Stake Conference & New Investigators

Standard of Liberty we made with the Sierras

Sierras Baptism with all their missionaries except one

Mega plunger I made to unclog the font

Hello!  So last Sunday a recent convert, Alfredo Valdez, brought a friend to church, Alexis.  We talked to him at church and he seemed super cool so we set up a lesson with him.  When we went to teach him, we found out that he loved church, every part about it!  And we found out that he has no religious background, and is looking for a church.  So its perfect, he is 17 and we have super strong youth, plus he already knows 3 or 4 people at church.  So we taught him the restoration and it just all made sense to him: the apostasy and the restoration of the church, prophets, and authority... He is the easiest person I have ever taught.  He is super prepared to receive the gospel right now!  And since then, we taught him the Plan of Salvation, he read in the Book of Mormon, and has a date for May 23.  Plus he knows he felt the Spirit, but he said not enough to get his answer about the truth yet.  But we are still working with him.  Except he didn't come to stake conference... but that won't destroy my faith!  We have a lesson with him on Tuesday so we can see why not.  It might me because everyone stayed up late to see the big fight.  A lot of people here get way into boxing.

We also taught some more English Classes.  It’s one of my favorite things we do all week.  And this week we had more than 3 people, we had 4, haha!  We need to figure out some better advertising.  We are thinking to make posters and put them up in all the taco shops!

Update with the Marquez family:  I don’t know if I told you guys about them, but this week she randomly texted us and asked us to come over for a few minutes. That never happens with her!  So we went over and read in the Book of Mormon to help her gain a testimony of it.  But we have been realizing that she never really does anything to progress.  She never really reads on her own, or comes to church, and it is almost impossible to set lessons with her.  So we dropped by yesterday and we talked about the Atonement and how we can achieve nothing in this life unless we repent and follow all the commandments.  Well that turned into a big discussion that covered everything that she and we wanted to make known. At the end, we decided that we are pretty much dropping her.  We will go by if she asks us, but besides that we are going to leave her alone.  So this should give us more time to focus on other people.  And hopefully, when we aren't there as much, she will feel the lack of spirit and want to come back and progress!

We also found another new person.  Jesus Baez.  He is the brother of a part member family.  When we used to teach him (when I was here before), he would always just fight with us.  Well we went over on Thursday, and he has had the biggest change of heart!  We went over and he just told us all about how he wants to read the Book of Mormon and come to church and he wants us to visit him everyday... miracles!  So that’s what we did... until he went crazy...  We went by one day and he was gone and his family told us all about how he never sleeps anymore and just stays up all night either clutching the BoM to his chest or repeating one verse over and over for hours.  And now he says he has crazy visions and a bunch of other weird stuff.  So the family first sent him to another brother’s house, but last night they sent him to the hospital.  So we shall have to see what happens with him.  I think the spirit just made him so pure hearted that his old dirty self couldn't handle it and he went into shock, kinda like King Lamoni.  Hopefully he snaps out of it this week.  But the family does say that he is always calmer the day after we come and teach him, so they know what we do somehow helps. :)

Then this weekend was Stake conference.  And because they changed the presidency, Elder Halstrom from the Presidency of the Seventy and Elder Haney from the First Quorum came!  I’ve never been so close to General Authorities before.  It was so coooooool!  They talked a lot about ward and family councils, and the atonement, and how it relates to missionary work.  I wish I could have met them after, but every time I would get distracted by members/investigators and then I would miss my opportunity. But I did get a lot of notes so that should make up for it!

But now on to the stuff you really care about... Mother's Day calls!  We will be calling from the Diaz house again and doing it sometime between 2 and 5pm on Sunday.  But she has all your info so she will contact both of you and will set everything up.

PS. Transfers are happening this week and Elder Beveridge is leaving. So me and Elder Tate will have a new companion next week!

Love you!

Elder Lund