...And I will forever be grateful for the mission call I received!! These last 20 months have been incredible and I will never regret the decision I made to come out here to Mexico.
This week has been amazing!! We have been working super hard with our investigators and we were able to have a couple baptisms yesterday. We baptized Maria Elena and Cesar De Anda. It was such a good day and they were so happy. The baptismal service went really well and we had many investigators there to experience the happiness. We had a miracle happen:
So we have been teaching this lady and her daughter...their names are Emma and Maria Fernanda. They were going to be baptized yesterday as well but Emma´s husband wouldn't let them. And we aren't allowed to baptize if the husband or father doesn't give permission. So anyways Emma looked kinda sad after the baptism and I asked her what was wrong. She told me that she was sad because she wanted to be baptized as well. I told her we would keep praying for her husband and that everything would be okay. She called me last night and said that a miracle had happened.
Right as they got home from church, her daughter ran in the house and screamed to her dad ¨I wanna get baptized in this church dad...pleaseeee!!!¨ And the dad responded with, ¨Well it looks like I will be there to expereince it next week!¨ I was like in tears yesterday when Emma told me that. So hopefully this week or next week we can baptize Emma and her daughter. And then soon after the father/husband. Man experiences like these make it hard to realize that I won't be a missionary in 4 months. I love this work so much!!!
We also found another family that should be baptized in April. It is a family of four and we are going to keep working hard with them. We received the referral a couple weeks ago to go and visit them. The dad is so amazing and wants the best for his family. We haven't met the whole family but yesterday after the baptism he told us that he wants to be baptized with his family as soon as possible.
I really don't understand how we are seeing so much success and so many miracles. I mean we are obedient and we work as hard as we can but man its amazing!! We have baptized 11 people this year so far in this little branch...that's more than they have had in the past 3 years!! We should be having a bunch more coming up so hopefully the Lord can continue to help us.
My experience in this area reminds me of my missionary plaque at home. The scripture I put on it was Alma 26: 12. ¨Yea I know that I am nothing, as for my strength, I am weak. Therefore I will not boast of myself, but I will boast of my God. For in HIS strength we can do all things. And behold many mighty miracles we have wrought in this land, for which we will praise his name forever.¨ I know that without the Lord none of this would be possible. The Lord loves each and every one of us and wants the best for us!
So on Saturday morning I saw a taxi pull up in front of the house. Knowing who it was, I excitedly opened and saw Claudia running up to me. (She works for my dad in San Jose!). She gave me the suit case that my parents sent with her full of my favorite snacks from home and we hung out for a little bit and enjoyed some monster cookies together. She is originally from the town that I'm am serving in, and she is on a vacation to see her family. Man it was so good to see her and it brought back so many memories! Thank you so much for all the treats! They are so amazing!!!
Well I hope you all have an amazing week!! Miss you all but I know the Lord loves you and is always with you! I pray for you every day! Thanks for the love and support!!
Elder Payne
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| This is a very Catholic pueblo out here in Jocotepec |
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| The gas tanks people use for their homes... there were tons haha |
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| I beat Elder Cantu in boing... Maria Elena was the judge |
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| CLAUDIA!! It was so great to see her! |
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| Opening my suitcase!! :) |
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| Claudia and I eating some monster cookies :) |
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| Just a nice convo with Claudia and eating those cookies haha |
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| A pic with Claudia and her sister and their family as they took off |
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| My suitcase full of goodies Claudia brought me from my family! |
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| The MOUNTAIN DEW!!! With Mitch's fathead on the fridge hahaha |
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| Reading my notes that were sent in the suitcase haha |
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| The first sips of Mountain Dew... HEAVEN!!! |
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| Man I was so happy in this picture haha |
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| I think I finished a little TOO fast haha... good thing I have 23 more :) |
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| This man is incredible. He is like 85 and his name is brother Reed. He came to the service project and helped out a ton... the fact that he needed a cane didn't stand in his way. It just makes me realize how awesome the members of this church are! :) |
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| The service project in front of the church... me bossing the youth around haha |
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| The youth and us after the service project |
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| In every pic my companion took of me, we made it look like I didn't do anything haha |
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| Cesar De Anda's baptism |
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| The crew in white |
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| Maria Elena and her friends. She is incredible and already a missionary! |
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| My blisters from the service project - it hurt so bad haha |
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| Eating at Dominos this morning... we obviously brought our own drinks haha |
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| AMAZING! |
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