MAY 17, 2010

BAPTISM!

"Another HORRIBLY hot week in Merida... ugghh.. its disgustingly hot... I miss our home ward... church just isn't the same in Mexico.. it's still really primitive but it's ok... it's growing!!! haha

So I just restarted the Book of Mormon again and I have realized how awesome first Nephi is!!! I love the story of Nephi breaking his bow... he breaks his bow... which basically means they are going to starve... everyone is flipping out... the whole family starts to murmur against God.. even Lehi and Sariah!!!! But what does Nephi do? He goes, makes another bow, and prays to know where he can find animals to hunt...

Another amazing story is when his brothers tied him to the boat for 4 days and he never once murmured!!!

Someting also that really touches me is when the Lord tells Nephi to build the boat.. he never questions at all... and rather then asking the Lord to do the work for him or to give him tools, he asks where he can find the materials TO MAKE THEM HIMSELF!!! This is so key!!! All of us are going to have our broken bows in our lives... we will all be faced with things we think we can't do or can't handle.... but rather than pout or cry for God to make our problems better or to help us solve them... let us follow the example of Nephi and HELP THE LORD HELP US.... the Lord helps those who help themselves... if we do everything we can with a good attitude and faith he will always be with us to do the rest... the funny part is we think we are walking along with him but in reality he is doing all of it!

We have had a few frustrating experiences this week but we are going to follow the example of Nephi and keep trucking along! grrr Sometimes I feel like straight up preaching to these people that if they don't repent and get baptized in THE TRUE CHURCH they WILL not be eternal families ... I have felt many times like Abinadi and Alma as I watch people who I know have felt the spirit and know the church is true deny it and follow in their old ways...

Neverhteless the Lord is preparing people every day for us... we set a baptismal date with a girl who has been trying to tell us for a while that she wanted to be baptized but she is afraid of her family.. in the last lesson we had with her I sensed that there was something wrong with her and that there was something she wanted to say but was afraid to say it... I felt like I should ask her how she has felt the last few weeks as she has studied and prayed and went to church.... she started to cry and said that she feels completely different in the Church and with the members and that she knows that she needs to get baptized but is afraid her family will abandon her... we assured her that the work of the Lord is never frustrated and that she will recieve more blessings than what she loses... she is going to talk to her fam this week... pray for her!!! her name is Sarah!!

I know this is the work of the Lord!!! He is always willing to change us no matter who or where or when! I have seen it countless times here in Mexico and in my own life!

S0o we have changes tonight, but I doubt I'm going anywhere... we'll see what happens...I love all of you!!!!"

Elder E