Birthday Fun
Birthday Baptism
Wow what a week! Where to begin. So, last Monday after our P-day
activities, we went out and taught a few lessons. When we got home that
night, while I was writing in my journal, my companion called me out
back and asked for help. I stepped outside and he started spraying me
with the hose! What the heck! I was so confused at first I just kind of
stood there and took it. I´ve learned that Latinos love to have a good
time and will look for any excuse to have a party of sorts.
Tuesday
was good too. We had a district meeting in the morning and after, Elder
Tovar and I found an awesome investigator! His name is Diego and he was
way into our message! We taught him again on Friday and his mother too
and we had an awesome hour long lesson with him and we were able to
answer all of their questions about the plan of salvation. Then we had
Diego pray and he gave an awesome prayer for his first time.
On
Wednesday we had a lot of appointments set up but they all fell
through. One of them was way weird. We went to a less active family and
they opened the door, said they couldn´t talk, handed us a big box of
Corn Pops, and proceeded to shut the door. Best Rejection Ever. Not that
rejection is ever good but it hurts less when you get cereal out of it.
Then Elder Carr and Elder Burbidge had us go to a lesson for them
because they accidently went on the wrong bus and were an hour away from
their investigator, so Elder Tovar and I took a cab over to Jessica.
Elder Carr and I gave her a Book Of Mormon about a week ago and the day
we gave it to her she called us and said she had started reading it and
so Elder Tovar and I were able to answer all of her questions about
Lehi´s vision of the Tree of Life and it was a super cool lesson and it
was super cool to see that she was already reading! Then that night we
had a lesson with Ximena, who has come to church two weeks in a row and
we invited her to baptism and we set a date! We finally got gas back in
our house that night so we can take hot showers again and what a
blessing that is.
Thursday was pretty uneventful until about 8:30
at night when we had a lesson with our neighbor. We were able to invite
her to baptism and she accepted! She seems way excited about it too! I
just hope now that she continues to come to church so that we can
baptize her.
Friday we went on divisions and I went with our
district leader, Elder Santacruz. We went to teach Osvalso, who isn´t a
member, and his dad, Jose Guadalupe, who is a less active and it was a
great lesson. Elder Santacruz is a great teacher and we invited Osvaldo
to be baptized and he said yes! Him and his dad both came to church on Sunday too and they both enjoyed it!
Saturday. What a day.
Definitely won´t ever forget this birthday. So Leon and Santacruz came
over in the morning and we were going to all go for a run for exercise. I
stepped outside and they threw buckets of water at me and soaked me.
Then proceeded to spray me with "espooma" and they covered me with it. I
couldn´t see at all and after, they said I looked like an abominal
snowman. Then I came inside and they had a cake for me. I blew out the
candles and they smashed my face into the cake and I had cake
everywhere. The frosting like glued on ofe my eyes shut and I couldn´t
open it. I had cake so far up my nose and when I blew my nose, only cake
came out. It was in my hair and just everywhere. This was all before 7
in the morning. Happy birthday to me. Then I showered and we got ready
for Jose´s baptism! We went and Elder Burbidge and Elder Carr brought
their investigator, who is from Chicago and they are teaching him in
English, and we all made our way to the baptism. I probably said the
baptismal words in my mind a hundred times on the bus ride there. I was
super nervous that´d I´d mess up the words. We got there and the service
was awesome! The Spirit was so strong and Jose looked so happy. I got
to baptize him! It went perfectly and I can not describe the joy that
comes from bringing somebody into the waters of baptism and helping them
recieve that remission of sins. The mission is tough and I miss
everyone back home and often things don´t go our way but when I see the
smile on people´s faces after they have received that forgiveness and
they know they have come back to their Heavenly Father I know that it´s
all worth it. To share this gospel and message of happiness is so worth
it. The rest of the day was great. Elder Tovar and Elder Burbidge went
with President to figure out changes and Elder Carr and I went out
teaching. We taught a family of about 9 and they all said they´d come to
church. that Sunday 6 of them did! Then on our way home we met some guy
from Texas who speaks English and we´re going to go teach him later
this week! It was an awesome day overall and a great birthday.
Sunday
was good. Investigators came to church and we got a less active family
to come. They all stayed for the entire 3 hours too! Then Carr and I
were on our own again because Tovar and Burbidge went to finalize
changes. I´m happy to say that I´m staying here for another 6 weeks!
Woohoo! But ya Carr and I taught Ximena and halfway through our lesson
she asaked us if she could practice her English and holy heck she knows English! We then had an awesome lesson in Spanglish and We´re going back
again tonight. Then we took the Sacrament to a member in the ward. He
just lost his leg and isn´t able to leave his house so e took it to him.
Elder Carr and I sang him a hymn before and then after the sacrament he
asked for a blessing and then his son asked for one too and we were
able to give them blessings in Spanish. It was great and they were so
grateful for it. I´m so glad that I´m actually able to help the people
here and I feel so much more useful in the hands of the Lord. I know
this Church is true and I´m so grateful for my opportunity to be
serving! Thank you everyone for the birthday wishes this week and thank
you for your prayers. I´m doing great and miss you all! Until next week,
Con amor,
Elder Fillmore
