Monday, November 15, 2010

Letter #60 - November 8, 2010

Hey everybody,

This week we had the baptism of Holman! Thanks for your prayers, I know they helped.

We gave him a hymn book, the Church's new version of the Spanish Bible, and a triple this week and he really dove in and started reading. He is basically teaching himself and when our district leader interviewed him, he was really impressed. "Take good care of this guy," he said, "he's really special."

We had challenged him to pray about the decision to be baptized this weekend and the next day, in our appointment we asked him how he felt. He said he felt good and that he was ready. Wow, I felt the spirit so strong and I was so excited. Not many of the ward members could come to the baptism but it was special and the spirit was there. I had prayed that it could be a spiritual experience for Holman and that he could feel the power of the priesthood. Then in church he was confirmed and he was basically radiating. He also got up towards the end of the meeting and bore his testimony. My heart was so full, listening to him bear his testimony of the Book of Mormon and of the prophet Joseph Smith. Hearing the testimony of your investigators is one of the sweetest things of the mission. He said that he felt lifted and hopeful for the future. The Elders Quorum is going to prepare him to recieve the Melchizedec Priesthood at the end of the month along with Luis, who we baptized about two months ago. I'm so happy to see them progressing. Holman is going to be a strong leader in the church and a strength to this ward. I feel so privileged that the Lord put him in our path and was able to use us to bring the gospel to him.

Fatima wasn't able to come to church this week and that made me sad. But she did come to a Relief Society activity on Saturday where we learned how to make bread, cheese bread and picos (sweet bread in the form of a triangle with cheese, sugar and cinnamon.)

We are also teaching a guy named Marvin. He came to church last week and we stopped by his house to get him excited to come again the next day. Well, his little old grandma came to the door and told us that he was there but that he has a problem with drugs and that right now he didn't want to come out to recieve us. I felt so sad, but we went in and talked to the grandma for a little while. I noticed the piles of clean but unfolded clothes around the room and asked if we could help fold. She was hesistant but we insisted and started folding. I found a white button-up shirt and asked if we could iron it for him. She let us and we left the shirt hanging over a chair in the room and the clothes nicely folded. We told the grandma to tell Marvin that we would pass by for him at 8:45. Well, we went by the next morning and there was Marvin, in his ironed white shirt, waiting for us to go to church and he stayed for all three hours. We went back with a member and taught him last night as well. He has a true desire to change his life and to overcome his drug addiction. I know that he can do it and that the gospel will change his life and help him repent and feel the amazing love of the atonement.

Well, it's time for changes once again. I have been feeling like my time here is coming to an end, but who knows. We will see what happens. If I leave here I will surely miss the Medina family, but really it's better to go now than wait for the next change because it's right before Christmas. That would be super sad. Well, the time has run short again... kind of like every week. I know this work is true and I am so grateful to be a part of it. I know that my own life is changing as I help others to change as well. Jesus Christ is our Savior and it is only because of Him that any of this is possible. He is the Way, the Light, and the Hope of the world.

Being a missionary is the best thing in the world - Jesus Christ heals each of our lives when we are humble.

Love, Hna. Crosland

No comments: