Staying in Bridgeport
Hello Family and friends I love you all so much this is what is happening in the lovely place called Bridgeport!
I am so glad I am staying in Bridgeport for at least 6 more weeks! I've made so many good friends with the members and people in this town! i am thrilled that I am able to make more friends and strengthen my relationship with those I know as we help them come closer to our savior!
 |
| My district in Brewster |
A lot of great things are happening in Bridgeport so I'm going to give you a quick rundown!
The relief society is even giving Bryan, Alex, and Judith personal scriptures! Also Bryan passed the sacrament this week! He arrived when they were singing the opening song in sacrament, we got him to run to the bathroom as he slipped on one of my ties and shirt. It was a pretty special moment to fix his collar and make sure he was looking ready to go! He has come such a long way and he is really trying to help his friend Antonio(also Henry's older brother) come closer to Christ!
Now for our Good friend Robert!
What a man I've really seen him change this week! We had some fantastic lessons with him this week! He wants to get out of the position he's in. We helped him understand that the only way that the lord can help us is if we are obedient to the commandments! He recommitted and showed a sincere desire to quit smoking! He also really wants to get a job and the Branch will help him sign up to work in the orchards this week and get into some of the workers housing. This will help him immensely quit smoking! Also he also expressed how he just really wants to help people and then invite all his friends for a barbeque when he can! He also said that after he is baptized and gets a job he wants to have a family! We described that all this-the barbeque, baptism, family is possible through Christ we just have to believe in Christ and follow him by keeping his commandments! Also Robert trimmed down his beard and came to church in some nice jeans, cowboy boots, a white collared shirt, and a sweater+he trimmed his bear he looked so good! i was so proud! he usually wears a beanie, sweatshirt, and camo pants so we hardly recognized him! He's changing! It's wonderful to be able to see how the Jesus Christ can change us!
We taught our good friend George Britt(late 20's). The less active, pretty large but very genuine less active. We shared with him the hope of God's light conference talk by Elder Uctdorf. This talked help me so much when I was going through rough times and it seemed to help him.
favorite part of talk...
there may be some among you who feel darkness encroaching upon you. You may feel burdened by worry, fear, or doubt. To you and to all of us, I repeat a wonderful and certain truth: God’s light is real. It is available to all! It gives life to all things.1 It has the power to soften the sting of the deepest wound. It can be a healing balm for the loneliness and sickness of our souls. In the furrows of despair, it can plant the seeds of a brighter hope. It can enlighten the deepest valleys of sorrow. It can illuminate the path before us and lead us through the darkest night into the promise of a new dawn.
This is “the Spirit of Jesus Christ,” which gives “light to every man that cometh into the world.”
He's a great man and he is showing a desire to change his life! He's choosing to cut down dramatically on his drinking( if you remember we accidentally took him to a lesson to Judith while he was on the tipsy side- a huge eye opener to a Mormon boy in cedar city Utah). Very excited to help him!
George lives with his mom, Dad(60's), sister(30's), her kid, Brother and his wife and their kids. It is a very crazy house but we are gaining their trust and helping them feel the spirit by sharing scriptures and bearing testimoiny with all of them. They are all very less active but I'm excited to see them choose to come to Christ as we help them!
One of George's Nephews, Sergio, is not baptized and we are trying to get the permission from his dad for us to teach him more about God! So excited to teach him his dad will most likely say yes. If Sergio chooses to be baptized I believe this will really help this whole family come closer to Christ!
We also had a lesson with a single Mom (Rosina) and her two teenagers, Gilbert(14) Melisa(7th grade). Rosina's other daughter who is in her twenties was baptized a couple years ago in California. We helped this family learn the plan of Salvation. One of the struggles we have over all in Bridgeport is getting male members to come with us so we can enter into these homes that have no husbands or fathers. On this occasion we had a member come which was fantastic but he brought out the meat when we we were trying them to give them the milk and boy did he love to talk:). I kind of thought that with the very long lesson Gilbert would be turned off a little bit but we came back last night and he wanted us to teach him how to pray. Gilbert reminds me a lot of myself and it is very nice because, though his mom speaks spanish, he speaks English which allows me to connect with him better. He just trying to do his best with all the tough classes he has, train hard for Football the coming year, and help his mom who works all day until 8:00. He is willing to change I am so glad I get to stay in Bridgeport so I can help him.
We invited Azucena, Judith's Friend who loved her baptism, to be baptized. She sadly said no; However, she is still open and we have a lesson whith her tonight! Bit by bit will get her. Judith wasn't very interested at first and look at her now. She is pretty much a lion so I have lots of hope!
We went by to follow up on Gustavo, Yaretzi, and their small family on their prayers and reading of the Book of Mormon but Gustavo was drinking. Gustavo did read some of the intro by himself and he does have a desire to change but with drinking and his very tough work schedule he's very tired which is a detriment to his willingess to learn and come closer to Christ. He works like all the other men for many hours in the orchards prepping the trees by trimming thousands of trees.
We found some cool young fathers this week and a young Mom. We gave them all a pamphlet, became good friends, and testified. We will go back this week and they'll turn into new investigators!
I love where I'm at! I love all the members! I love all my friends! I pray that I will be filled with Christ's love as we help them come closer to Christ!
Elder Garcia seems to be doing pretty good! He's so relaxed it's incredible but maybe a little lazy:) Which stresses me out! During studies I'll be struggling to find a scripture that helps their needs and he's just chilling in his chair with a blanket around him haha I don't know. It's not a problem but sometimes when he's super relaxed it stresses me out because I'm like Let's go! and he's more like.."don't stress yourself." We can both learn so much from each other! I know I'm with him for many reasons!
He is truly a fantastic teacher! I love the simplicity and the directness! He's awesome! I'm going to put extra effort to communicate with him more this week. I try to speak spanish all the time but my spanish brain doesn't have anything in it so I need to speak english to with him so we can just be friends to!
I focused on learning more about the gospel of Jesus Christ this week and Who my savior really is in preparation for Elder Uceda to come to the mission. What I've learned is we must Believe and strengthen our belief in him before and all throughout our efforts to follow him or we'll burn out! We have to sharpen the saw of our belief before we cut the trees of repentance and change!
God lives he loves me and he is teaching me every single hour. I know he loves all my brothers and sister here in Bridgeport. I pray that he will help my brother Elder Garcia and I as we hit this transfer and assist his son in the saving of their souls!
 |
| At the Food bank with Rayna and Nelly we go here every other Thursday. |
Comments
Post a Comment