Hello friends and family,
The week started off with a pretty good P-Day.. I’ve been learning how to play the organ for the ward because no one there can play so I got to practice. I love it! it’s so fun.
Man.. last week we said goodbye to some of the Elders and Sisters who are going home. Among them were Elder Wasden (assistant to the president and my “great grandpa) and Elder Jenkins, my zone leader. I’m really going to miss them. I got to be Elder Jenkin’s last exchange. He said he had wanted to go with me because he heard I was “the best greenie in all greeniedom.” It was a really good exchange I hope I get to see them when I get back.
Well because of a couple exchanges this week I got to lead an area for the first time in my mission. On Wednesday Elder Bruneel left to go to a leadership meeting so I was left with two brand new greenies fresh off the plane. I must admit, I was pretty nervous, but we had a good day planned. As we were biking to our first appointment pretty far away, Elder Ericksen’s pedal fell off his bike (he was using Elder Bruneel’s. I don’t know what he does to his bikes but it’s always got that same problem.) To make matters worse, it started POURING. I had never seen it rain so hard in my life till I got to Houston. We were soaking wet within seconds. I wanted to set a good example, so I wanted to keep going. I pulled Elder Ericksen along with a strap I tied to my backpack and when we got to our appointment, a tornado warning was issued so we had to return home if possible or stay where we were at. We shared a quick message and one of the ward members gave us a ride back to our house where we remained for a few hours until the warning was lifted. It wasn’t long after that when Elder Bruneel got back. Boy was I glad to see him!
We are still working hard with Francisco. He wants to come to church and get baptized. He said he wanted to quit his job to look for other jobs where he doesn’t have to work Sundays. However, he can’t do that yet because two of his kids have operations next month and he needs money for them. So he can’t leave his job right now. The bishop said he would try to figure something out to help him.
Hayde Lomeli is a great investigator of ours. She has so much faith! She has been listening to us intently and has kept all the committments we left her. She is 27 and has two daughters who love primary and they are coming to church regularly. We have almost taught her everything and have a baptismal date set for Feb. 25 that she is really excited for. She told us that she was so happy she met us. On fast Sunday, many of the members bore their testimony of thanks for the two missionaries that helped them come to the gospel. She said she can’t wait to say that about us. We are pretty excited for her!
Leo has been taught everything and he is at Alma in the Book of Mormon. He has been coming to church every Sunday for a while. His only concern is that he is afraid that he will mess up after his baptism. He said that when he is committed to something, he wants to do it right. Since he is the president of a fraternity, he doesn’t want to be a hypocrite. He is the president because he likes the business aspect since that is his major and it looks good on applications. Even though he doesn’t drink or party or anything like that the temptation is still there and he doesn’t want to fall. We taught him a pretty good lesson on baptism and the atonement and he said he would pray intently to know if he is ready for baptism and talk to his parents about it.
Friday I got another chance to lead the area, this time on exchanges with the new zone leader, Elder Robles from Mexico. I was a little worried, because he was the only person in our whole zone who I was worried about getting along with but it went great! We had an awesome day! On our way to our first appointment I was BOOKING it when I realized Elder Robles wasn’t following. I turned around to find him talking to a girl on the street. When I approached, she tried to brush us off by telling us she was atheist. Elder Robles asked “why?” we started talking. She was showing absolutely no signs of interest but Elder Robles kept persisting. After she turned down a card, a pamphlet, a return appointment, he still asked if she would be interested in a tour of our church. To my surprise, she said she had gone to that church before and she would have some time right now so we walked with her the long way to the church building. It was a bit awkward because it was such a long walk with lots of loud cars driving by but she told us her family were members when she was a little girl but she was never baptized even though she wanted to be. She told us that she was forced into witchcraft by her family later on and that they still practiced it pretty regularly. When we asked her what she thought about it all she said was “it was weird.” We did some “How to begin teaching” and talked a little about the plan of salvation on the way, as directed by the Spirit.
When we got to the church, we said a prayer and entered the foyer, where a picture of Christ was. She began acting strangely, saying that it was hot and that she was burning up while keeping her back turned to the painting while making whimpering noises. We didn’t know what to make of it so we proceeded to tell her that we would enter the chapel and take a moment of silence to feel the spirit. As soon as she walked in she said “It’s so hot!” and walked a few steps away from us. She started bawling. We left her alone for a few minutes and then asked how she felt. She said she was feeling so calm and like a weight was lifted off her shoulders. To make a long story short we proceeded with the church tour and talked about some of her family struggles. She opened up to us a lot and told us of some of the terrible things her dad had done to her and her sister that she felt responsible for. It was a little uncomfortable but we just told her about the atonement and she felt calm. We set a date for the 25th of February and in her prayer she told Heavenly Father that she would accept the challenge to be baptized and to listen to us. A miracle!
At night, while back with Elder Bruneel, I noticed my plaque was missing. I figured I lost it somewhere between Leo’s house and Laura’s house, two people we had just visited. There was some distance in between and it was getting late, so I prayed and told God I had faith and I knew that he would leave me right to where it was. We set out. I had a feeling that it would be at leo’s house by where we had locked up our bikes. I prayed to see if this was true, and I recieved a confirmation through the spirit. We went right there and there it was! A miracle of faith! I have never had the spirit so present in my life it’s amazing. The weekend was pretty frustrating with a lot of people lying to us about coming to church and lots of appointments falling through so we had to drop a few investigators but we are seperating the dross from the pure metals as we like to say!
http://youtu.be/y07jT6Id18M
Hope you all have a blessed week! I’d like to leave you with a thought from my study. In chapter 24 of Luke, Christ appears to 2 disciples walking on Emmaus road[1]. They don’t realize who he is. He walks with them for a while, and asks them why they are troubled (they tell him that they are sad because of Christs death). Christ begins sharing scriptures with them about His ressurection and their “hearts burn.” When they ask Him to stay the night with them when they get to their destination, they finally realize who He is, but too late. He is gone. The hymn “Abide With Me; ‘Tis Eventide” is based upon this story and is one of my favorites. Christ is sometimes walking right next to us on our life’s path. Let’s try to recognize Him a little better.
Love,
Elder Viitanen
- Luke 24
13 And, behold, two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem about threescore furlongs.
14 And they talked together of all these things which had happened.
15 And it came to pass, that, while they communed together and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near, and went with them.
16 But their eyes were holden that they should not know him.
17 And he said unto them, What manner of communications are these that ye have one to another, as ye walk, and are sad?
18 And the one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answering said unto him, Art thou only a stranger in Jerusalem, and hast not known the things which are come to pass there in these days?
19 And he said unto them, What things? And they said unto him, Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people:
20 And how the chief priests and our rulers delivered him to be condemned to death, and have crucified him.
21 But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel: and beside all this, to day is the third day since these things were done.
22 Yea, and certain women also of our company made us astonished, which were early at the sepulchre;
23 And when they found not his body, they came, saying, that they had also seen a vision of angels, which said that he was alive.
24 And certain of them which were with us went to the sepulchre, and found it even so as the women had said: but him they saw not.
25 Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken:
26 Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory?
27 And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the dscriptures the things concerning himself.
28 And they drew nigh unto the village, whither they went: and he made as though he would have gone further.
29 But they constrained him, saying, Abide with us: for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent. And he went in to tarry with them.
30 And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them.
31 And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight.↵
Hi Carlos.I am writing letter to you.I love your mails.You are great