Hey Family!
So I might just have like 10 minutes to write this letter so if it´s crap, forgive me.
Yesterday, we had a baptism! Guillermo Soto got baptized and confirmed! He was so ready and happy to be baptized that we were all super happy. I´ve never met anyone who was more ready and understood more than him. He´s a little crazy, and for that, he understood. When we went to his crazy people house to bring him to church and his baptism yesterday, he was just inside the door, fighting with the doorman to give him permission to go. He was ready before we got there, and doing all he could to go. We knocked on the door, and the guy opened it and then gave him permission. It was kind of funny. I had a new experience when I baptized him. I said the prayer, and he sat down in the water, and I had to shove his arms under. It was funny. But, wasn´t a problem. I was really happy that we were able to help him make that covenant with the Lord.
We also have two baptismal dates for next sunday. One little girl who goes to church a lot with her older cousin, and a 19 year old girl. The little girl is really good, she only needs permission from her parents, and we´re 99% sure that they´re going to give it. Her name is Anny. Sometimes I think she knows the doctrine better than I do. She teaches me. And she´s 10. The other girl is named Elizabeth. We found her because her sister is member, and we found her name on the Ward list. So we went to visit her, and she doesn´t even live there anymore. She´s moved out. But, her sister lives there. She´s listened to the missionaries before, and the first day we met her, Elder Jara and I both said that if she gets baptized, she will NEVER fall away. She didn´t get baptized before, for fear of falling away. And we taught her and offered her the baptismal date of this sunday. She said that she would read, pray, and have an answer for us on Friday. So, we went on friday. And her answer was that she knows she needs to be baptized, but she wanted more time. We jsut asked her questions, and taught from Mosiah 18, the baptismal covenant. in verse 10 when alma says (Idon´t know exactly what it is in english) what impedes you to be baptized. We taught that and she just said her fear. We were with a youth in the ward for the lesson, he´s a convert of like a year and a half. When she said her fear, without us telling him too, he started to talk. He just bore his testimony of that only through the action her faith can build. That if she would make the decision, the lord would bless her to be strong enough to stay active. After he bore his testimony, she accepted baptism and asked what else she had to do. We just told her to go to church. She´s been fighting going to church for a month, but after the member bore his testimony, she just accepted it. And she came! It was such a blessing to see the power of pure testimony. Now, a lot of the time I just fall into rutien (I have NO clue how to spell that) of how to answer doubts that people have. I just wip out the scripture, and comitt them to over come their fear. And sometimes, I forget the power of pure testimony. His pure, simple testimony, changed her. Now, she´s counting down the days until she gets baptized. It was a huge blessing for me to see that change. The power of the spirit of the Lord.
Dad - when is your marathon? and I´m actually outside of lime. "Iraq" is called Jicamarca really. And it´s technically outside of lima, but just barely.
Mom - your week sounds crazy. I´m glad you didn´t lose your job. And it is too bad that you don´t have me to fix up the yard good. I miss mowing lawns. And from the rest of the letters from the family, I feel like I need to give you your own advice. SMILE. Be happy. Accept your life for how it is, and know that through the Lord, it will get better. Forget what you miss, what you don´t have, and thank the Lord for the blessings. Love you mom
John - that is AWESOME!!! I´ve always told mom I could do that. And she never let me! but I couldn´t right now. I´ve lost the majority of my voice.But, I´ll get it back. I´d better...
Jordan - what is this research thing that mom told me about? You want to be a professor?
Tashita - ya tienes mi carta
Shaylee - no....I didn´t get your letter last week....what happens there? I think satan doesn´t want you to talk to me. But on those days when the family doesn´t want to do anything, TELL THEM TO GET OFF THEIR PHONES AND HAVE A LIFE!!!! That´s just super lazy american. Unacceptable in my family. Love you sis
I know this church is true. I love my mission and know, without a doubt, that I´m here for a reason and the Lord loves me, personally.
Love,
Elder Schouten
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