CREATED AND UPDATED BY: M♡M

Yaaaaaaaaay!

Mayo 16, 2010

This Saturday at 6:00 pm Javier and Vivianna are going to be married, and Javier, Vivianna, and their son Alex are going to be baptized. The Sister missionaries' investigator named Jorge, is also going to be baptized at the same time. Yaaaaaaaaay!

This week we had a Noche de Hogar (Family Home Evening) with some of the members in San Vicente (Sinia, Edwin, Blanca Rosa and their family, Patricia and her kids, Ivannia and her kids, and sometimes Dunia and her kids as well. We've been doing this every week, and we rotate the house we have it in. Today we are going to have it in Ivannia's house, and we are going to take Javier and Vivianna with us.

On Tuesday we did service for Tomasa again, but this time we didn't move dirt. We painted the rain thing on the top front of her house. We painted it black. It looks a lot better now, we are pros. We tuaght Francisco again as well and he gave us a type of food they eat in Limon called pati, which is kinda like an empanada, but a little different, sometimes with chile. He also knows how to make rice n´beans, another Limonense food, which is made with coco.

On Friday Elder Hicken came to do divisions with me and my comp went to Los Yoses with Elder Mitton. Elder Hicken and i went to visit Javier and Vivianna to confirm the baptismal date, but we didn't have to do anything. The last 3 visits we've had with Javier and Vivianna, we've gone with a plan to help Javier progress (because Vivianna has been sure this is the truth, she`s just been waiting for him to decide), but Javier just starts talking to us and telling us how he feels. Each time he shared with us we've seen him getting closer and closer to being sure this is the truth and what his family needs. He's been reading the book of Mormon and praying and on Friday he told us that he wanted to be baptized. He said that there is no point in putting it off any longer, and that even though his mother and other family members might not agree with his decision, he has the responsibility to do the best for his wife and kids. I've really seen how the Lord has been changing the family for the better, especially Javier. Its awesome because they always pray and read as a family now, although before they didn't think it would possible with the kids, and they are really excited about the changes they've made. So anyway, we called and confirmed with the lawyer, and we're setting everything up for the wedding/baptism this Saturday.

On Saturday morning before ending divisions with Elder Hicken, we had a really good lesson with Ariel. We talked about obedience and how our Heavenly Father gives us blessings for every commandment that we obey D&C 130, but if we don´t obey we could miss out on those blessings D&C 82: 10. We testified to Ariel that his Father in Heaven was always just waiting for him to choose the right, so he could derramar all those blessings upon him. We talked about the blessings of being baptized, and challenged Ariel to be baptized on Saturday as well. Ariel told us that he really, really wanted to know if this was the truth, but that he just wasn't sure yet. We shared our testimonies and experiences with him and challenged him to always be valient and to do a fast, so that he can recieve the answer that he needs. We told him we were going to fast for him as well. We are going to see how it went this week.

Another great lesson we had this week was with Familia Vega, a family thats been inactive for a few years now, maybe because they have a pulperia that they keep open on Sundays, maybe other things as well. Familia Vega consists of Hno. Y Hna. Vega (Hno. has been going to church alone lately, Hna. has been inactive for awhile) Jose Luis Jr. (who has started coming back to church since we found him), Stephen (who is baptized, but goes to the catholic church), Paola (who isn't baptized, but we are teaching her and she's awesome), and Byron (also not baptized, also teaching him). The lesson we had the other day was just with Paola and her parents. We taught about the Plan of Salvation. It was a long lesson, because they asked a lot of questions, but Paola was able to understand God's plan really well and it really made her parents understand better the importance of going to church. It really impacted them, especially when we talked about the Final Judgement. The scripture in Alma about wanting the rocks and mountains to fall upon us to hide us from God's presence if we are not prepared, really hit them hard there was a moment of deep silence. I saw Hno Vega tear up at the thought. Afterwards we talked about the Kingdoms of Glory and that made them think a lot as well, about what they really wanted. It was a powerful lesson and i think the family is starting to turn around.

Church was good yesterday. 5/9 investigators expected came to church. I went to pick up Vivianna and her kids Alex, Jonathan, and Alison. Javier was working til 9 that morning, so he came from work directly to church, and got there during the second hour. Juriel and Ariel didn't end up going and Silvio and Carolina either. But Paola and Byron did come with there dad Hno. Vega and brother Jose Luis. The members welcomed the investigators really well, and i think Paola went to a Single Adults activity that afternoon, so it was a great day. After church we at at Esteban's, Magalis, and Milagros house again. We had a good lesson with Claren and Yaosca, and few other lessons as well. We ate dinner at the Chavez/Porras home. Yummm, food.

My resources tell me that most of the people we baptized in Heredia are staying strong. Natalia, who got baptized after I left, wrote me and told me that her, and her sister Daniela, and her friends mom Nidia, who all got baptized after I left, are staying strong. They love going to church, even if they have to wake up early to go to Belen all the time. They all have callings (in YW, Primary) and they went to the temple. She also told me that her friend we were teaching, Pamela, also got baptized a couple weeks ago. That's awesome!

My comp is still having problems and I'm doing my best to help him but i don't know whats going to happen in the end. Today was supposed to be a normal day, and Wednesday P'day because we were going to the temple but they canceled on us so now today is p’day. It’s too late though because we already have some appointments, so p'day will end early again.

Sigue adelante everyone.