The month of miracles

Sorry, no time again. Talk to you next week.

Love,

Elder Ward

  

Bahahahah just kidding...sorry that was the worst letter ever last week. This week I’ve got time so don’t worry. I have a feeling that I’m gong to spoil you a little more because I have to write for the last two weeks. Dad, I’m glad that you’re still alive and it’s weird to think that I’ll be doing the same thing in the pretty near future. That’s crazy about Connor´s job but I think that it’ll be a good job and a good way to prepare for his mission. It’s better than having a girlfriend or something like that because we all know that they just go off and get married and get pregnant :).  I know that working and going to school has prepared me a lot for my mission. Mom, that’s way sweet that you went to women´s conference and stuff and please send me a copy of that talk if you can get one!

As far as calling you guys goes, all I know is that I’m going to be calling you on Sunday and I’m pretty sure that I’m just going to call from that ladies house again. I’m thinking that it’s going to be at around 1 PM, or something like that, which would be about 12 your time. But don’t freak out if it’s not at that time, but I’ll call in the afternoon. I’m super stoked to call though and it’s crazy that I’m already calling again! I’d like to talk to everyone for a little bit if it’s possible.

Soo...what’s been going on with me? Well a lot! My last letter said that I had come closer to the Savior and I’ll explain why. First of all, the month of April was TOUGH. Our mission president said that it was one of the worst as far as baptisms in the history of the mission, unfortunately. But that week was just super tough, and it was hard to be excited about the work. On Friday we did an activity as a zone where EVERYONE did divisions. I was in a different area on Friday and one of the ZLs called me to tell me that Felix (the husband of the Fam. Vegas) had drunk alcohol after a month without drinking. I was super bummed, and that’s an understatement. I just wanted to go back to the house and take a nap or something. But then I thought, NO. I can’t think this way, so I contacted the first person that I saw to keep my mind on the work. Turns out he was a hardcore Catholic and that it was their Catholic holiday so he just straight up rejected us hardcore. After that contact I realized what was happening. I remembered the scripture Mosiah 14:3-5 that talks about how Christ was rejected by men and acquainted with grief. That’s just about what I was feeling that day. I realized that the Lord was permitting me to suffer what Jesus Christ suffered and then my attitude changed. The next morning Elder Lezama, the ZL that did the interview told me that although Felix had drunk that he felt that he truly had repented and that he could be baptized. We basically got everything ready in an hour or so and it was such a happy day. That day I learned, or rather had my testimony strengthened, that the power of the Atonement is real. Christ suffered for our sins so that we wouldn’t have to and I’m so grateful for that.

District Leader Conference (Trevor is on top row third from right. President Monestel is on middle row far left)

This week was also an amazing one. I had a meeting in Managua with all of the District Leaders and we have some pretty big goals for May (the month of miracles). We’ve already seen some of those miracles. We went to visit this woman named Aniyelka and she was super stoked to learn more. We came back the next day and she said that she had prayed and felt that it was ture and that Joseph Smith was a prophet. On Saturday night she told us that she had been telling all of her friends and family that she had found the true church. SWEET! On Friday we did the same activity where we just contacted all day and at night when we were just about to go home an 18 yr old kid comes up on his bike and stops us. He asks if we give classes to people and told us that he had gone to every other church and hadn’t found what he was looking for. It was so cool to be able to explain that a young boy named Joseph Smith was in the same situation and that he DID find the truth. The Lord truly has blessed us with people that are prepared.

We contacted one man this week who left the house a little bit irritated explaining that he believed in God and Jesus Christ and that he didn’t need a church to do that. We started asking him some questions and ended up talking about prayer. He began to speak with emotion and said "I pray all the time and I have received answers from God like four times!!" We thought that that was cool and invited him to pray about our message. He went on to explain that he kneels to pray and everything. Then he surprised us by saying that he prays in his own manner though. As we waited anxiously to hear how it was that he prayed he responded with, "I pray completely naked." It took all that I had not to just die laughing right there.

Anyways...that’s pretty much what has been going on. The work is still stressful sometimes, but it was never supposed to be easy. I know that the Lord will help me with everything. I’m happy though and I know that this month will be a good one. Tell everyone that I said hi and love you guys a bunch! Can’t wait to talk to you next week!

Love,

Elder Ward