheless, His grace is sufficient to cleanse me of my sins and to break the chains of sin which bind me to the flesh. He has the power to perfect us so that we too may see God and become like Him. I pray that all might repent and come unto him with full purpose of heart. I know in Him there is happiness and peace. This is my testimony in this Easter season. Amen.

Led By the Spirit

     The Lord continues to bless us with miracles and we have been able to find more people who have really been prepared to receive the gospel. We recently had a cool experience. Sunday night leaving a lesson I looked to my companion and asked him where he thought we should go to find people to teach. He looked to me and said he had no idea. so, we started walking in some random direction. after a few minutes of walking, we hear a distant voice shout "Elderes!" We immediately turn around and there is a recent convert walking down the street toward us some fifty yards away carrying a heavy load.
     So we go over and see why she called us, she asked if we could help carry some of her stuff to her house. so we happily agree and on the way I do what any great missionary would do and I ask her if she has any friends or family who need God in these moments. She told us that in fact she did. She said she had a neighbor that was interested in visiting the church and knowing more about the church and she asks if we would like to meet her. we comply and she takes us to her. That night the woman happily accepted the baptismal date. In fact, her husband is a member as well but very inactive. Yesterday we asked her about the restoration and how she feels about Joseph Smith and the church and she said that she feels that it is true and that this is where the Lord wants her to be. She is excited about church on Sunday and to be able to read the Book of Mormon. She also said ever since we started coming over she has felt a great peace and happiness in her life that she has never had before.
    The Lord is preparing people to receive the Gospel. I have seen it with my own eyes. I feel like I never understood this principle until recently. I know that the Lord will guide me to those people who have been chosen at this time to receive the gospel through the power of the Holy Ghost.
     Other exciting news! Karla, Jon Julian, and Alondra were baptized this last weekend! It was one of the greatest experiences of my life to be able to see these people's conversion to the Gospel. I love these people so much! Their lives have been changed so much and the Lord has poured out His Holy Spirit upon them in great abundance. I pray that you will continue to pray to God to guide you to those people you know who have been prepared to receive the Gospel. I know He will reveal unto you as you ask in faith.

Strength to My Testimony

     The work consumes my time and efforts. Sometimes if I focus on it too much time will go by really slow and I will feel like the mission will never end but when I just forget it and get to work the time goes by faster. So I think it's just better if I forget it and get to work. This last transfer meeting my trainer went home. it was sad to see him go. he was probably my greatest friend here in the mission. almost like an older brother. It was sad to think that we might not see each other for many years.
     This week we have two baptisms, maybe three. but I just want to write a little about two of them. One is named Jon Julian. This man is separated from his wife and children because his wife wanted to do different things and didn't want to live with him anymore. These last couple years have been hard for him dealing with family and financial problems. We found him one day contacting. Without even calling him he came out of his house and asked if we had called his name. we said no. and he knew it must have been a sign from god so he listened to us. We gave him a pamphlet of the restoration and a couple days later he came to us and said he knew that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God and that he was visited by angels. He said he received a testimony of it through a voice that told him it was true. ever since then he has been reading the Book of Mormon. I have seen him change his life so much. He is ready to be baptized this Saturday.
     The other one is named Karla. She is the mother of the woman we baptized a few weeks ago. She started out with many doubts and many concerns but with a willingness to learn. We gave her a copy of the Book of Mormon and ever since then has been reading it every day. She reads our assignments and she started from the beginning of the book and she is almost to 2 Nephi I believe! She also expressed a profound sense of happiness and light that has filled her life. and she says she feels a certain filling in her soul. she says she once was empty and she feels like the Lord has directed her to the truth. something she has been looking for her whole life. I know that the Lord little by little softened her heart. until she was humble enough to receive the gospel light and truth and apply it to her life.
     I know the Lord led me to these people and that I was made an instrument in his hands to help these people receive the Holy Ghost in their hearts. I love this work and know with a surety of heart and soul that it is the truth. My spirit rejects the notion of it not being the true and everlasting gospel. I cannot deny it. I have seen too many miracles, too many witnesses. This is my testimony. May it stand forevermore before the world.

The Lord Will Lead His Servants

     I don't know why I would feel so down but things are going fairly well in our area! We have four potentials for this month and a couple for next month. It seems that when we are doing our best that Satan always tries to make us feel inadequate. But God is good and directs us in every moment.

Yesterday, as we were talking to one of our investigators named Karla, she expressed her feelings of great love and happiness that she feels as she has learned the gospel and the plan of salvation. Her testimony has grown so profoundly in the last couple weeks! I know the Lord has been guiding us the whole time. 

     

     I remembered that when i had transfers and was transferred and reopening this area that me and my companion, then Elder Hughes, we shared a prayer concerning the direction we should start working. I remember receiving a distinct impression that we need to work in this one specific part of our area. I expressed this feeling to my companion and we made the necessary plans. For these past weeks I have always had this lasting impression and I didn't know why until yesterday. God had guided us to where these people were. He had prepared them for many years until this precise moment when we found them and taught them the gospel. I know now God directed us there. 

     

     I know this is His work. I am so happy to be a part of it and to really see how it affects peoples lives. sometimes when i feel down or selfishness I forget the true blessings of the Gospel and the spirit it brings. When i see these people come unto Christ and see the joy and tears in their eyes for the miracles and great mercy that God has blessed them with through their obedience is a feeling and experience that is inexpresable. I have come to know that the scripture is true- "And if it so be that you should labor all your days in crying repentance unto this people, and bring, save it be one soul unto me, how great shall be your joy with him in the kingdom of my Father! And now, if your joy will be great with one soul that you have brought unto me into the kingdom of my Father, how great will be your joy if you should bring many souls unto me!"
I know this is Gods work. I know the worth of souls is great in the sight of God. Why then should I doubt or be afraid?