In other news, I need to wish you a happy birthday Mom! Love you a ton,
and thanks for everything.
So, the day after the world ends, we're going to have two baptisms! Carmen
passed her interview Sunday with President Ellige, and Elder Vaca
Guzman is hyper excited to hear about it. Alicia also came to church, so she'll
be ready for the 22nd! Unfortunately, at her brother's birthday party, her dad
was definitely drinking, so I don't think he'll be ready to baptize her. It's really sad
to see that, but maybe seeing that he can't, and he should will wake him
up.
We had a ton of crazy miracles last week too! First off, at the Christmas
party, Sister Palmer, an older woman whose husband is not a member, came up to
us and told us that her husband wanted to talk to us. (exciting!) I was
hesitant at first (my mistake) because the last lesson Elder V and I had had
with him did not go well. He's told us that he was going to study it, but he
was highly skeptical, and is of the disposition that if it's in the Bible, then
it's true, otherwise, it's wrong. (fortunately, it IS all in the bible, it's
just misunderstood most of the time. ) Elder Johnson
knew it was going to be good though. So later on, Elder Mancuso (who is the new
missionary this transfer) and I went on exchanges, this past Saturday. During
that exchange, we talked to him, and he was totally different! Brother Palmer
told us that he knows it's true, wants to be baptized and though he'd have a
hard time accepting some stuff, he told us he'd learn! Apparently, during the
time after me and Elder V last taught him, he actually did study, and realized
that the Book of Mormon was telling him the same stuff his "King James" did.
(So by his own logic, it's true.) Then, he
prayed and asked Heavenly Father that if this "whole Mormon nonsense" wasn't
right, to turn him away from it. Funnily enough, He led him deeper into it. So,
we asked him to be baptized, he said yes, and so he's going to be baptized on
the 29th! Then Elder Mancuso and I also talked to Carmen's son, Isaias, who is
12 and looks about 7. So, after comparing the Gospel to, we asked him if
he'd be baptized, and he also said sure! So he's also going to be baptized on
the 29th! Later that day, we drove out to a town called Maricopa, to visit the
family of Matthew, the little boy that called us over. Benjamin (the dad) was
sitting right out front at his gate, and waved at us so we hopped on out and ran
over to talk to them. After we talked for a little while (said his luck is
really going up, but still no job) we taught them the restoration. As we did
that, we emphasized more than usual on how Joseph Smith was a prophet, just like
Moses, or Noah. Benjamin was actually really excited to find that out, because
his parents had taught him that we worship him. (Not!) We testified again that
he was a great man and a prophet of God, but just a man, and the way to know
that is to read the Book of Mormon. So, we gave one to them, and he was so
happy to get it he had us sign and date it! Apparently that's what he does when
someone gives him a bible. (Good foot to start reading it on huh!? Sometimes we
work for EVER to get them to understand that it's similar to, but not, a bible)
The family has promised to read and pray, so WE'RE praying that they do it! As
we left, he walked us over to our car, and then told us that he was gratefull
that we'd come. Apparently, he'd been praying for guidance in his life, in any
form God would give him, and that's when Elder Johnson and I showed up. It was
very humbling but exciting to hear.
So the work is going great here. The Spanish class at church moved to a
different room, because it's about doubled (or tripled) since I showed up, but
that's not saying much when you've only got 1 real solid member. It is still
cool to see it beginning to grow.
I hope you all have a wonderful week, and remember that when times get
hard, that's when we need to fight that much harder. Heavenly Father can only
bless us if we are doing.
Love,
Elder Matthew David Clough
