Okay, so this has been a pretty good week actually, our numbers
here are getting to be more rounded out as we have worked really hard on
focusing on everything rather than just one thing. The Lord really does
move his work in his own time and in his own way and if we just go and
do what we know we should he truly does all the work. He demands of us
physically, mentally, and spiritually but when I stop and think about
the stuff that happens here I don't really do any of the work.
Let's see, here in El Centro de Mercedes we are becoming more
popular I think. More and more people have taken to honking, yelling,
waving and such from cars. Of course that means that some of it is good
and the rest of it is rude and angry and stuff but people are beginning
to recognize who we are and what we do which is good. Being seen plants a
seed. It is getting to be pretty hot here and everyone tells me that
this is still nothing so I am not really looking forward to what they
consider hot. I forget it is February and not the middle of August.
This week Elder Ellsworth found a name of a less active that lives
kind of out of the way of everything and we decided that we needed to go
by her and see what was up, and if she even lived there anymore. Once
we got to the house we knocked and an older woman opened the door. We
talked with her and found out that Anna, the less active, did in fact
live there, that she was a member of our church, and that the old woman
was a die-hard Catholic and didn't want to hear our noise. So we asked
her if we could leave a number that Anna could call and the woman said,
"No, I will not facilitate that in my home." So we asked her if we could
just swing by a different day and her response was, "No, I hate to be
ugly with you but you and your religion bother me and we are a Catholic
home and you aren't welcome here." Not really sure what we should say or
do at this point we told her that we hoped she had a good day and that
it was nice talking to her and we left. As we were getting on the bikes,
admittedly a bit discouraged a young man came around from the back of
the house. His words were, "Oh, hey Elders." never thought those words
would catch me so off-guard. We got to talk to him, his name is Javier
and he and his mother were baptized about 2 years ago and he is 20 and
going to college. He and his mother don't go to church because his
step-father and step-grandmother don't really sanction it in the home.
We also found out they may be targets of the Cartel...scary. But we got
his number as well as his mothers number and left him with ours and we
decided we had best get off the property before grandma came out and
called the cops on us or something. As we rode away I realized that had
we not talked to Grandma for precisely as long as we had, we would not
have met Javier. God used Grandma against herself. No unhallowed hand can
stop his work and I just thought I might share that experience.
Frank finally came to church this Sunday, super unexpected, super
awesome! First time and I think he loved it, he and Kayla are both
progressing very well still. He even brought his Mother to our lesson
Monday and she agreed with us in our lesson and it was quite spiritual
actually. However, Kayla says that post-lesson she said she isn't sure
about the whole "Mormon" thing. But, we will get her, eventually.
Tonight Kayla offered to be our dinner appointment and we are going to
have an F.H.E with them about Lehi's dream and it is gonna be super
awesome and we hope they love it. Now we really just have to make sure
they keep progressing for the 24th because they are both going to make
Great Mormons as Willy puts it.
Maria Guerrero, a woman we have been trying to get progressing also
came to church yesterday and that means we don't have to drop her. She
is a good woman she is just a Valleian and has valley disease and we are
trying to cure her of it. If we can get her and her 6 kids to progress
we could really help that family grow in the gospel. Other than her
coming to church and really putting a few of the Women's complaints to
rest because hers are just so much greater, there isn't a ton to report
there.
Carlos, is a man we got from a referral and that we went by and sat
down with on Saturday. He is a nice man, he is very old and has no
teeth and has had a rough life to say the least. He does have a good
foundation of faith and does want to follow Christ and after our first
little lesson he accepted a BD. The biggest issue, is that he doesn't
know how to read. Not at all. So, we told him that we were going to
teach him how to read because we know that reading the Scriptures is a
commandment and that it will bless him. He told us that would be
wonderful because when things get rough he wishes he could open his
Bible and find peace in it but he can't. Carlos was another miracle, and
just proved to me that we aren't all the same and reminded me that our
investigators are all individuals and have problems of their own.
The most amazing thing about this week is definitely the Baptism we
had Yesterday, of the Guerrero er, the Coronado family. Mayra, Josue,
and Regina all took the step to baptism and it has been a long time
coming. I look back on the last 2 months with Mayra and how she went
from trying to bail on us and avoid us to texting us for advice and
making covenants with our Heavenly Father. She is not the same woman I
met, and that is precisely the purpose of the Gospel. To change us, to
help us to repent and to leave behind, little by little the natural man
and become more like Jesus Christ our Savior and Redeemer. The kids are
still young, they are punks but they too have changed and Josue has been
asking a lot of questions about missions. He is 12 so he has a ways to
go but 6 years goes fast. I got to personally Baptize Mayra and Regina
and Elder Ellsworth, Josue. Mayra's was the first baptism I have ever
personally perform in my life. What an experience that was, being able
to stand having the authority of Christ and to bring someone into the
covenant. It was truly special. Oh, and by the way those pants are way
way to big, and that white tie is silk....so yeah almost lost my pants
in the font that would have been fun.
I have left a picture of The baptism, of Elder Ellsworth and I and a picture of my very first district before Elder Marble left.
So the challenge of the week, Word of Wisdom. Fun fact, The fall of Adam and Eve, the event that brought forth sin and mortality and as a result death upon humankind was cause by breaking the Word of Wisdom. God commanded that they abstain from that particular fruit for it would bring about their death and they transgressed it and it brought about the Fall. Doesn't look like such a minor thing now does it. The challenge is to leave something, coffee, arizona tea, Brisk tea I don't care. Leave it don't look back just do it. I know it is possible because Mayra left smoking, drinking, coffee, AND tea. Cold turkey, it can be done you just need faith. I know that we all can do better in that department even if it is just eating healthier my challenge is that. Find something that is harming your health and get rid of it. Eat your fruits and veggies, that is what I am doing to be better is incorporating those things into my diet so don't think I am perfect. I just know it is so so important that we take care of the bodies God gave us.
I love you all and miss you all,
Elder Bassett
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