Tropical Storms, Toxic Rain, and Timeless Memories - June 19, 2017

Hello Everyone, Well in these winding up moments of the mission it seems as if all the powers that are here are coming together to try to impede this work. But just as the Lord revealed to Joseph Smith while he was in Liberty Jail he said in Doctrine and Covenants 121: 33. How long can rolling waters remain impure? What power shall stay the heavens? As well might man stretch forth his puny arm to stop the Missouri river in its decreed course, or to turn it up stream, as to hinder the Almighty from pouring down knowledge from heaven upon the heads of the Latter-day Saints. At times this week I had to remind myself of this principle and it was awesome to see the way that the people reacted to our dedication at the times when we could leave the house. On Tuesday the Tropical Storm that I assume some of you have heard about hit here in Oaxaca. We are a little further off the coast so it didnt hit us too bad but there was still a ton of rain!! It was crazy and just like the picture that I sent a few weeks ago, thats how it was again. The Assistants, Elder Knapp and Elder Vasquez got trapped here trying to get back to Oaxaca and had to come stay with us for a day. We got to go out and work with them and it was fun to go out in our sandals again. On Wednesday they were able to leave but we realized that the rain was no longer clear, it was a blackish color. People started telling us that the gas refinery had caught on fire and that the rain was toxic, we couldnt go out that whole day because it was a huge hazard to everything. So we just spent the day at home washing our clothes and getting the house clean. On Thursday we were able to go back to Tequisistlan and teach Obdulia and her family. It was another great lesson and it was so fun to be able to be with them. They are making so much progress and Anna especially is excited to be baptized this coming Saturday. The branch is excited because they are going to have baptisms that will help them out a lot with support and strength. On Friday we were able to visit with Gisela again and we were talking to her about her process of repentance unto baptism that she has decided to take. She told us that she was finally ready to be baptized this coming Thursday, the 29th and ready to be somebody different, a light to the nations. It has been amazing to see her patience with everything and her constant desire to make this change. Going back to the scripture at the start that I shared, it has seemed to be a huge theme to me in this final part of my mission, that there will be so many forces that try to halt the work that is going on, the progress that is moving on for other missionaries to continue. And more than anything I have learned this 41 No power or influence can or ought to be maintained by virtue of the priesthood, only by persuasion, by long-suffering, by gentleness and meekness, and by love unfeigned; 42 By kindness, and pure knowledge, which shall greatly enlarge the soul without hypocrisy, and without guile— I have felt power in this work, especially in these past few weeks, I cant wait to see what these final two weeks have to bring. I know that there is power in all that we do here because it is the work of the Lord, and nothing can stop this progress that is rolling forth.

Tequsistlan

The fire in the rifinery

The promised pic of the good old Johnston and Murphys