7-5-2010

Hey everyone! Happy Fourth of July! We had our independance day soccer game today and we won! Our team wore short shorts, long green socks and a green shirt and everyone laughed when we showed up like that, but we sure showed them. I think we won like 9 games. Needless to say it was a blast and we also played in the rain.

So our week was a lot of the same old grind, but we did get a great little blessing from God yesterday. Gina`s two nieces came into town yesterday and Gina wants us to baptize them. So it appears that, after all, we will be seeing at least a few baptisms, Elder Perez and I.

Im so glad to hear that Grandma is doing good. I couldnt participate in the Fast like i was planning, because President Clark called for a mission wide fast. But the rest of the family has plenty of faith to recieve the blessings.

This week should be a little more exciting than the last couple of weeks, because we will actually be focusing on a few investigators that will be baptized. Its always so much more fun when you have to protect someone from Satan and so you visit them everyday and help them. Thats when the best experiences happen.

This week, if we work hard as a District, we could have up to 6 baptisms. That will be amazing for us, so pray for our success. Its the second to last week in that transfer, so its an important week for us.

So when is Bud getting married again?

So my story of the week is about a woman named Veronica. I had to go do the baptismal interview (one of my first real interviews) and it turned out to be an all out war. When we got to a question about homosexual relations, she said she had some friends and she couldnt believe that God didnt love them. That turned into a long, difficult conversation of me trying to explain to her the doctrine of Christ, without offending. I managed, and then we went on to when she should have gotten baptized. I tried a few scriptures with my testimony, but it didnt work out. She told me she wanted to get baptized, but she wanted God to tell her. So, instantly came to my mind the open the scriptures activity. She used the bible first, but before she opened it, she said a long, silent prayer. I used the opportunity to also offer a silent prayer to God, pleading that he would give her the right scripture and send the spirit to testify. Its funny how in those moments of pleading, I always seem to pray in English. So, after the prayer, instantly, the spirit rushed into the room and we both felt it very strongly, although neither of the two said anything. She opened a scripture in Jeremiah talking about how the officer of the soldiers (me) took the people to the king (Jesus). She didnt say anything. So I asked her to do it again, but this time with the Book of Mormon. Other silent prayers were offered, and the spirit filled the room, even stronger this time. This time, she opened up to 3 Nephi 12:2. It does it better justice to read it for yourselves. She looked at me, then read the scriptures again, and then looked at me for a long time. The spirit, in this moment was so powerful. All she said was..."Alright"...and she just stared at me. I grinned and then started to laugh. She looked at me puzzled and I just told her, "You wanted God to tell you and he just did, so obviously, with that scripture." Its even more of an answer, because Jesus himself is talking in that scripture.

So that was my favorite experience of the week. Definately one to remember.

I hope you all have a good week. I love you all!