1. How was Sunday? Are you having a bit bigger turn out at church? Are you giving lots of talks and prayers and leading music? Who are your district leaders and zone leaders right now. Isn't Elder Richards one of them? I am facebook friends with his mother. I've read his blog and he speaks highly of your companionship and that he is glad you are back. He says you four missionaries are studs that you are working hard. He knows it's a hard area but you guys are doing awesome!
Sunday was really good! I gave a talk on eternal families and how we need to be happy with our families in this life because we´re going to be with them forever! (If we do what our Heavenly Father wants..) And how its never too late to fix a broken relationship between family members.
Elder Richards is one of my zone leaders, he´s a super nice guy. He´s from Washington. He companion is Elder Roberts from Idaho! He went to West Side High School. They´re always encouraging us to work harder and to teach more. This has been the hardest area for a lot of missionaries that have served here, but we´ve been very blessed! Jorge has been helping us a lot, we teach people at his house every day, and they all have baptismal dates! We´ve got a few for the 5th of November so that will be really good :) And my district leader is Elder Nelson from San Jorge (St. George), Utah!
Sunday was really good! I gave a talk on eternal families and how we need to be happy with our families in this life because we´re going to be with them forever! (If we do what our Heavenly Father wants..) And how its never too late to fix a broken relationship between family members.
Elder Richards is one of my zone leaders, he´s a super nice guy. He´s from Washington. He companion is Elder Roberts from Idaho! He went to West Side High School. They´re always encouraging us to work harder and to teach more. This has been the hardest area for a lot of missionaries that have served here, but we´ve been very blessed! Jorge has been helping us a lot, we teach people at his house every day, and they all have baptismal dates! We´ve got a few for the 5th of November so that will be really good :) And my district leader is Elder Nelson from San Jorge (St. George), Utah!
2. How did your guys baptism go on Saturday? I hope all went smoothly. Did you have the baptism in the River again? What is the name of the River from two Saturday's ago? Was the water cold or luke warm, warm?
They fell through because they missed church last week :( they have to go to church 3 weeks in a row to make sure they enjoy it and everything, also so they dont just get baptized then go inactive. I think the name of the River is Ytapuá or Itapy or something like that.. Its Guaraní.. I think its Ytapuá but I dont remember exactly. But that water was luke warm, it felt really nice though! It was really hot and humid the day of the baptism and it was hard not to go for a swim! Its ok though, I was obedient :)
They fell through because they missed church last week :( they have to go to church 3 weeks in a row to make sure they enjoy it and everything, also so they dont just get baptized then go inactive. I think the name of the River is Ytapuá or Itapy or something like that.. Its Guaraní.. I think its Ytapuá but I dont remember exactly. But that water was luke warm, it felt really nice though! It was really hot and humid the day of the baptism and it was hard not to go for a swim! Its ok though, I was obedient :)
Yeah, we´ve had cake and stuff like that.. For the next one, we´ve been talking about doing kabob´s or something. Jorge loves cake! He said he wants to get baptized every week because there´s always cake after hahaha. The lady that got baptized a couple weeks ago has a bakery and she makes really good cakes! So she´s been supplying them. Her daughter got baptized this last Saturday, they were investigators of Elder Nelson and Elder Hugie (the other 2 elders in our district) and they´re still working with the dad to get baptized and to join his family! So for the 5th I think we´re going to do something a little bigger, nothing crazy, but something to bring everyone closer and to involve the members more and get them excited that the branch is growing.
So yesterday we had 29 people in church! Thats a big number for Santa Rita! The last week we had 32, and the week before that... 8! It rained that Sunday.. The people that go to church are really strong here, well except for when it rains, but still. We´re looking for a bigger place to have church in because more and more people are coming. Right now we´re in a 2-room salon, its like the size of a 2 car garage. We don´t have air conditioning in there either, so its SUPER hot during the meetings and the kids get really loud and everyone wants to leave because of the heat. But the stake president has a unit that he´s going to bring to us to put in our little chapel! I´m really excited for that.
Jorge has been a huge help to us! I stinkin love that guy! He always sets appointments for us with his friends to come teach them at his house, then he gets super excited, which excites them, for baptism! He took a bunch of people in his truck to the baptism that was on Saturday, and it wasnt even one of our investigators, it was an investigator of the other elders. He always talks about how before his life was all about money and girls and going to the club and stuff like that.. But now, because he is living the commandments and reading the scriptures and praying and putting God first in his life, he said he´s never been more happy. He talks about how the happiness with money and girls and all that stuff doesnt last, and how he was always wanting more and more, but could never be satisfied. Now, he´s preparing to go to the Temple.. He wants to go do baptisms and take his wife there one day, when he finds her. We taught him that who you are is what you´ll get. So we made a list of things that he wants in his future wife, quality things- not just physical attributes, and taught him that if thats what he wants, he has to strive to be it first.. Then to do all he can to find her and the Lord will put her in his path. His change has been incredible! He´s got such a strong belief, whereas before he had never opened the Bible before in his life.. Now here he is a couple months later, teaching his friends and helping them better their lives! Its the same with Manuel.. The only difference is Jorge is 33 and Manuel is 17. Manuel wants to go on a mission! We´re gonna help him get there. He´s gonna be such a great missionary! I´m glad I´ve been able to be a small part of their conversion. Their change has helped change me. I´m going to be better because of their example.
This week was incredible, and this week is going to be even better! I´m excited to get out there and do it!! Nothing can stop me now.. I did pushups today! For the first time in over a month! That means I´m healed up and ready to go!
Happy Birthday Shaunie!!! I cant believe youre going to be 16 already.. I still think of you as the little baby trying to fall asleep while your hand is on your toy piano (like from the home video..) And tell them boys to watch it! I dont wanna have to crack any skulls..
I hope you all have an awesome week and lots of success! I´ll be praying for you!
I love you!!
Elder Colby Dane Heiner
