Just Be Held

Last Zone Conference with President and Sister Maucotel

Hello Everyone that is just so incredible!

This past week was truly humbling as we began to teach a less active family with the youngest son, Arnold, not being a member because he was two years old the last time he went to church and his older brothers and mother were baptized but he never came to know about the church.  They are really talented youth that are able to play guitar, accordion, and a few other instruments and as well they are all very dedicated to various styles of martial arts, which is really awesome!  But it was a very interesting experience because as we began teaching these youth about our purpose to invite everyone to come unto Christ, the oldest son began telling us that he couldn´t believe in God because of all of the horrible occurrences that are happening and have happened in the world.  He told us about how could there be terrorism, large scale, starvation, and so much economic inequality if there really was an all-loving God?  How could there be so many youth in the streets that are involved in drug warfare and all other sorts of things , and after we listened patiently and lovingly to his concerns, I paused for a solid 10 seconds and then I felt the scripture from Alma 30:44 come into my mind and with that idea I opened my mouth with one question of ¨Do you truly believe that everything of this earth, from the smallest of microbes to the grand cosmos of the planets and stars exists by sheer circumstance?¨ And then he said, honestly, I hope that there would be a divine creator behind it all, but it is just so hard to see from my perspective.  Then I shared one comment with Kevin that truly changed the atmosphere of the room, and I felt the Spirit testify to Him as I said ¨The Lord can take that hope and make it a sure belief, if you can truly humble yourself before Him and just ask to feel His Love for you.¨ He began to become teary-eyed and with a very subdued tone of voice accepted our invitation.   We then invited him to take a moment to pray to God if He really existed, and I could feel God´s love for Kevin as he began to offer up in his halting way, his desires to see if God truly knew who he was.   This experience left me feeling the Spirit testify that truly God is our loving Heavenly Father, that he knows us personally, and even though Satan can deceive us into thinking falsely about our divine origins and potential, the Spirit sends the adversaries forces fleeing every time!   I know that God created a plan so that the families can be eternal, and that it does not matter where we have been in this life, but only where we are right now, and where we are willing to go with the assistance of God to return to His presence!  I can firmly testify that because HE Lives, He sent His Son to the earth to redeem us from every flaw and misstep that we make, and that if we can have these personal one-on-one conversations with the Father of our Spirits, He will never leave us without the guidance we seek!

I truly love this opportunity to serve in the Lord´s Army! I truly love seeing the Grace of God working in people´s lives as they sincerely repent, and most importantly seeing how God truly communicates with His Children in every age, and in every place where we may find ourselves!

Sometimes, it is just wonderful to let go of our concerns and let God hold us and let us know that we are His!  It is like the words to one of my favorite songs which is written from the perspective of God speaking to every one of us!

"So when you´re on your knees and answers seem so far away

You´re not alone, stop holding on, and just be held

Your world is not falling apart it´s falling into place

I´m on the throne, stop holding on, and just be held"

I hope you know that God loves you and is ever aware of the mountains that you have been called to climb!

Love,

Elder Raven

Anda bien Chisquiado (He´s really crazy!)

Hey Everyone!

This past week was wild because with Father´s Day yesterday, everyone had the day off, and with it being the quinceña (pay-day) here in Mexico, almost everyone was having a wild party this weekend!  This made the work here a little difficult because a lot of appointments fell through and it was difficult to contact people because of the many things they had to do, but there is a notable experience that I just wanted to share!

Yesterday around 4 o'clock, we were walking down a very public avenue in our area when a man that was staggering towards us yelled out ¨Hey Brothers, stop right there!¨ and with this experience I looked at Elder Chavez and told him to stop for a second and see how we could help this man.   He then started talking to me and said, Hey, you´re not from here right? and then asked me If I played in a Mariachi Band, and all sorts of strange questions to which I politely responded and then he asked me if we could start teaching him, and so I gave him a folleto of the restoration and from there left the man in peace, but it was a really cool experience because even though this brother was really high, a nearby neighbor saw our interaction and began asking us why we didn´t condemn the man for his rudeness or craziness, by which we responded that we are here to serve the people and not condemn them, which led her to wish to learn more, and from that we have been teaching the Hermana Seda who is a really receptive investigator and has decided to really search and find out if our church is true! And all of these strange experiences brought to my mind a scripture from the Book of Mormon from 

Alma 37 that states 

6 Now ye may suppose that this is ^afoolishness in me; but behold I say unto you, that by ^bsmall and simple things are great things brought to pass; and small means in many instances doth confound the wise.

7 And the Lord God doth work by ^ameans to bring about his great and eternal purposes; and by very ^bsmall means the Lord doth ^cconfound the wise and bringeth about the salvation of many souls.

I can truly testify that there are divine elements even to the strange and seemingly insignificant daily events!  Often times I have felt that maybe I place too much trust in my capabilities as a missionary instead of relying more fully upon the Lord´s power in bringing about his grand designs!  I can truly testify that the key to be able to make these small and simple things become great is through the guiding influence of the Holy Ghost!  I have sincerely begun a search for all the little things I do that might be hindering the Spirit from teaching me in the daily events and searching for ways to really become more Spiritually in tune!  In doing this exercise frequently I have come to better understand the ways in which God wishes to communicate with me, and also how others can be edified and purified through the Spirit´s gentle whisperings!  I know that spiritual gifts exist and that as we purify our lives, we will come to know the mysteries that God wishes to reveal to us in our personal struggles and battles here in mortality!  (DC 76:114, 116) I know that God lives and loves us and has given us a Comforter and a Purifier to help us overcome our natural man or woman, and become purified even as our loving Heavenly Father is pure!  And if right now you don´t feel worthy of that love, I testify that he is there for you offering you a second chance, and a way up and out, and that He has a plan to make a masterpiece out of the ashes of our mistakes!

An Elder Burning his pants for his year mark! :)

Hope you all have a phenomenal week!

Love Elder Raven 

PS Aunt Barbara called Grandma Sue and told her that she was so touched by this email, that she made copies of it and took it to the inmates at the Prison, who are doing the 12 step addiction program.  I thought I would just add that you are serving the people in Mexico but your emails are helping so many people here in the USA.  A lot of our neighbors come and tell me how much they love to read your emails.  Many people tell me that they are so amazing that the things you write are exactly what they needed to read that day!  You are a talented writer and full of the spirit.  We are so proud of you Elder Raven!  We love you and we pray for you!  Love, Mom 

Daniel Castro Baptism 6.8.19 One Change More in Felipe with Elder Chavez

Hey Everyone!

We received the news last night that I am going to spend another change with Elder Chavez in Felipe Carrillo!  This is going to be our 3 change together and I am really excited for what this change will hold! 

Thanks to these changes we have really been reflecting on how we can improve our efforts and see greater results in our area, and I have a feeling that with our goals we are going to be truly able to plant the seeds to create a branch out of our area!  

Daniel Castro Baptism 6.8.19

This past week was wild as we had the baptism of Daniel Castro, who is a young man that after being invited by his friend to church, requested to begin talking with us, and after 3 weeks of learning was baptized!  It was a truly beautiful experience as well because now his family is learning about the gospel and they have all committed to be baptized as well at the end of this month!  It is so wonderful how a small act of kindness (the invitation) made a world of difference in the lives of this amazing family!  We have several wonderful investigators progressing and the wonderful thing is that we are finally going to be able to get Paola y Alonso married which will be wonderful because after some time helping them understand the importance of the Law of Chastity, they finally committed! 

We have had our zone incredibly activated and in this month we are hoping to see many miracles in helping God´s children draw closer to the church!

Yet with all of these wonderful things, I will be honest in saying that it has not been all sunshine and roses! And from these difficulties, it has come to my mind a poem that I memorized in the 8th grade due to a very kind keyboarding teacher and I felt to share with all of you!

When things go wrong as they sometimes will,
When the road you're trudging seems all up hill,
when the funds are low and the debts are high
and you want to smile, but you have to sigh,

when care is pressing you down a bit,
rest if you must, but don't you quit.
Life is strange with its twists and turns
as every one of us sometimes learns
and many a failure comes about,
when he might have won had he stuck it out,
don't give up though the pace seems slow
you may succeed with another blow.
Success is failure turned inside out
the silver tint of the clouds of doubt,
and you never can tell just how close you are,
it may be near when it seems so far.

so stick to the fight when you're hardest hit

It's when things seem worst that you must not quit. 

I honestly do not remember the author of this poem, but I have felt that many times in life we are given challenges in order to demonstrate the Christlike Attribute of our Diligence to the principles of the gospel!  Truly this is the Church of Divine Miracles, and we are always entitled to God´s help if we do our part, and I also have come to realize that many of our personal challenges truly can be the refining influence that we need and for that reason, God in His infinite love and wisdom permits us to take on these challenges so that our spiritual muscles grow.  I believe that many times we can spend our time thinking about the What If´s or the Why me´s, but if we truly can have faith in the promises of this gospel I testify that there is not any trial of our lives that is not giving to help us become more like Heavenly Father, that even though the road can be dimmed around us, his love will never abandon us.  I felt this so strongly this past week while I was studying some of my favorite verses from Romans 8:38-39

38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,

39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Of these things I testify and as well that God loves you personally, knows you by name, and wishes that you will turn to him in prayer in whatever challenge or difficulty you are facing! Of these things I give my personal testimony and experience, and until next week!

Do Good! Be Great!

Elder Raven

PS Mike Dagley came over and told me how much he appreciated this email.  He really needed to read this email.  It gave him a lot of comfort.  Great job Elder Raven! :) 

The Miracles in the Small Things

Hey Everyone!

This past week I have felt so incredibly grateful for some small things that really have made a huge difference in the quality of work we have been able to do here in El Pedregal in the Felipe Carrillo Ward. 

1. We were able to change houses which is wonderful and now we are not stressed about where we are going to live, jaja!

2. Daniel and His Family were able to receive answers to their prayers about the veracity of the Church, and they have all committed to be baptized on the same day with the Ramos Family! 

3. Our New Bishop, Bishop Ortiz is helping activate the members by leading through his example of accompanying us to lessons and personally making visits to less actives!

4. We are planning to have a super baptismal service this Saturday where all the Zone will get together and it will be a truly powerful experience to unite our stake and also motivate members to take a greater initiative in the work!

5.  We had a lot of small changes in the leadership in our zone so that means Elder Norman, who is an awesome and energetic Elder is going to help build up the animo of the zone!

I have so many wonderful things that I wish to thank Heavenly Father for, and I would like to share with all of you a conference talk that really hit home this past week as we have been helping several investigators with some great challenges and how we can express love to others in their difficulties with these words of President Monson I feel will be able to touch your hearts as it touched mine this past week!

Love you!

Elder Raven

Sorry for no photos, my camera has been broken for some time but I am going to buy a new one soon!