Monday, January 16, 2012

Hey!!!

This week wasn´t too bad of a week for missionary work. As I said last week, we have many new investigators and we think they have some potential. We are hoping that the baptisms for the 21st are going to work out, but some of the baptismees are getting cold feet. The ones that we committed are kids named Marcos(9) and Eduardo(13). One of our goals for this week was to find their papá, Cristian, and talk to him about baptizing his kids and see what he thinks, but he is just impossible to talk to. Half the time when we go over there he is drunk and the other half he is working in their crate business. It seems like his belief is that the kids have to reach a certain age(like 18) when they will be educated enough about the Bible to know what church to baptize in. It may be hard to explain to him that the age where children just about reach accountability and can choose in between el bien y el mal. Ojalá the future looks bright for these two chicos.


It is not the biggest goal of the mission to just go around baptizing little children everywhere you go. Obviously you are going to want to baptize the head of the household and the whole family if you can, but sometimes it is just not possible. The other day, we were just visiting and teaching the familia Zuna, a member family. Supuestamente, everyone in the household was baptized but just a bit inactive, but last visit one of the more active members pointed out that her sister, Sol(11), had not been baptized yet. Even though it is not a head of the household, it is still super exciting to have a baptism. I just recently made a goal for myself to reach at least one baptism every transfer(6 weeks). I am off to a good start with Lucía Villegas last transfer. Let´s just see if we can keep it up and get some before the 29th of this month...

Some of our newer investigators such as Mariela Godoy, Juana Silva(a.k.a. Luna), and Alejandra Espinosa still have some work to be done and may take a little longer than desired to get them baptized. But, it´s okay because the Lord has his time for everyone. There are also a few other people that are still up in the air and anything can happen. At this point that we are at in this area, we just feel almost like there are too many people to visit in such little time. That is good for us, because the harder you work, the more you will enjoy it.

This week on Thursday I went to my first Zone conference. It was basically an all day thing(they are usually just until lunch), but this one went from like 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM. After it ended, I felt like I was going to go conquer the world. They gave us so much good stuff that I just felt like I could go out and do anything and just get baptisms like nothing. Ha ha. I think it may have just been a big adrenaline rush, but let´s hope I can remember all that stuff and apply it to myself to become a better missionary. Presidente Ávila and the asistentes had so much good stuff prepared.

Well...if I am not mistaken. I believe that it is someones birthday tomorrow... I wish I could do more than just wish you a Happy Birthday over e-mail. I´m going to put a little something in the next actual letter that I will send home. That is awesome that you can go to St. George with some of your friends. I hope you get spoiled a bit and get everything that you ever wanted because you deserve it because your such an amazing mother! There is no one else in the world that loves and cares about me more than you. So I think I owe a lot to ya. I hope that tomorrow will just be a really good day. Love you Mom!

I put up a few more pictures on walmart.com for your enjoyment. The majority of the good ones are on E´ Hudgens´ cámara, so you will have to wait for some of my favorites until next week. It is okay that you didn´t send the study guide because as a missionary you are actually only supposed to use certain missionary books. The mission has changed since dad went because there is no such thing as a library in the oficinas that has a selección of books. We do get the Liahonas though. That´s pretty nice. I think I would also like to switch with you in climate right now. There is never a time when I stop sweating, and that is not a good story for my white shirts. They get pretty dirty fast... That is awesome that you sent a package. Just don´t do it very often because it is so expensive. Letters are good enough to make me happy.

Spiritual Thought of the Week comes from my Book of Mormon reading.

One of my many favorite stories falls somewhere in the middle of Mosíah(preferably around chapter 17). Abinadí is just one of the best representatives of the church because he is so valiant and willing to stand for what he believes in no matter what the circumstances. I would like to just tell the whole story, but I will leave that up to you. I will just tell you one of my favorite parts. In front of the wicked King Noé, Abinadí was told that he was going to be killed if he did not deny his faith. Put yourself in that situation. What would you do if someone told you that you were going to die if you did not say that your church is not true and that all of the feelings that you have felt from the Spirit are false. How much are you willing to give for your faith. There is a good cross reference in Romans 1:15 in the Biblia. I believe it is a Scripture Mastery for those who are in Seminary.

That is all for this week. Elder Larisch sends his love to all! Keep them prayers coming for me and the people that I teach. Thanks for all the support!

Con amor,

Elder Larisch

La Iglesia es verdadera!