The Power of Families - March 4, 2017

Well these past few weeks have been so special to have been able to finish out my time here in Casa Blanca. Really we have seen the fruits of our labors, and the Lord did everything for us, we can say that we were simply instruments in his hands throughout this work. I would hope that our influence that we have had here for the past 4 months will be a lasting one. This week we were able to see the baptism of Jose, after 3 years of waiting he was finally able to enter the waters of baptism and it was the most humbling experience to be able to participate in it. Every missionary that has gone through Casa Blanca has taught him, invited him, and tried to help him, yet we were the ones with the blessing of seeing his young family start down this path of righteousness. It was special because now they know that they are in the process of being able to enter the temple to be sealed for time and all eternity. I am so thankful for the promises of the gospel of Jesus Christ, that promise us eternal blessings if we are willing to have faith in him and show that faith through the fruits of our repentance. We are so thankful for this opportunity that we have had to teach this family and for the eternal potential that they have. Truly, for my companion and I, it was a battle of our faith. A month ago to the day that Jose was baptized, we had a lesson with them about faith. We taught them about Ether 12:27 and about how we need to go to the Lord to ask what we lack with our faith. We asked Jose and Lulu if they were willing to go to the Lord and exercise their faith so that he could be baptized this week. We extended them promises that stretched our faith, and constantly we had to go to the Lord to help us in our lack of faith so that we could be strengthened to continue to believe in the promises that we made. The Lord blessed us with blessings that we could have never received, and although our faith was never the biggest or greatest, it was sufficient for him. One of the sobering experiences this week happened when we returned to visit with Maria and her family. When we got there they began to tell us about how people had all of a sudden started telling them how different they were, and had began to persecute them. Nataly told us that she had lost her friends in school because they didnt like how she acted differently. It was sad to see, that in their first week after baptism that Satan was already trying to attack them. Yet it was Nataly, the youngest of the family, that reassured everyone that they had entered into a covenant that promises eternal protection and blessings, and that is greater than anything that can be recieved in this world. It was amazing to see the faith of this family, a week into their eternal journey and at times doubting, yet staying faithful and true to a Father in Heaven who will always bless us in the end and who will always protect us through the covenants that we have made. This experience was truly a testimony of the teachings of the Savior when he states in Matthew 5:14, 14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. 15 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. 16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. I am grateful that Nataly, and her family understand this principle and are so willing to live it, humbly and faithfully. They have taught me so much in how I need to live, without fear and always with a hope that the Lord will bless when we are faithful to him and hopeful of his promises. Well my time has come to an end here in Casa Blanca, it was an amazing ward to be in and it will be so hard to have to leave these amazing people who have become what seems to be my family. On Tuesday I will be going back to the Istmo with Elder Clark from Heber City to a small town called San Blas. It is a place where the main language is Zapoteco so I will get to learn another language!! I have loved my time here in the offices as well being able to serve and help missionaries, but I am so excited to now go out and be able to serve the people 100 percent of the time. I love the istmo and look forward to being with these amazing people again. I am so excited for the opportunity I will have to finish my mission there, and to continue to be an instrument here in the Lords work.

Jose's Baptism, with his wife Lulu and their daughter Dianel

We couldnt get all of the stains out of the font so we had to die the water blue to cover them up