Puro Adelante y Así No Más


Being called to serve Him, the heavenly king of glory, is simply glorious. It's a glory in His work and how its power and love are manifested to his children. It's the same conclusion that I always come back to: no matter what happens in the area/city or in my companionship or whatever it may be, His work continues and we can continue. 

 I got to bear my testimony of that to the little branch I left in Caborca. I loved my time in that pueblucho and the way I began to see more fully the workings of the Spirit with God’s children. It was harder to say goodbye as I had spent more time in that area than any other I've ever been in so far. I loved being able to visit with members or friends in lessons and for things to feel more natural. Other times it has felt like a bit more of the black white dynamic of “I'm a missionary and they are members/investigators.” But I had times when it just felt like that while that dynamic was still in play, we were able to be friends and enjoy each other's company. Simply put, it's been feeling more natural interacting with others and talking, rejoicing, and preaching of Christ. 

 

There’s been a lot of people that I’ve gotten to know. One of them is a woman who has to watch over her two year old niece because of the trauma that's happened to them both, yet who's cackle at her own jokes and her acceptance of the spirit helps her feel more of the sweetness of the gospel. There are also a few kids, 3 little girls, that love to read the book of Mormón and attend church but whose family isn't so sure about this new religion. Another is an older gentleman who had a harder life in his youth but now only wants to learn about God and be around his small dog Chapo. And a rather young branch president whose jokes and testimony about trusting in God inspired me to give all that I have too. 

 

For one family in particular I had the wonderful chance to see their more full conversion as a team. When I came to Caborca, two youth/kids had baptismal dates set. Not fully knowing the situation, I thought the baptisms would pull through and it wouldn't take much time. Noel, 13 years old, is a bigger kid with a sincere heart that blends nicely with his chill personality.  Ariadne, 9 years old, has a lot more energy in all that she does but knows what's right. Our first lessons together were rather simple. We taught the lesson, they didn't have many questions and that was it. It was more bland than the curry I attempted to make the following week.  But what I got to see was slowly by slowly they trusted in us a bit more. We did a few different activities and Family Home Evenings which involved lots of laughing and teasing. It took about a month for us to get the confidence of the family in that baptism for these two kids. We scheduled yet another baptismal date for the end of that following month. Within that time we kept talking with them, visiting with them, joking with them, and doing all that we could with them so they could feel that we really did care about them. Noel and Ariadne were the ones that usually attended church alone. Their parents dropped them off and then left. However thanks to the delightful insight of a 9 year old, Ariadne asked her mom why does she have to go to church, if the rest of her family doesn't? That's when their mom, aunt, and cousin all started to attend church with them. I was filled with happiness each time I came into that tiny sacrament room and saw them filling up an entire row of chairs and smiling at us as we greeted them with the different fun handshakes that we created with each one of them. 

 

On my last Sunday that I had there, I was yet again delighted to see so many people that I had gotten to know there partake of the sacrament. Yet I was even more blessed to see that Noel was the one who passed the sacrament for his first time. When he came by with the tray of broken bread, I felt a familiar filling in my being. This was the first time I had ever gotten to see one of the people that I helped get baptized participate in the church like that. Due to my quick stay and short transfers in each area, I had only gotten to see the people get baptized and then I had to leave the area. I've had the privilege to talk to other converts that I helped baptize and hear about their progression in the church. But this was the first time I got to actually see one be part of the church. 

 

I am grateful for the chance I had to get to know all of these people and see the influence of the Spirit and loving Heavenly Parents in their lives. Grace has been as my day.

 

Elder d'Evegnée el chalqueño de ecatepec, veracruz Idaho

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