Sonsonate, El Salvador
June 27, 2011
Ups and downs
Wow...every week has its ups and downs... this week definitely had an up....
Alexis+
Last week I just wrote that he, Alexis, had a baptismal date and asked you all to pray that it didn’t fall... well, your prayers worked!!!
So about three weeks ago we run into Alexis. He is the cousin of a recent convert and we were walking by his house and felt that we should talk to him... So we did.
He invited us in and we started teaching when our district leader walked by looking for Marlon (the recent convert), thinking that Alexis was Marlon he started asking how long he had been baptized.
When we said that he wasn’t a member he asked when he was going to get baptized. When we told Elder Ballard (our district leader) that this was the first time we were teaching him he quickly excused himself and went on his way to find Marlon.
Alexis+baptism
Alexis then started asking about baptism, what it meant to us and what he needed to do to be baptized.
At the end of the lesson we invited him to be baptized and he accepted! For the following two weeks we met with him everyday to teach the lessons and the commandments.
He was praying and reading everyday. He read the pamphlets before each of our lessons... he was golden...
Alexis+"a thirst for trust"
I didn’t write [about him before] because sometimes we have investigators like that but the only reason they are golden at first is because its new and exciting and different, but within a week they get bored, quit reading, and don't pray for an answer...
But Alexis was the opposite, every day he had a million questions and the more he knew the more he wanted to know more.
Not only that, but he wanted to follow Christ.
He wanted to change everything in his life to live according to the commandments. He quit drinking coffee before we taught the word of wisdom because even though he didn't know why we didn't drink coffee, he knew we didn't, so he stopped.
Alexis+Sabbath
Then, the other day, he was asking about keeping the Sabbath day holy. He loves skateboarding and there is a big competition this Sunday at El Salvador del Mundo, he really wanted to go and mostly just wanted us to say it was okay, but we explained that really all the Sunday activities are between him and God and there aren’t rules specifically, but he knows what will bring him closer to God and what won't, then he said...alright, I’ll just go on Saturday!
Alexis+us
Hna Bermudez says that this is the first convert in her mission that she isn't constantly worried about.
I can't tell you how happy and thankful I am to have had the opportunity to teach him. [I say this] because I know that any missionary could have knocked on his door and he would have been baptized, but I’m thankful I got to be that missionary!
Life is good, the mission is hard... I know this might surprise some of you, but the mission is really hard. But then you meet someone like Alexis and EVERYTHING is worth it... more than worth it.
"Seed sower"
I think I’ve said before that our Bishop told Hna. Bermudez and I that we are seed sowers... that is still proving to be true... and I am still coming to terms with it. But each day I am forgetting more and more about numbers and focusing on finding people.
I am forgetting more and more about numbers and focusing on finding people! People who need help to come closer to Christ.
We are visiting a lot of less active families and little by little they are coming back. That is wonderful to see.
Temple open house (Update)
The Temple open house is coming up in July and I am WAY excited, even if I don't get to help with the open house (because at that time it will be part of the mission Este) I will still get to bring investigators and their families, that is going to be awesome.
Life is good, there is so much to look forward to!...
If you are feeling down look for someone who has it harder than you and find a way to serve him or her! I love you all and so does God.
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