Dear Family and Friends,
MIRACLE SUNDAYS ARE BACK!!! Yeah buddy! But we’ll get to that in a sec…
First of all, I know I say this every week, but time is just getting faster and faster! I’m already at ten months, and when this transfer is over (in a week) it will almost be October! The way I see it, just around the corner is Christmas and then it will be the year that I go home! I seriously can’t believe it. You guys are all probably sick of me saying it but time is going by way too fast. It feels like it should be April! But here we are about to hit the fall. It’s just nuts guys.
Productive Week
We had a productive week. We have no baptismal dates set anymore BUT we decided that may be good news in disguise. When we had dates set with some of these people, it became a rush. Especially to try and squeeze in all the lessons and a wedding before the date. But now, we can take a little bit more time, make sure that everything is taught and conversion takes place, and convert some “leadership” in our branch as our branch president says. And I truly think that is what is happening.
Las Tres Amigas
On Tuesday we had a great lesson with the 3 Amigas. We went over the Plan of Salvation and it clicked this time! It was a little bit of a long lesson explaining it all and answering all of their questions, but they understood it all! By the end, they were able to break it down for us and explain everything. Jamileth’s work schedule has been crazy, we just need to have a sit down with her and get her another date and make sure she can come to church on Sundays. Other than that, it’ll just be us finding the time to teach her and she will be good to go! She is really willing. Just busy. She only sleeps 4 hours a night! Which is crazy for a 19 year old! She is just working all the time.
Wednesday Driving to Pasadena
On Wednesday we had to drive all the way out to Pasa- “get down” -dena (as all the gangsters call it haha) which is right next to Houston to pick up a prescription for Elder Campbell’s medication. So we got to see some nice country, but it felt like we were just blowing the day away. It was necessary though. I hate those moments when you have to do something like that, because you just feel so guilty as a missionary if you’re not working all the time. I guess that will be weird getting used to when I come back home.
I feel pretty bad about the bad attitude I had about Elder Campbell in my last message. He really is a great guy, just doesn’t have great people skills. I was really having a hard time this week with him (specifically on that car ride) and I poured out my heart in prayer and asked for strength from the Lord. I also made a promise with Him that I would treat Elder Campbell like he was my best friend until he left and that I would do everything I can to serve him. Since then, I’ve been making his bed while he’s in the shower and picking up his clothes and such. I never realized just how much serving someone really helps you love them. He’s still the same Campbell, but my perspective of him has changed for the better. Weird. So things are going good there.
Branch Soccer Match
On Saturday we had our branch soccer game/barbaque against the Port Arthur branch. I was so excited! We made the decision that we wouldn’t go unless there were investigators there. Well, we got five to come! It was awesome! Yaneth and Jamileth came, and although they didn’t play soccer they had a great time playing board games with the other sisters and getting to know each other which is good “social conversion.” They made some really good friends! Yaneth’s brother came to play soccer, and the 15 year old kid from the Vega family that I told y’all about last week came and brought a friend! They were really good! So it was a good turnout! We smashed Port Arthur, which isn’t important, but it was fun! Angel Vega and his friend played up front and Elder Hatch and I played in the middle and us four tore it up! It was insane! By the end we were in the 20’s and they were around 8. It was a legit game too with lots of people there. It was fun 🙂
Matt
That brings me to Sunday. On Thursday, during our Hour of Power, it was 7:02. Hour of Power was technically over. We were walking back to the car from knocking the last door when we were passing this kid. We were about to pass him without saying anything. But I felt like we should talk to him. But I was on the opposite side of the trio – walking. (not sure if that made sense. So since Elder Hatch was closest to him I said, “Elder Hatch, you’re not down to talk to him.” Like a boss, Elder Hatch starts talking to him before he passes us and we set up a return appointment for Sunday. Nothing special about it.
Well, yesterday we went by. His name is Matt. He’s 20 and works at Chic-fil-a. He’s is Latino but he only speaks English, but he lives with a family of Spanish speaking Jehovah’s witnesses. He read our entire pamphlet on the Restoration and he remembered all of it! He seriously had it all figured out without us even needing to explain it to him! We did go over it with him, but only to answer some of his questions. He knew everything about Authority, Joseph Smith, all of that. By far, the line of the lesson was when Elder Hatch asked him what it would mean to him if this message was true. He said, “It means I best be gettin’ with this message and forgetin’ all the other ones.”
Like a boss! It was so sweet! Here is this guy that from the first look we didn’t even think twice about, but a simple prompting later and we have a sweet new investigator! It was awesome! He even asked for a Book of Mormon so he could start reading it right away. In his prayer, he thanked God for sending us. “You knew that I have been frustrated in my heart about which church to join, God, and you sent these men to bring me the message of truth,” he said. It’s moments like that when you just don’t even feel like you deserve what the Lord is blessing you with!
Yaneth and Beto
We also went and taught Yaneth and her husband Beto about the Plan of Salvation yesterday. They came to church as well. Beto had lost a mother so the lesson was perfect for him. He has been reading the Book of Mormon. He understood everything we taught and he said it all makes sense, it makes more sense than everything that he had been taught his whole life. He said, “well, my mom was Christian, but she wasn’t baptized in… well, OUR church. So what happens to her?” PERFECT QUESTION! He seemed really intrigued by the idea of baptisms for the dead. They asked a lot of questions that I felt like we gave really good answers to. They love it! It was an awesome lesson! So their baptism got delayed because they haven’t been able to get their I.D.’s for their marriage liscenses yet. But they should be getting that this week. So the goal is that in the next couple of weeks we can get their wedding figured out and then their baptism! Beto said that as soon as possible he wants to go to the temple and be baptized for his mother. Legit!!
Dunia
Dunia came to church as well. We are in the process of figuring out her living situation and sneaking her out of her boyfriend’s house. Then she can get baptized! With the 3 amigas, Beto, the Vegas, Matt, and a couple other sweet peole we are teaching, this area is bumpin! Crazy to think our President was about to shut it down. So stoked! There are times in an area where you have moments where you think “I don’t want to leave this area.” This week I had a couple of those, and I haven’t even finished my first transfer here. I can tell that Beaumont really has and will continue being the refiner’s fire for my mission.
Tonight, we are going with Brother Mecham, a member from our branch, back out to Louisiana for dinner because he is moving to Oklahoma and Elder Campbell is leaving soon. I’m so stoked!
RAJIN’ CAJUN COUNTRY SON!!!
Y’all have a good week.. I’m still risin’ and shoutin’ everyday, just with a different purpose in mind 🙂
Love,
Elder Viitanen
