September 19, 2011
Shout out from Mexico
Well this week was sure an interesting week here in the offices. It was a good week to welcome Elder Cruz haha. Last Monday like I said, 12 new missionaries arrived so Monday and Tuesday we pretty much had our hands full trying to get them all settled and teaching the basics of the mission. Then the very next day, Wednesday, we had the zone leader’s council with all the zone leaders in the mission (there are 20). Then, Thursday and Friday they had the Independence Day celebration here in Mexico
Independence Day was pretty interesting because there weren’t too many people home or if they were they were getting ready to celebrate so we spent the day visiting less active members, investigators, and old investigators. We had to be home early as well because I guess the celebration can get pretty crazy. Supposedly people go outside their houses and shoot their guns in the air which is pretty cool until you realize that what goes up must come down haha. So we were able to relax a little earlier on Thursday. Friday morning was pretty weird as well. It was like a ghost town here. We walked out in the morning and there was absolutely no one outside haha. So we visited some recent converts in the morning and then in the afternoon, the ward had its independence celebration. It actually had a good turn out which was a relief because we brought like 7 investigators. It’s always a fear we have that we bring people and it turns out to be lame. A lot of members showed up though and it looked like the investigators all enjoyed it (the Estrada family absolutely loved it)
As far as investigators go this week was kind of bittersweet. We had planned on having 2 baptisms (Jorge and Victor) but one of them wasn’t able to get baptized because of some interesting circumstances in his past and because he couldn’t get baptized, his brother didn’t want to get baptized as well. That was pretty sad for us because they were really progressing really well and now don’t want to continue. But, on the plus side, the Estrada family (Fabian and Ana and there kids Liliana, Sebastian, Yahir, and Carmen) are progressing really, really, (did I say really?) well. We had a couple of really powerful lessons with some members and now the whole family is on board to get baptized on Saturday. We had an awesome lesson on Monday night with them while I was with one of the new missionaries. We challenged them to get baptized again but they weren´t too sure about it so we invited the family to kneel down and pray and ask God. The dad said a prayer out loud and then individually everyone prayed silently. I felt like Ammon because we were seriously kneeling there for like 15-20 minutes while they were praying to know if it was true and we were praying for them to know it was true. It was weird because like halfway through the prayer the door suddenly blew open but even that didn’t faze them. We left and told them to keep reading and praying and then the next day we had a lesson with a member family that has a year in the church and lives like a block away from them. The dad of the family has been working out of town for like 5 months but coincidentally he was in town for like 3 days. The family bore a super strong testimony about the conversion and could really relate to the Estrada family because the dad was also a drug addict before. That lesson really strengthened Fabian alot and he decided that for sure right then that he wanted to get baptized but Ana still had some doubts. Then the next day we had another lesson with a convert member and taught the plan of salvation and with some help of the Spirit, Ana accepted to get baptized but their 13 year old daughter still wasn’t too sure but then on Saturday she and her 2 brothers decided that they wanted to get baptized as well. So pray for them alot this week so that everything will go well until Saturday.
We’ve been doing pretty well though and already have 2 people on date for October. We are getting along well and are just working hard haha. I’m sure you are wondering why I’m writing so early and it’s because we are going to go visit Guanajuato today!! I’m going to try and visit some of my converts to see how they are doing and we’ll go see some sights. Also, Elder Preece in coming down from Celaya
Scripture- Mosiah 24:13 And it came to pass that the voice of the Lord came to them in their afflictions, saying: Lift up your heads and be of good comfort, for I know of the covenant which ye have made unto me; and I will covenant with my people and deliver them out of bondage.
14 And I will also ease the burdens which are put upon your shoulders, that even you cannot feel them upon your backs, even while you are in bondage; and this will I do that ye may stand as witnesses for me hereafter, and that ye may know of a surety that I, the Lord God, do visit my people in their afflictions.
15 And now it came to pass that the burdens which were laid upon Alma and his brethren were made light; yea, the Lord did strengthen them that they could bear up their burdens with ease, and they did submit cheerfully and with patience to all the will of the Lord.
This is a really awesome story about how we need to put our faith the in Lord and be patient in our afflictions. I’ve seen this alot here in my mission because the truth is that there a lot of people here that have it pretty tough but the ones that put their faith in the Lord are always better off than the ones who just complain. But like it says, if we do this, God will strengthen US so we can bear our burdens. It doesn’t say he will necessarily take them away but we will be able to handle them. I know this is true and that God really loves us all.
Love,
Elder Price
P.S. the church is true!
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