Spring time in Bridgeport

Hola mi familia!

I was overjoyed to see the conference talk you all sent me. It was so fun and uplifting to read through those talks and reading all of your comments. It really helped me thatnk you.You are walking in a great path. I am so proud and at peace with the thought that you are all staying close to God! This is the answer to my greatest prayer thank you!

Bridgeport is doing very well! With the weather warming up everything seems to be getting better! 

Elder Garcia and I are becoming better friends. We pray for each other, laugh with each other, talk more with each other, and enjoy each other more! The Mission is a great place to be when you have a friend. I am very grateful for Elder Garcia. One morning he asked God to bless his second family, my family, this touched my heart! What a good guy.

The work also is getting better! The Aguilar family, Judith and her boys, are doing very well! I think all missionaries have this worry but I was worried that after there baptism they may start drifting away; however, this is not so. Judith came to the ward activity where the sisters sang as sisters in zion to commemorate the 175th anniversary of the relief society. She walked right up just like she had been a part of the branch for a couple years! I am so glad she feels like part of the Branch. We had a lesson with her family to help them understand the vital importance of reading the scriptures in growing our faith. She is very eager to keep reading and to help her boys as well. Bryan is reading the Book of Mormon and sharing his beliefs with his friends. However, we found last night that his conversations concerning religion during school are turning into bible bashes...We helped him the best we could understand this isn't the way. They're all reading. I'm very happy.

One night when we were helping the Aguilar family deepen their understanding in the restoration with our good friend brother brown, Alex and all his friends including his friend Henry came in. We shared with them the story of Captain Moroni. It was really fun to see them hearing this experience for the first time. Apparently Henry asked his Mom, who's catholic, if he could be baptized. His Mom said he has to wait until he is older. We haven't been able to get into the home with a member man so we can help his family come closer unto Christ, strenghten Henry's faith, and help Henry's mom let him be baptized. However; prayer, listening to the spirit and some clever maneuvering this week should do the job!

Earlier this week Gilbert 15 year old teenage boy, asked us to teach him how to pray. This was such a joy for me to see that he really wants to come closer to God. So excited to gain more trust from his mom and help him come to church.

This week we found a sweet family! The Father's name is Jose, Wife-Amalia, with 3 little kids. They have tons of potential and we had an amazing spirit led lesson! They both believe in God very much. Jose sees the great importance of faith and wants it to grow. It was a great moment when Elder Garcia and I both testified how this message, the Gospel of Jesus Christ has blessed both or our families so much and we truly want it to bless their family as well. We shared the whole restoration up to the actual restoration because they were both tired from work and taking care of their kids but I can't wait to sit down with them and share with them how because God loves us so much he has restored his Church which allows all men to receive the complete blessing of the atonement.

Azucena, Judith's friend again said no to a baptsimal invite. She wants to change but she's scared. We are going to start reteaching her really focusing on who she is, what she needs, and how we can help her.

We are bit by bit opening the hearts to the entire Britt family. We did some service for them and then were invited to eat some hamburgers. My goodness they tried to kill me with all the hamburgers and soda they wanted me to have. When I politely said you know what I'm so full, they gave me this pretty mean look so I ate a lot that night.

They really appreciated the help we gave them. I really try to let them know how much I appreciate their kindness to me. I'm excited to contuinue to open their hearts to the message that they have forgotten for a time. It's sad but years without the Gospel have left their home in a shadow of what it could be at this time.

Our good friend Robert is coming along. He accepted the challenge to only smoke 4 cigarettes each day this week. By my birthday, April 22, he should be down to 0.

We found a lot of potentials this week that will turn into new investigators this week.  We have set the goal to find 5 new investigators and we are very excited to hunt new  people down.

Some of the potential we found this week are...

Leo, young father that is open to learn more if he feels that it is true

Obed, 19 year old kid that we gave resto pamphlet to that wants to learn more

Angelica, 7 th day adventist that loves talking about God with us and is comforted when we talk about the plan of Salvation

The experience with Elder Uceda was incredible. What I felt and learned from him is...

1. We don't have to be afraid of "dark" times faith is knowing the sun will rise again.-sometimes I fill afraid when I'm having a rough day that maybe this won't end and this is how it is. That is not the case.

2. There is a formula to answering prayers and remembering God's mercy to us, his many blessings is a prerequisite to asking with faith.-Elder Uceda broke down Moroni 10:3-5

3. Invitations are a grave endeavor we must exhort them to come closer to Christ with everything we have.-I loved how Elder Uceda took a moment to do a rollplay of sorts where he looked at an elder and exhorted him(encouraged, emboldened, inspired) to pray. 

4. prayer is how we understand we must repent-when we understand all we have comes from God our faith grows and we want to follow him.

This week I have come to feel that I must focus on Faith and being grateful. The devil works on me and tries to tempt me that I can't find solace in my prayers in my scripture study or my prayers and that my efforts knocking on doors or in people's homes are not valuable. I must silence these fears by choosing to believe.

God has given me this beautiful opportunity to repent and come closer to Christ here on my mission. I am so grateful for him. I am going to find things through out the day and then document them in my journal.

Stockton I am so thrilled that Barlow is going to be taught in our home! Wow that is incredible!  You're a stud! I wasn't able to listen to your talk on these computers but I'm excited to! 

Madsen it looks like Baseball is going very well for you man. I'm so proud of you! You sure did it all last game! 

Over all I'm happy to be here. I just am. I know I'm supposed to be here and I love the feeling of being at the right place at the right time. I feel your prayers. I woke up this morning feeling so relaxed. I know this was because of your faith that God sent angels to comfort me when I get a little anxsious. 

With the personality that I have and the nature of the work here in washington of a lot of driving and sitting on couches or just standing listening and trying to understand. It's difficult for me. All my life I have found great worth in doing the grand or many things. Here in the mission I am asked to just listen and then speak also moving around to the right place to I can hear and speak:) This has seemed small and insignificant for a while. However; there is amazing worth in listening with the spirit and then speaking according to how the spirit directs and how I feel in my heart. I love you all so much may God bless you all!

Grandpa and Dad your letters and emails meant the world to me today. Thank for giving me amazing examples. I strive to follow you both. I'll write some letters to you both today. The money was a great blessing Thank you!

I'll be able to look on my computer for a tiny moment this afternoon if you want to send a quick comment.

 

Mom I love you a ton and I'm working hard and I'm happy. Thank you for your prayers of love I feel them everyday