Family and Friends,
This week I hit my two month mark in Texas! It’s crazy!
We spent our Monday (after P-day) at a Family Home Evening with the Reynoza family. They are so cool! We were able to get Leo there as well. After a lesson, we went out back and roasted marshmellow’s in the Reynozas backyard and the stars were out! I’ve never seen them here in Houston it was so cool! it reminded me of life back home and we shared some pretty funny camping stories.
Wednesday night we taught Leo again. He is so great, he is reading the Book of Mormon daily and literally wrestling with ever verse. He had 54 questions that he had highlighted from his reading and we explained and answered each one right after the other bam bam bam… I am really starting to get confident in my knowledge of the scriptures.. It’s a great feeling that only comes through daily study but at the same time I need to make sure I keep pride at bay. Anyway, we got to a verse in 2 Nephi 31 where it is talking about the doctrine of Christ and baptism and says more or less, “if after all of this you deny me, it would have been better that ye hadn’t known me.” Leo has been having a hard time deciding wether or not to be baptized because he is scared of messing up after. He said he was starting to feel like he should be baptized until he read that scripture. Dang it! We explained it to him, how it applies to very few, and discussed the atonement. He shared with us a dream he had where his mom called for his help so he ran into the living room and saw his father opening a door. A beautiful woman came inside and his father embraced her. Leo knew that in his dream this woman represented sin and temptation. He started coming closer to it.. but then he started getting thrown this way and that way on the walls and all over by some invisible force. Then, he said that he saw Elder Bruneel and I come in through the door and every thing was peaceful and the dream faded out… he told us that he had shared it with his dad, who really believes in taking dreams seriously.
His dad is a nice guy, he always greets us. Leo says that some Jehova’s Witnesses used to come by and he didn’t like them much but he treats us just fine. Leo said that when he told his dad about his dream he told Leo that he had better start listening to us because what we have to share is important and it will bring peace into their lives.
When we visit Leo, we just greet his family and meet with leo with the door closed in his bedroom. But, this time, Leo told us that his dad wanted us to bless him. He has had a crazy life and wants direction. So his dad came in and we blessed him.. it was crazy.. I can’t remember much of what I said because I know it wasn’t coming from my own mind.. I told him that God will guide him to find the answer to his question and that Christ was at the door knocking all he had to do was let him in. It was a pretty long blessing it’s crazy I couldn’t even remember what I said when I was done so I couldn’t write it in my journal but after, he sat there and told us crazy stories about his childhood in Mexico. Sometimes Mexicans like to go off on lots of tangets but Leo told us it means he really likes us cuz he doesn’t say that stuff to just anyone. We really need to take this opportunity and start teaching the whole family it could really be a miracle.
On Thursday we taught Hayde the Word of Wisdom and she stood up and brought us her coffee right away… gosh I LOVE taking people’s coffee it makes me feel like such a good missionary! Haha I don’t know why. she keeps coming to church and her and her 8 year old daughter Venecia are really excited for their baptism on the 25th!
On Friday we had zone conference. I walked away feeling very refreshed and uplifted.
On Saturday Elder Bruneel and I rode our bikes literally to every part of our area and every thing fell through.. it was just one of those days when you work your butt off but don’t have any numbers to show for it. But we did find Francisco again! He got a new (much improved) apartment! Fernando, his 6 year old son is actually having an operation right now and after, Francisco says he is going to look for a different job so he can come to church.
Sunday was really good. We picked up David, Francisco’s son and Hayde and Venecia came to church. Then we went to Kingwood for our choir fireside. I was super nervous but I think I did well on the violin and I think we sounded really good! We are going to be touring the mission doing these firesides every couple of weeks.. in a couple of weeks we have one with Elder D. Todd Christofferson!
Well, things are going great here. Transfers are coming up. This transfer has just flown by I can’t believe it! I am really hoping that I get to stay here in the Broadway area but either one of us could go. Elder Bruneel thinks he will leave because he has been here for a while but he just got made district leader so who knows.
I’ll leave y’all with something from my studies. 1 Kings 17 contains one of the greatest stories of faith I have read. Elijah asks a poor woman to bring her water and make him a cake (or a little biscuit or something). She tells him that she only has enough for one more meal for her and her son and then they will die together. He tells her to fear not and go and do and if she does so her vial of oil and the barrel of meal will not run out until the famine that was over Israel at that time was lifted..I invite yall to read verses 10 – 16[1 Kings 17:10-16].
So Elder Bruneel has been raking in the letters so far but this last week a famine of letters was seen in Broadway and the lands roundabout haha missionaries love letters!!
2926 Dover, Houston TX, 77017
Love y’all, staying strong!
Hymn#196 Jesus Once of Humble Birth (we sang this one at the concert while I played the violin it’s a really good one. Sacrament hyms are just boss!)
Love,
Elder Viitanen
Stayin strong! Love y’all!
- 1 Kings 17
10 So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of the city, behold, the widow woman was there gathering of sticks: and he called to her, and said, Fetch me, I pray thee, a little water in a vessel, that I may drink.
11 And as she was going to fetch it, he called to her, and said, Bring me, I pray thee, a morsel of abread in thine hand.
12 And she said, As the Lord thy God liveth, I have not a cake, but an handful of meal in a barrel, and a little oil in a cruse: and, behold, I am gathering two sticks, that I may go in and dress it for me and my son, that we may eat it, and die.
13 And Elijah said unto her, Fear not; go and do as thou hast said: but make me thereof a little cake first, and bring it unto me, and after make for thee and for thy son.
14 For thus saith the Lord God of Israel, The barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail, until the day that the Lord sendeth rain upon the earth.
15 And she awent and did according to the saying of Elijah: and she, and he, and her house, did eat many days.
16 And the barrel of meal wasted not, neither did the cruse of oil fail, according to the word of the Lord, which he spake by Elijah.↵
Every week I wait for your mails. You write so vividly.You have a gift to write.You really love your work,Carlos, and I am so happy for that.Take care! I will write a letter later. Good luck with your teachings! Love you! Mummi