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!
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| 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 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.
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! :)
