Week 19 - New Companion, New Success

Elder Valdetano and Elder Roberts

So, this week I got a new companion - Roberto Alejandro Valdetano Luna (Elder Valdetano). He´s from La Puebla, Mexico and is a scripture master. He is constantly using the scriptures. The Spirit of the lessons have changed drastically, the people seem so much more attentive and willing to listen and accept our principles. We have had some pretty crazy success now because of it. I´m really happy to be seeing some of the seeds I’ve been planting here come to life.

One success is an 18-year old named Isis. Elder Giraldo and I thought she wouldn’t change because of a calling she had in another church. I will gladly say I didn´t give up on the prompting I had to continue teaching her and challenging with Elder Valdetano. The great news is that she finally accepted our challenge and prayed to her Heavenly Father if our church is true. She said she “felt a peace she had never felt in prayer before.” She repeatedly said (during our next lesson) that she “knows our church is true.” But we have a lot of work to do with her still. She is currently living with her boyfriend. We gave her the “law of chastity” talk and she wants to be married; but the boyfriend doesn’t really want to. So, we are fighting an uphill battle! We are trying to get him in a lesson but he avoids us like we are Jehovah’s Witnesses or something! (Just kidding bad joke) I know the Lord will find a way. Isis went to church with us yesterday which was different too. (success!) I think our success is because Elder Valdetano is really showing me how to welcome people to the church instead of just teaching.

Omar came to church as well. This is a blessing because he´s grounded this week. We somehow persuaded the parents to allow him an hour to go to church on Sunday. We received ORDERS from the President of the mission that if we are to baptize him we need the parent to at least have interest and most of the lessons. Which is basically to baptize him we need to convert the parents. Mom (Doris) is a hard-core Evangelical who is actually open to the message. She is just scared of the open rebuke of her pastor for investigating. The dad, we haven’t had an opportunity to teach; but, Omar tells us he is a Catholic. We have work there because all the Catholics here in Campamento are pretty hard-hearted.

Nayeli and Marco didn´t attend church this week; so (it seems) we are slowing down with them because their date of the 27th has fallen through. Marco needed attendance at church to be baptized.

I don´t know what is happening here in Campamento but the recent good news is overcoming the previous difficulty we had with teaching and maintaining investigators. There has been little to no success baptizing for almost a year in Campamento. Still, I feel the Lord is testing me with these great events and seeing if I remain humble. I know that the success is solely the Lord´s. He gave these people the opportunity to feel testimony through prayer; I only invited. I knocked on the door and He did the talking when the investigators decided to open it. It is His work here. I have had that feeling whenever I look on all the people with a date for baptism. The Spirit of the Lord touched their hearts and they are changing. There are people open to the gospel here! Just look at the difference in the area from when I came and when or if I leave! So many people know us and no longer call or jeer "mormones!" instead it is "Elderes!" They at least know that we have a calling to teach, and it is no longer a jeer to make fun -they want us to chat with them and invite them. Some will keep the invitation. Some will not keep the invitation. None are easy but the blessing is greater when it takes sacrifice.

I know it is an eternal truth that when we show our faith through the hardship, like Nephi of old and the pioneers, we will find the promised land. We will have rewards waiting for us in our mansions above. Keep truckin and know the Lord is putting down the foundation for your mansion in his presence. Live his principles and he will put up the walls to your mansion. Keep his covenants and he will put up the roof. Know he loves you more than you know and the key to the mansion he has prepared will be yours. It’s not easy but the reward is so much greater than the trial, so keep going until next week!

Honduran Countryside on our way back from Juitcalpa

Valodetano and I exercise with weights in the morning. We have some weights that were left from before. Latino´s are good at soccer but don´t know how to lift weights. Elder Valdetano wants to learn.

I got my shirt from a tiny hole in the wall here in Campemento. There´s not much in my size, so I bought it.