Time is going by SOOOO fast! It´s not fair. It is weird because we are now putting baptismal dates with new investigators for the 21st of May! So anyone we find this week wont be able to be baptized til after I am gone, which is really weird... It doesn't really bother me thinking that I wont be able to be here when they are baptized, its just weird thinking that I am that close to going home! It is something I have avoided thinking about for so long and have always thought was so far away but now its here and literally everything reminds me of it. I am using it as a motivator though to just work even harder and harder every day instead of getting trunky and lazy.
Looks like you had a busy week! Sounds like fun though! That's the kind of stuff I had to figure out in the office! How to feed and house a ton of people that are all coming at once haha. It makes for some fun memories. I am glad Brad gets home on Wednesday. One less thing to worry about! What is he going to do all this time at home? Seems like he did more play than work in the Philippines! He has really been gone for 4 months? That seems like it went by way fast...
I have been listening to the conference talks again this week. They are SO MUCH BETTER in English! it´s crazy how much of a difference that can make! I think Elder Hollands was everyones favorite! I really liked it, but I also really liked Elder Uchtdorfs. That seemed to be a general theme of the conference though: Just keep going and don´t give up! Have faith and everything will work out!
I´m glad you and the Tiptons had a good time! I'm glad you had a lot in common and it wasn´t awkward haha! We were a bit worried! Just because you had never met. But I am glad it went well! I bet you probably know Elder Tipton better than I do now haha.
So This week was great but just kinda normal.. A bit of good, a bit of bad. A bit of miraculous, and a bit of... well not so miraculous.
Francisca: So I kinda told you about her last week. She was progressing SO WELL... Until we taught the law of chastity. She kinda just hardened her heart and now doesn´t want to change. She totally knows that she isn´t living how God wants her to live but she has made up a lie and is starting to believe it herself, just because she doesn't want to make the sacrifice or do anything difficult. Its kinda sad but we are going to have to drop her. We have done everything we can and she just doesn´t listen anymore. She has completely closed her heart, and the spirit cant teach a closed heart. She is like the rich young ruler who, after being obedient to almost all the commandments, was asked one thing more, and he turned away because it was too hard. We are still praying for her and her fellow-shipper is going to keep in touch with her, but we probably wont go by as often anymore. She was so close! It was probably one of the most heart-wrenching and hardest things to hear on my whole mission. She has progressed so well up to this point. She didn't go to church yesterday :( Keep her in your prayers.
Margarita: So on Friday ( i think) we were teaching her and well she is working on not drinking coffee and she is reading and everything! She is progressing really well. The only thing that has held her back was her work. They wont give her Sunday's off :( BUT We asked her if she could maybe change to an afternoon shift on Sundays and that way go to church in the morning and work in the afternoon, and she said yes that she could definitely do that! And yesterday she came to church! yay! A step in the right direction! She has a baptismal date for the 14th of May. Pray for her! Oh and her son came to church on Sunday! He is actually a former investigator that almost got baptized a year ago. He knows the church is true but he didn't get baptized because he wasn't married and was living with a girl but they aren't living together anymore! We knew about him but could never seem to meet him because he was working every time we went over. But he went to church and well we are going to see if he can start progressing. The only think that was keeping him back now was his work on Sundays, but hopefully that changed!
Lesli: Lesli is progressing well! We went with Nax and Bricio on Friday and she is reading and praying and is doing well! She still struggles to understand but she is doing better every day! We talked about the word of wisdom and it was a really cool lesson. Bricio bore his testimony and shared his story and so did Nax and it was really great. Just what Lesli needed to here. It makes me so happy hearing Bricios testimony and seeing how far he has come since we first met him. He seems so happy and his family too!
Gabriel: We found a new investigator this week that we hope starts progressing soon. his name is Gabriel he has a wife and a 5 year old daughter. He has never really been part of a church but is looking to join one so he can be a good example for his daughter and raise her in a better environment. We contacted him in the street and he was really interested. On Saturday we were finally able to teach him and we taught the Restoration and He really enjoyed it and understood and is going to read and pray. He said he was going to try and make it to church but he didn't show up. That's normal though.
Alejandro y Paola: We visited them this week and well they are doing well, they have read and are really interested in learning more, but we still don't see a very high level of priority or commitment. We are going to bring Bricio and Dania with us next time so that they can have friends in the church and maybe feel more comfortable, and also see how the gospel can bless them and maybe help them have a desire to more fully keep their commitments. They weren't able to go to church on Sunday.
Last night the stake had the first Recent Convert activity in the stake center and it went really well. Bricio and Dania bore their testimonies along with other converts in the stake and it was very edifying for members, converts, investigators, and missionaries! The stake president wants to do one every month with all the new converts!
So I guess that's all the big news... This Saturday the apostle is coming! And its officially Elder Rasband! We are super excited!
I hope you have a great (and calm) week this week! Tell Brad hi! Love you!
Elder Skalla
México Tampico Mission
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