Elder Mike Payne: Week 68 - December 2, 2013

What an incredible week. I can't even describe how I am feeling right now. I am so happy and I am receiving so many blessings right now. This week I have learned that as long as you work as hard as you can, the Lord will provide!! Elder Garcia is like literally my best friend out here and I am so happy that I get to work with him.

So our area is amazing!! It's super beautiful and there are tons of Americans and Canadians here. It's super funny to listen to them try and speak spanish because it brings me back to my first couple of months in Mexico haha!! We live 3 minutes away from the Lake Chapala and there is always a party there. Lots of retired Americans come to live here because its pretty calm and the weather is perfect!

When I got to this area Elder Garcia told me that we had lots of investigators but no baptismal dates. I told him that our goal was to put a baptismal date with each one of our investigators. Chapala is a zone that has had NO success these past couple of years. Our goal is to change that and make it a zone where every one wants to be because we baptize tons. This last week we were able to put 9 baptismal dates!!! We still have 5 more investigators that we need to put baptismal dates with but as for now we are working hard and seeing lots of blessings!

Right now we have a baptismal date for every week of December and January. We will see how everything goes. Some of them have some trials that they will have to overcome but we know that anything is possible and we are going to fast each week so that we can have a baptism every week!!

This week we should be baptizing a kid named Braulio. His brother got baptized here a few months ago and we are now teaching his little brother. His parents are both catholic and we had an awesome experience last night. Since Braulio is younger than 18 years old, he needs his parents permission to be baptized. His mom is more open to it than her husband. Last night we had a lesson, mainly focused on the importance of baptism and trying to get permission from the mom. As I showed them a picture of my baptism 13 years ago, I was able to express my testimony about being baptized when I was 8 and how happy I was that I didn't wait because I was able to learn the gospel principles at a young age and not give into tempations. She then shared with us her feelings about baptism and I felt a prompting to also invite her to be baptized. We put a baptismal date with her for January 25th and she accepted!! We need to work hard with her this week so that she can give her son permission to get baptized on Saturday!!

Well I am doing great and loving it out here. I have already met tons of super awesome people. Our area is HUGE!!! It takes an hour and a half in a bus to go from one end to the other. Each week I will fill you in on the investigators that we will be baptizing. Oh, I am learning to play the piano! My companion is teaching me, we'll see how patient he is!

I know that this is the true church and that we are placed in certain areas for a specific reason. God knows each one of us and he loves us all. This week I was able to reflect upon my life and the plan of salvation that God gives to each of us. I was thinking about Matt Yount and praying for all his family and friends. I know that there are trials and many things we do not understand in this earth. We must stay faithful and trust in God that he has a plan for each one of us. I know this is true and I love this gospel so much!!

Thank you for always supporting me and loving me. I really don't know where I would be without the family and friends that I have!! Have an amazing week!!!

Love,

Elder Payne