Well we have had a great and successful week. We have continued working
hard with Pedro and his wife, Felisia. They are progressing really well and I
think they are getting closer to taking the step of baptism. This week we had a
really good visit with them in which Jorge Jara accompanied us. Pedro and
Felisia have expressed doubts to be baptized because they don´t feel ready yet.
They also have faced opposition from family members who aren´t big fans of the
Church. Jorge has experienced similar challenges and we felt that his testimony
would be able to help. Jorge did a fantastic job, he shared his testimony of how
he also had to take a step in the dark and be baptized, even though he didn´t
have a perfect knowledge yet. He spoke of how he needed to be baptized to
continue progressing. Something that I have learned in the mission is that an
investigator can only progress to a certain point before being baptized and,
unless the person is baptized, won´t be able to progress more than that point.
Jorge also shared an experience of how his family made fun of him a little bit
for his decision to be baptized. But he knows that it was the right decision and
continues strong in the church. Jorge is a really great convert and a future
leader here in Pilar.
In the class of Gospel Principles yesterday, it was my turn to teach (my
companion and I switch off every week). I felt like we should talk about
baptism. Pedro and Felisia also wanted to know a little bit more about how is
the baptism in the church. They wanted to see a baptism, but we don´t have any
scheduled really soon. So in the lesson I decided that we could watch part of a
video that we have that shows the baptism of a convert. (Dad also mentioned
something about preparing talks on the fly, yesterday morning I had to prepare
the class in about 15 minutes haha). So we talked about baptism, shared some
scriptures, shared experiences from baptism, and saw the video. The Spirit was
very strong and present. At the end I shared a personal experience from my
baptism. I remember when Dad and I were in the changing room after he had
recently baptized me and I mentioned to him that I felt good and that it was too
bad that I could only be baptized once. I don´t remember the exact words that
Dad said to me, but I remember that he mentioned that through repentance and the
Sacrament that I could always relive those feelings that I had in the moment of
my baptism and that I could always feel that happiness. Thank you, Dad, for that
important lesson. I have carried it with me for a long time and I know and feel
of its truth. Yesterday, sharing that experience helped Pedro and Felisia as
well. They have felt some doubts of baptism because they are afraid of falling
or sinning after being baptized. I shared with the class that after we are
baptized, we are going to make mistakes, but that through repentance, the
Atonement, and the Sacrament, we can always find our way back and feel once
again the feelings that we have when we are baptized. I know that this is the
true Church, that has the true Doctrine of Christ.
Another cool moment in church yesterday was that Jorge Jara, our convert
from last month was able to bless the Sacrament and Eider Servín, who was
baptized a couple of months ago served the Sacrament to us. That was pretty
neat. I feel really blessed for our efforts here in Pilar. I feel good to know
that I have helped to edify God´s Kingdom a little bit here and that the recent
converts are staying strong in the church.
Like Mom I also had the blessing to give a talk in Sacrament Meeting
yesterday. It was a pretty busy Sunday with teaching the Gospel Principles class
and giving a talk as well. I talked about the importance of having a testimony
and how a testimony will sustain us in times of difficulty.
We have also been working this week with a reference from a recent convert,
Alan. His prima (cousin) is named Esperanza. She had attended church years ago when she
was a girl. She is now about 25 and has two children of her own. She has been
progressing but hasn´t made it to church yet. We will continue working with her
as well.
I have a testimony that this is the true church of God, the only one on
Earth. I know that Christ lives and that He loves us. I love you all very much!!
Till next week...
Elder Snow
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