Sunday, June 1, 2014

May 6th

   We have changes this week! Hermana Jordan and I will be together again for another change! We will also have 8 missionaries in the ward for the first time in the history of Uruguay!!!! AND Hermana Jordan and I will be able to work all this time in one part of our area called Cerro. We get to walk this big giant hill everyday and I´m ok with that, because I am so excited to work up there! 

   We also had a baptism this weekend of one of our investigators we have been teaching this whole change. His name is Jose and it was amazing to see the Lords hand in the work as we prepared him for baptism.
   We found him one day when we were walking and started to talk to him in front of his house. From the first visit we learned that he was very poor, but probably the most humble person I have ever met in my life. He doesn´t have food, but he always says how grateful he is for his garden. He doesn´t have water, but he dug a hole to get some and is grateful when it rains. He doesn´t have power, but he is grateful for the street lights at night. 
   During the first lesson he told us that he couldn´t retain information very well due to a past accident. In fact, one time we picked him up to walk to the church and when we got to the corner he he said he forgot something and went back to get it. We waited for him at the corner for about 15 minuted and then we went and looked for him. When  we found him he was cleaning his house and had forgotten that we had came.
   Despite his problem, he was progressing! I worried about baptizing him though. Everyone needs the covenant of baptism ( Juan 1:5), but he would have to remember things more, which included coming to church. After praying and speaking with leaders we decided to test simple things to see what more we needed to teach him to be baptized. The first thing was to see if he could make it to church on his own. 
   The first Sunday came after telling him that we would wait for him in front of the church at 9:00 instead of bringing him. I was as happy as a mom when she sees her child take their first steps when I saw him walk up the pathway at 9:15! From there on, we started to see even more progress! His prayers went from him speaking, nervously out loud to some of the most sincere prayers I have ever heard. He went from not remembering charlas to reviewing them with us. His progress was remarkable!
   Due to his desires to follow his savior he was progressing so much! One thing that was hard for him to change, though was smoking. He didn´t know how to stop. He once told us that ¨ I keep fighting with my brain to stop. I tell myself not to smoke!¨ Although, as soon as he stopped that´s when I really saw the blessings of the word of wisdom we had promised him. The blessing he received of health was so real. I know this helped him to understand information to be baptized
   Even more blessings came when we found out that he had active family members in the stake. ( something he didn´t remember or know) Not only were they there to see him get baptized, but his nephew was able to baptize him too! 
   I learned just how much love the Lord had for him. I know the lord was helping along the way and all we had to do is be patient. I also learned that I have to trust the Lord when I´m doing his work. I questioned if he was ready,  but I quickly had to repent as I saw how much he progressed. I know it was only through his faith. I also needed to have faith in him and the Lord. 
   I love this gospel. I know there are so many people who need this ordinance too and I know we have a great work to do to look for those who have been prepared to listen.
Love, Hermana Baca

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