Los Molinos 5 - Difficult Loss -- and Noche Blanca

Los Molinos 5 - Difficult loss -- and Noche Blanca

(added photos Feb 14, 2016

Elder Guzman, Abel, Preciado and I at the "noche blanca". Preciado is 85 years old and a TROOPER. The baptism was a bit difficult with his bad leg and we had the crutches right there at the font waiting for him. But he was super happy and it was cool to see him take the step and follow Christ.

With hard work and many blessings, there's always the side of opposition.

Losing a family member is never easy. I don't care who you are or what relationship you may have had with the person who passes away, it takes a toll on everyone and anyone. But I can testify that only in this Gospel can you leave a mission president's office after 15 minutes of talking and crying and praying with your companion filled with a complete peace and confidence that you will be with that person again.

My companion - Elder Guzman's father passed away this week on Tuesday night. Needless to say, it wasn't something either of us were expecting. We were at a meeting on Wednesday at the office and President pulled us aside and privately told Elder Guzman the news and then let me in. It was a touching experience. Really made me think how I would react in a situation like it. I don't know if I would've been able to keep it together as well as he did. The part that definitely comforted Elder Guzman the most, though, was that his parents were taking the missionary discussions for about three weeks before his father went to the other side. It gives Elder Guzman the confidence that in the Spirit world  his father will completely accept the Gospel. And thanks to the work we do in the temple - and what he hopes his mother does shortly by being baptized - my companion will be together with his parents and siblings for the eternities. It's such a blessing to know and have the peace of conscience the way we do by understanding the Plan of Salvation. I know it is true and that it's the only way back to the presence of our Father in Heaven.

Repeat photo with Frank and Eliany. I guess I'm the only one that feels comfortable looking funny in a photo.

We saw MANY blessings this week. On Saturday, we helped some of our investigators reach the waters of baptism at the Noche Blanca. It was a special night and a night that many investigators in the whole zone had been waiting for. I felt the Spirit so strong and it was something I'll never forget.

Enrique. A stud to say the least. He accompanied us to a lesson yesterday and he has a super powerful spirit to him when he shares his testimony. He'll do great things.

Angelina and the members that helped her find the church together with her mom on the far right. Her mom and brother are investigating the church now and they're doing really well. We'll be putting a baptism date with them this week for the month of March.

A picture of the wonderful baptisms at the Noche Blanca and those that were baptizing. As always, I was in the back on my tipytoes hahaha.

The Rosado Family has a marriage date for the 12th! Their other son comes back from the mission the 15th from Mexico so we changed the date for the 20th of this month so he'll be able to baptize one of his parents. The whole family is super motivated and it's amazing to see the influence missionaries have on the lives of their family members and friends. 

I love this area and this work and I'm ready for a whole month more of it.

Elder Graff

Burrito Heaven

We have been going Betty Crocker in the kitchen this week. We bought a bunch of stuff to do burritos and we made a papaya milkshake. SUPËR good.

The marriage of Elkin and Victoria. We had a big after party lesson thing with the bishop and first counselor at their house and a BUNCH of their family. We got some references and ate a gigantic bowl of sancocho which is basically stew. But the thing weighed like 70 pounds. We had to carry it inside the house cause they cooked it on a big bonfire outside.

I got the chicken foot :')