I am
glad to hear that Grandma's birthday went well. Tell her I love her. I didn't get a
chance to send her out a letter though. We have been super busy and sleep
deprived, but I will send out one today for sure.
Today I don't have much time
either because my companion is going home on Friday since his mission is over. We are going to Boston
today since we got permission to before transfers. My new companion's
name is Elder Jones. He's been out for a year.
So about this last week......
We have been crazy busy! We are sleep deprived, a little bit
sick, but oh how I love it!
We had the most amazing baptisms on Sunday for Ana
Acevedo and her grandson Tyre who is 11. This experience opened my eyes even
more on what exactly Zion is. Since Ana speaks Spanish and Tyre speaks English,
and can only understand a very little bit of Spanish, we had both at the same
time with both the Spanish branch and English ward there. It was in Spanish
with an English interpreter. We all sang in our native languages, bore
testimonies in our native languages and worshipped and celebrated in our own
native languages as one! There was no better example of what being united in
purpose or in other words "Zion" should be like. The love that was in that room
was amazing and words cannot even come close to describe this experience. It
was truly remarkable. Everyone who attended was uplifted and edified. It was
truly an experience everyone that was there will never forget. Afterwards we
conversed with bishops about what would be best for this family since there is
that language barrier. After much guidance by the Spirit they both will
attend the English ward because it is best for both and especially for Tyre. Ana
will have shadow name Sister Alan who will interpret and help her learn English
since she needs to anyway. This is her calling now in the ward. The effort all
of the members are giving, to help support and do all they can to help, is
astonishing. Because of all this, the Spanish branch and English wards are going
to get together more often for picnics and activities! This is a huge step! I
don't know if everyone sees the big picture, but this right here is building Zion!
Can you imagine if every time someone got baptized if all members of the church
got together to support them whether they speak different languages or not. I am
sorry I don't have much time to go into detail today but I hope
that what I am trying to portray is getting across. This is HUGE!
Moving on. For fast and testimony meeting we got a lot of
people to attend since it was my companion's last Sunday. Mariah Lopez (the lady we first
baptized when I arrived) her husband and son came who aren't members and were
in the beginning very distant. So this was a big deal because we have been
trying to get them interested. Elder Hawks and I bore our testimonies
and the whole time before and after I was praying with everything that I had
that they would feel the Spirit so strong that perhaps it would awaken a desire
in their hearts. The spirit was very strong in that room and afterwards they
stayed for class, had a lot of good questions and then we met with them last night to answer more and taught the restoration. They have warmed up to us so much
they are just like our families now; great friends that respect what we
are doing and want to hear more. So we will see what goes on with that.
There
is so much going on now and it seems that after all the hard work things are
starting to speed up and blow up, which is good, but man oh man there
is so much work we need to do!
Anyway, I wish I had more time to write about
the awesome experiences this last week, but we have to get going.
It is so weird that Elder Hawks is leaving.
I will miss him very much because we have become really close. I will
especially miss his musical fusion on the piano (he is the best pianist
ever).
I would like to leave you all with my testimony.
Yo se que este Iglesia es la Iglesia de Jesucristo y fue
restarado en la tierra hoy. Yo se que puedemos confiar en Jesucristo puedemos
hacer todas las cosas por medio de Su Epxiacion y Su gracia. Yo se que este
obra es la obra de Dios. Yo se que puedemos saber estas cosas cuando leemos El
Libro de Mormon, pensar sobre las cosas y orar and pedir Dios si estas cosas
son verdadero. Yo se que Jesucristo es nuestro Salvador y redentor y El
vive.
For all of you reading this who are members, I beg of you to
please look for opportunities to uplift another person. Strive to strengthen
your relationships with those in your ward and with all people. All of us here
on the earth are here for the same purpose and it is our sacred responsibility
as members to share the gospel and help others come to know what we have come
to know, so we can all receive the joy, peace and happiness that is
found in the gospel of Jesus Christ, which is the plan God made for us in order
for us to know what we need to do in order to live with him again and become as He is.
For those of you who are not members yet. I urge you to put to
test my words and the words of Prophets of God. That is simply to put to test
the Book of Mormon by reading it, pondering the words in it and then asking God
and finding out for yourself. We can teach and testify all we want, but that
doesn't matter because in the end you will only find out it is true after you
have put it to the test.
How can you know how delicious something truly
is if you never taste it-try it?
I leave these things with you in the sacred name of our
Savior and Redeemer Jesus Christ, amen.
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