Helloooooooo America.
This week was awesome.
I feel like I've found a new confidence this week which helped a ton with our teaching and finding. This past week we found 2 awesome families. Seriously amazing elect families. We're getting them ready to take a dip in the baptismal font.
We baptized a boy this week. His name is Carlos and he's 11. He's been going to church for years with his Aunt but never was baptized so we jumped on him and taught him everything this week. It's always awesome when the Lord presents someone to you when you have nobody to baptize. His family is one of the 2 that we're getting ready to baptize. A few transfers ago the missionaries were teaching them but i think they quit because Carlos parents aren't married. But the family is great. The parents were supportive of Carlos a lot when we were teaching him and the Dad, Antonio, said that his son was setting the example for him by following this way. Antonio really wants us to work with him so that he can be baptized with the rest of his family. There's a little girl and his wife left. We even gave Antonio a blessing so that he could be a good dad and do everything that the Lord wants him to do. The family already has a testimony and they are progressing like bosses. Antonio said he is battling alcohol but he's got a strong will so we'll nip it in the bud. They went to church and loved it. They really want to commit to changing and really being members of the church. It's fun to watch them discover the wonders of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Everything is new and brings them a lot of hope for the future. The Bishop had a fhe (Family Home Evening) at his house and talked about the Atonement. Bishop Gostavo is a really powerful and inspired man who knows how to speak with the spirit. It would be awesome if we could teach with him everywhere. We could tell that Antonio really wanted to understand the Atonement more and use it in his life. It was good. We're going to mark the wedding and the 3 baptisms this week.
Another family we found was the family of Edinete. We found her when we were teaching her neighbor who lives below her. We had been teaching her neighbor for a while without her progressing and then finally we got to talk to Edinete on the steps that go up to her house. Looked like she was having a tough day and we just talked about church and how God loves us. Her daughter came down and listened too and she had been crying. I guess our casual talk with them had enough of the Spirit for them to want to go to church and mark another visit with us to talk with the dad. So we went back and taught the Restoration to the whole family. Parents, 3 daughters, 2 of them old enough to be baptized. The lesson we taught was very spiritual. The Spirit was just beating down on them and there was no way they weren't feeling it. I felt like the Lord was helping me a lot during the lesson with my speaking and confidence and even remembering scriptures. We taught flawlessly and Edinete even said that she feels something different about this church. She said that the day we met her, she was about to fight with her daughter but she was calmed down and just felt better. Her husband was really into the lesson too. Seems like a really humble guy. He works a lot and just looks beat whenever we talk to him. But he receives us graciously. They don't have a certain church and they are super nice/prepared. After the lesson, Elder Ferreira said that I had never taught like that and that the Lord really helped us out. They went to church and loved it. They said that they would go again. Her daughter came up to me and asked what she would have to do to be baptized... I really wanted to tell her that she could but she's 14! We can't just baptize her yet. We'll just have to baptize the whole family! haha. We talked about marriage with them and they're willing to let us help them out. It's a shame to say but we haven't even challenged them to be baptized yet. We weren't feeling it yet. But it'll happen. We're going to mark the wedding and the 4 baptisms this week. It's going to be amazing! My companion and I are becoming famous now because of all the baptisms that are happening. But it really isn't us who's doing the work. The Lord is literally placing people in our path. It seems like He trusts in us a lot with his children in this area.
I really have reached the point where I can say that I love my mission. Everything just seems really pleasant right now and I find joy in teaching these people the Gospel. My companion is one of my best friends now. The members love us... President is really happy with us... and the Spirit is with us and that's what matters. I really feel like the Lord is happy with us. I would hate to leave this area next transfer because it looks like we'll have stuff to finish that we've started this transfer. Dang the mission is good!!! My testimony of Christ is tremendous. His Atonement is amazing and perfect. I've been praying for all of you and know the Lord will rain down some blessings. Love you all and remember to open your mouths and talk about Christ. It's the least we can do to make up for the things he's done for us. Love you all!
Elder Dallin Stephen Carroll
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