August 26th, 2013

So transfer news came in, looks like I am staying again with Elder Lloyd. This is good news, we have been having a good time and finding a lot of success in an area that most people would claim is "Dead". This is bad news because that means I will more than likely be here for at least 3 total transfers and I know that one is going to be a bit rough for Elder Bassett. Raymondville is a good place but man I don't want another Mercedes. I also found out that they are opening a new area in my District so that will put me in charge of another companionship. That is going to bring a whole nother set of challenges for me as I have to find time to do follow ups with them as well as find time to go on exchanges with them. The missionaries that are coming in are one that has only been out 2 transfers and the greenie he is training so I am going to have to keep my eye on them because they are pretty young in the mission.

This last week we as a district saw a lot of success, since I have been here the most people the District had gotten to church was about 3, but this last Sunday we had 6 investigators at church which is huge considering the past performance. I am super happy to see that the District is taking steps towards it's potential but just like my Zone Leader Elder Bosselman told me Sunday, "Always happy, never content." He was telling me that I should always be happy at our success but never satisfied so this next transfer I will be working on pushing the District to it's potential. Hopefully the new set of Elders helps us push forward.

Vanessa and her Daughters came to church which was huge for us. Finally we got them to come to church and I think they liked it. Eryn and Emma are difficult at times because they don't talk much and are too shy to go to class and stuff so sometimes they are a bit of a burden on their mother. They are progressing really well though, even though Vanessa has gotten anti'd pretty hard she is still meeting with us and keeps making us cool little gifts like bookmarks and cakes and stuff so it is pretty awesome.

George Ledesma came to church!! Like 7 years Missionaries have been visiting with George Ledesma and they have never gotten him into the church, not even back when it was here in Raymondville so that is huge. It is a huge testimony builder to me of the importance of Faith and persistence and that God is always preparing the hearts of his children and that sometimes we don't get to see the fruits of our labors but that they always pay off. He has like 14 kids and so hopefully we can help them all find the path as well. The youngest one is 10. We were freaking out Sunday because we couldn't find him in the chapel when he told us he had gotten to church. We were afraid he had found his way to the Presbyterian church next door. After looking and looking turns out he had just found his way to sacrament and sat down. It was pretty awesome.

This last week we went to Port Mansfield for the first time. It is far away and there is only like one  member out there are apparently she hates the church so we went to go and meet her. We didn't find her, what we did find was the ocean and some deer. I sent pictures. Elder Lloyd loved it. We almost touched a buck on it's head but didn't want it to headbutt the car. I hope that is sufficient pictures for those of you who wanted pictures.

So I guess to end I wanted to share some thoughts I have had these last few days. Saturday morning I received a call that someone in my family had passed away. It is hard, but I have also found a great deal of comfort through prayer and through the Spirit and I have given a great deal of thought to our Gods great plan of Salvation. The Great Plan of Happiness. The words of the Prophet Alma ring true in my heart that all the righteous are accepted into paradise to await the resurrection where they shall be made whole again and perfected and reunited with their families. I have thought a lot about the words of a song that I heard recently that says, "And if you die, and cross the stream before us we pray that angels greet you on the shore. And you'll look down and gently you'll implore us to live so we can see your smiling face once more." I know that those that we love that are taken before us are waiting for the great day in the which we can be together forever. This church is true and because it is we have the great gift of being sealed through God's great priesthood. This brings me great comfort. My challenge this week is to be sure you tell all those you love, that you love them. In the Name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Elder Bassett