Monday, May 2, 2016

If you cant stand the heat, too bad you are there until January

This week in Honduras was very hot and humid. From the time we left the house each day until after the sun went down we were drenched in sweat. At night it gets a little cooler but not much. 


Each door we knocked this week felt like they had some excuse not to talk to us, but we talked to a lot of people about the gospel! It is a great blessing to stand for what is right in a place where not everything is right. Elder Dipko and I have seen the heat and the different life style as an obstacle to our goal of finding people to accept the restored gospel, but I have noticed that I think much more about Jesus Christ, His life, and His atonement. I know it was worse for him, and so I know that only He knows how to comfort me. 


This week we continued visiting many of our investigators that have been having problems with keeping the commandments. The first is a young woman who really has stopped reading the scriptures and praying often. It is so sad and a little bit heart breaking to see her stop doing the things that the Lord has testified to her that are true. That is where the scripture is completed that says many are called but few are chosen. I believe that one day she will be baptized, but she refuses to give heed to the warnings of spiritual and physical danger. 
  
One breath of fresh air was a sister that we found contacting. She is a mom with 3 kids and lives with her boyfriend. She was baptized when she was 9, but didn’t grow up knowing anything about the church. We have been teaching her about the restored gospel, and the plan of Salvation. Her son Eduardo is 12 and has been listening too. We always laugh and feel the spirit when we are teaching them. This week, they showed up at church! It was so awesome to see them walk through the door. It turns out that one of the members is Eduardo´s Aunt, so I think we will have a little more help from the ward in baptizing Eduardo.. we are planning on the 21st of May. He is a shy, but very obedient kid.
  
On Sunday morning we went to bring another investigator of ours to church. He is 16 years old, lives with his grandma and cousins, and sits on the couch all day because he doesn’t go to school. He had told us that he was going to go to church, but when we showed up he had on jeans and no shirt. We were like, what’s the deal. He told us that he didn’t want to go. I felt a little bit like we were just nagging him to go.. but we gave him our testimonies that we had times in our lives where we didn’t want to go to church either, but that he will receive blessings if he goes. I think he will begin to progress more this week, he’s just a snot nosed kid, that’s all! Haha

To answer some of the questions that mom had:
How was your week?
I felt like an ugly kid asking out cute girls to prom.. Straight rejection! but there is someone that will say yes.. its the faith that counts! If planted it will grow!

What questions did you focus on during your scripture study?
Here there is a big problem of people thinking that those who will be saved in the kingdom of God are those who do exactly what the bible says, not taking into account the importance of a church. I studied how we can more fully explain that a church is necessary and that not every church has the authority. There is really no easy way to say it.. But we always invite people to read and pray to know for themselves! That’s how I know!


Have you read Jesus the Christ?  (it’s hard to read, but so good to have that experience)
I have read parts. It is full of awesome stuff! I am also reading the book you guys sent, The Infinite Atonement. Wow. I feel like my mind is expanding from knowledge from that book! I love the scriptures that it uses too. It brings a lot of clarity!

Thank you so much for the Easter Package!! It was so awesome to read your letters and eat American candy!! I love you guys so much!! Have a great week!


Elder Dowell