30 September 2013

30 September 2013

Letter to All:

Well I missed last week, but that just means I will have to write more.

Last week was a great week!  First of all Erasmo has been progressing very well and is very excited for his baptism.  Sadly he didn´t pass the interview and won´t get baptized until the 12th because he drank coffee.  

Ronald came back! And....with his family!  That was the best part of the week.  He came to church now that´s 3 times but we are going to work with the wife so they can get baptized together on Oct. 19th.  He´s 62 I believe, she´s 25...kind of weird but oh well, I´ve heard of worse here!  In Nicaragua age doesn´t always matter.

Last Sunday Maykalin and Felix came to church, also Erasmo and Ronald.  We were super excited to see them there!  It´s the first time someone has brought a family to church in my area for over a year!  As well last Sunday I gave a talk.

It was about the first and great commandment, which is to love God.  I was hard on them, I taught about how we can love God: Obeying his commandments, loving your neighbor, going to church, bringing a friend to church, helping less actives.  And I asked, ¨Are we loving God enough?, I think we can do a little more.¨  I cited in the last Chapter of Juan of when Christ came to visit his apostles after his resurrection and he said to Peter, “ Do you love me?” - 3 times.  I changed the scripture from ¨Do you love me, more than these (fish)?  Feed my sheep. To  --  Do you love me?  Then come to church, and bring a lost sheep with you.

Then I shared two experiences in my life about the importance of never missing church, not even once and also another experience about the Sacrament.  When I was a priest and we would give the sacrament to Brother Pribil.  I remember the last time we went to give it to him he was so ill, he couldn´t talk, neither eat.  But I could see the joy in his eyes when he saw us enter the room with the sacrament there.  I went and gave him the pan and I only touched it to his lips and I could fell his grand gratefulness that we had brought this sacred sacrament to him.  If I recall about 4 days later he died.  I shared that with them and I almost cried, and those who know me I´m not one to cry much.  Several in the congregation cried.  Then the other 2 talks (not planned) tied in perfectly.

This Sunday, almost all that were there last Sunday came again.  The other Sunday 29 came, this Sunday we had 49.  Sadly this Sunday we didn´t have any investigators come.  We are going to work very hard to get them to General Conference, it will be a great experience for them, we are going to make invitations and invite everyone!

Saturday the other Elders had 3 baptism, they hadn´t baptized until now. The baptism was a great success, 41 people came, and over half were investigators.  

October is going to be a great month; we have been working all September to have a good month for October.  Maykaling and Felix have come one time in church.  Ronald has 3 times and Damaris his wife 0.  Erasmo has 4 times and his wife has 2 times, Erasmo hasn´t turned back to drinking he rejects his friends when they invite him.  We are truly starting to see the fruits of our labors.  This area is tough, but I don´t want to leave, It would be sad to miss these people getting baptized and the branch growing.  Changes are Wednesday, we´ll see what happens.

I love you all, take care,and never stop going to church, always look to bring a lost sheep unto the fold.  Thank you always for the constant support!

Elder Willden