A Good Week and a Baptism

"So this week was pretty good! Definitely the highlight would be that the baptism ... did in fact go through! Man, it was such a cool experience to be able to baptize him, haha and for hours I couldn't stop smiling. It was really cool, he was a little nervous beforehand, but definitely ready to make the covenant. The thing that most excites me is that he truly understood the commitment he was making, and he's committed to the gospel and one day going to the temple. It was good to talk to him about it all. He felt very peaceful, which is very different from his normal everyday life, and the last thing he said as he walked away was that he walked away clean and a new person. It was amazing to see the hope that was in his eyes, the purpose in his step, because he knew that he had done God's will and that God would continue to help him through all the trials ahead. Now I just have to trust the ward that they'll completely welcome him into the fold and support him in the trials that will undoubtedly come. Still, it was an incredible experience, and reminded me once again of the reason why I'm out here. I'm here to help... people come to know Christ, to feel His love, and come to Him. [The man who was baptized] truly did come to know Christ and it was an incredible thing to see!

Other than that we had some cool little miracles. ... Oh, we had another super awesome experience with a lady we met just talking to people. We were on exchanges, and I was with Elder Williams in our area. We were going to an investigators house but we stopped to talk to this one lady.... We offered to help her plant flowers in her yard and in the process of course talked about the Gospel, about God, etc. We ended up teaching the entire first lesson in the course of planting flowers because she was honestly one of the most prepared people I've met. She asked all the questions that just led the lesson right along. Then afterward she began to cry. Apparently she's been going through some tough times and she recognized us as an answer to her prayers and a sign that God truly is aware of her. Again, if there's one thing that's been drilled into me so far it is how very much aware God is of every single one of His children. Of all their private struggles, fears, and doubts. Not only is He aware, but he works to fix them. We may not see Him working all the time, but He most definitely is. He cares about every single fear and doubt, and He wants us to overcome them.

We had some other cool finding miracles, so our teaching pool has finally gone up. Now we'll be able to start preaching the gospel instead of just trying to find. Oh, the English sisters in our district gave us this one guy they'd been teaching as well. He's from Brazil and so speaks Spanish, Portugese, and English, but better Spanish than English. So we'll be teaching him. He's also very prepared and very humble. So that was my week. The days seem to go by a lot slower in a car area though... The weeks still fly, but the car is just horrible. Haha, it's a lot harder to stay awake!"

"Anyways, I've got to run, but I hope you guys have an awesome week! The gospel is most definitely true!"

Another Week

Sorry, I forgot I hadn't posted Derek's June 8th letter.

"So, another week went by, I honestly have no idea what happened... haha that's definitely not a good sign. I'm trying to think of any cool experiences, but they seem to be in short supply this week. We'll start with the bad news. Well, [the investigator] wasn't baptized this Sunday, but hopefully he will be this Sunday.... As for our [two] other baptismal dates, ...well, we lost them... We can't get in contact with [one] and [the other] moved to Baltimore. So, we're kind of in bad shape there. Actually it's been rather frustrating, we honestly have 1 investigator this week, that's it! It's super hard to find people here, and we've been trying to work with members and less active members as well to find people to teach, unfortunately nothing is happening so far. In Langley Park I felt like I could feel when we were working the area correctly. We tried a variety of things and eventually we changed what we were doing and things clicked. Here, since we're both pretty new in the area it's proving to be a lot harder to determine how to get things to work out, or how to work the area, especially since for me it's completely different from Langley Park. Hopefully things start to pick up a little bit though, and hopefully we can receive the knowledge and revelation we need. We do have one baptismal date though... we're not too sure how solid he is right now since we've only had one lesson with him, but he seems pretty cool and willing to progress so we'll see what happens.

Other than that, we went on exchanges with the Zone Leaders the other day! It was cool to get to learn from them, and we saw some cool miracles in their area. Haha, that day we got four b-dates, 3 new investigators and an incredible miracle besides all that! It was honestly an incredible day! The cool miracle was we were walking by this one apartment town house complex and this lady called us over. The first thing she says to us is that she wants to change religions because the one she's in doesn't have enough light for her, as in spiritual light. Needless to say we were slightly taken off our guard and stunned at the miracle! She was very open, and even asked us if we had any literature for her to read about our church, haha yep a question that makes every missionary super happy! She was an english speaker so we passed her off to the English missionaries, and after their first meeting she now has a baptismal date for the 18th of June. Haha, I think the Lord just does that some times to remind us that he's there and that it really isn't our work at all! She said to us that as we walked by she heard a voice say to her, "ask those guys about their church". God definitely works with his children, I guess he's just biding his time in Olney ;)"

"...one thing I never anticipated before the mission was beginning to not trust people, to not want to talk to some people because you just feel like they're lying to you because they seem to do it so often. Nevertheless, we must talk to everyone, we have no right to deny... people any chance of coming into His restored Gospel. Yeah, thankfully the Lord definitely reminded me of that."

"Over here it has been pretty hot, 90 degrees or more and humid! Luckily since I'm now in a car it doesn't bother me too much!"

"Unfortunately here it seems like I have allergies... It's horrible, every once in awhile my eyes get super red and I can barely keep my eyes open. I had this weird thing happen where I honestly could no keep my eyes open as I was biking, it was really weird. Not too enjoyable, but I bought some allergy pills so hopefully they help!"

"It's really sad, I found out I've gained 15 pounds since I entered the MTC, I now weigh 163, yeah, fat! Still, I don't feel like I gained 15 pounds, I'm definitely heavier, but I didn't think too much."

Derek visiting a museum on P-Day.

First Week in Olney

"So, what to say, this week has been a pretty good one, but a little longer feeling! Some pretty cool things happened this week... [My new companion, Elder Lee] has a lot of faith and a lot of fire, so hopefully we can keep that burning for the whole transfer. He says he's prayed a lot and feels like we should set a companionship goal of 12 baptisms. I admit, I have faith, but perhaps not that much faith... It's crazy, and it's definitely possible if the Lord decides to let it happen and if we're 100% obedient, but still it sounds crazy! Nevertheless I've definitely been trying to pray for more faith and the Lord's been blessing us.

We found a family this week that accepted a baptismal date on the first lesson, as well as another girl! Crazy! ... Still, awesome! Other than that it took us the first couple days to really determine how to work the area. The first day we spent a lot of time knocking and just talking to people, which is good, but if there's one thing I learned from Elder Castillo it's that we have to work with the members! Consequently we switched up the way we were working and it got a lot better, we started finding people, and hopefully we've planted some seeds in the members that will result in some super cool references within the next week or two.

The area is a lot different than Langley Park though. Number one is that it's huge, it probably takes 45 minutes to an hour to drive from one end to the other, second would be that it is a much much higher class area than Langley Park. Consequently there are less Hispanics, and a lot of white people with houses. It was honestly kind of a culture shock for the first couple of days, haha being in houses was super weird! The District is also a lot different. Elder Lee is District Leader and then we have two companionships of English missionaries and another Spanish companionship. Two of the companionships are sisters as well which has added a new dynamic to the district. ...for some reason the Sisters really do have more of the spirit than Elders it seems... The ward is different as well. It's a little smaller than Langley Park, but from what I've seen so far the members seem to have [strong] testimonies founded on scripture study... They also love the Elders because last transfer was the first time they got Elder missionaries for a couple of years, so we've been fed a lot! Definitely saved money on food!

Other than that not too many cool things have happened, the District is doing amazingly, no doubt due to Elder Lee's incredible faith! The district has 13 baptismal dates on the first week of the transfer, it's slightly ridiculous and amazing!

Oh, one other super cool thing happened! I don't know if you remember me telling you guys about...the guy I'd been teaching in Langley Park that has the girlfriend that's a nonmember that was going to be baptized soon. Well, he didn't get baptized this last week, but he's officially being baptized this Sunday! It's super exciting, and I hope it's not selfish, but I was really excited because apparently he asked if I would baptize him! So I'll be able to baptize him this Sunday! It's so amazing! It's been incredible to see him change as we've taught him the gospel. A light has definitely come into his life, and it's so cool to see him look forward to one day going to the temple, having an eternal marriage and an eternal family. Not to mention the fact that he definitely needs the Holy Ghost in his life. He's experienced so many sad things, and as he's told us many times he just feels weighed down, tired. Not bodily tired, as much as spiritually tired. It will be so incredible to see him receive the Holy Ghost into his life and to see that burden be lifted! Ah, when I heard the news it immediately made the whole two years worth while if just [this man] had come to know Christ, and the [family in Langley Park] should be being baptized soon as well! I hope I never lose the joy that comes from seeing people be baptized."

"Hm, that's about all I can think of for this week though. It's been an interesting one, having to get to know an area again, trying to build relationships with the members and everything, still, it's been good! Hopefully I can find some of the faith that Elder Lee has and we can do our best to have twelve baptisms happen (by the way, we had no investigators when I got here, hence why I lack/lacked the faith) yeah, I'm working on it, still, I'm definitely going to do all that I can to make sure that it happens if it's the Lord's will!"

"...the work is great, and the church is undoubtedly true. I thought my testimony was pretty strong when I came out, I thought it was pretty strong when I left the MTC, little did I realize how much it can just keep growing. This truly is God's work, and it really has changed me, though you probably can't tell too much just from my letters. While I still have a long way to go, I'm grateful that the Lord is helping me progress, and allowing me to help his Children progress as well! Ha, you should all pray for me to be humbled though, I need it."

Transfers!

"Suffice it to say it was probably the hardest week I've had yet on the mission... Haha, it was just tough, to put it uneloquently, we got owned! First of all in one week we had a total of 7 flat tires! Yeah, that means we had to do a lot of walking, and had to miss appointments because they were almost an hours walk away. So, that really wasn't too great, but we did still manage to get some stuff done. Then it was super sad, we got dropped by four people/families that were really showing a lot of potential. Unfortunately they decided they didn't want to continue the lessons. It was honestly extremely sad. Then we had an appointment with [the great family], and frankly it was horrible. We brought along the ward mission leader, who is a good man, but is determined on taking control of the lesson, and proving the gospel logically. It was definitely not a good lesson, and after it Elder Shinost and I felt like we could've lost the family... We went back the next morning to try and see what we could do to fix the situation, and some incredible things happened. The ... family accepted a baptismal date! It was an extremely spiritual lesson, and honestly one of the highlights of the mission so far. However, just yesterday we found out that the wife really isn't feeling ready, and actually feels pretty badly about the baptismal date. We've pushed it back another week in order to give her more time to read and pray. [The father], however, is feeling solid, and that really is what God has prepared for him. So they're doing really well. There are some bumps in the road, but Elder Shinost and I are confident that they'll be baptized within the next month. Other than that, like I said, it was a really horrible week. We also met with these two less active boys. They are honestly some of the saddest boys I have ever met in my entire life... We honestly don't know what else we can do to help them, except for trying to help the mom, so that will be the new focus with them.

Other big news... I was transferred! Yep, I knew it was going to happen, and before I'd been thinking that I'd enjoy being transferred, but after being humbled this last week, I realized how much I really do care about these people, about their eternal salvation, and about their temporal well being. It's sad to me that I won't be able to continue visiting with [the family], nor will I be able to see those kids again... However, I take consolation in the fact that I will still get to come back when [the family is] baptized. Still, it was sad news... But like Mom says, I also do feel like I accomplished what I was supposed to while I was in Langley Park, and now the Lord has something else in store for me. I'm definitely going to miss working with Elder Shinost though, we got along really well, and we worked really well together.

I am now in an area called Onley with Elder Lee. Elder Lee was in our apartment the transfer before this last one, and I got to know him a little bit there.... It'll be a good transfer!"

...

"Well, I think that's about it. I'll have more news for you guys next week on how the new area is! I have a feeling time will just continue to pick up over here though. Oh, it'll also be super weird because I'm in a car! Ha, I haven't driven for five months! We'll see how that goes!"

Early PDay

Derek wrote early (May 18), but I'm even later getting it up here.

"Yep, I'm writing early, p-day is one day earlier this week... We were going to go to a baseball game today as a mission, so they switched the p-day. Unfortunately, it's been raining here for the past three days so it was canceled... Ah well, we'll go to one in the future!

As for things going on this week, it wasn't too great of a week in terms of teaching, unfortunately. But we did have some cool things happen! First of all would probably be this guy we've been trying to work with, that has the blessing of having Sundays off from work but works like crazy during the rest of the week. He hasn't come to church for two months, so we'll go by trying to drop him, but each time he's said I'll be there this week. Finally we haven't been talking to him for the last two weeks, and miracle of miracles he was at church this week! It was awesome to see him there, haha I was super happy and surprised, hopefully now he decides to keep coming!

We also have two baptismal dates!! Unfortunately, they're after transfers, so we'll see if I'm still around for them, hopefully so! We have one girl [who is] a fifth grader that is incredibly spiritual. A few weeks ago we just had a door step lesson with her about the Book of Mormon and prayer. She prayed for the first time, and from there has prayed every morning and night. It's been cool to see her change as more and more of the gospel has come into her life, and you can see that she has more peace and happiness despite all the horrible things that happen around her. Unfortunately the father is an alcoholic and often drunk and doesn't want her to come to church, so we'll be praying for a miracle there. Still, it's been cool to see her gain hope and trust in her Father in Heaven.

Then we have a guy... I think I've told you about him before, [who's] had a tough life, and we've been teaching him these last two transfers. Unfortunately he couldn't get baptized before because he's not married to his girlfriend [and is living with her], but luckily for his eternal salvation, sad for his temporal, she's going to Honduras for a year at the end of this month! We had a really cool lesson with him in the Visitors Center this past Sunday where we spoke about the plan of salvation and eternal marriage. Both he and his girlfriend have strong desires to one day enter the temple and be married for all eternity, and Dennis himself pointed out that before that could happen he had to get baptized. The spirit was strong as it always is so close to the temple, and we invited him to be baptized on the 29th of May,... he accepted and said he really felt at peace with the decision. haha needless to say I was incredibly happy! It's been cool to see him change as he's come to know God more and rely on him to get him through his trials in life. It's been cool to see how their relationship has changed as they've involved God in it, and committed to living the law of chastity... They've grown a lot, and I'm excited to hopefully one day see him enter into the temple!

Those were definitely the highlights of the week. There was also another interesting thing that happened. Do you guys remember me telling you guys about a guy... that had a really tough life, I met him probably my second or third week here? He's the one that walked away and I wish I would've called him back to talk to him. Well, it truly was a miracle but we found him again. We were biking past some buildings and we found him sitting by the side of one drunk. I was surprised I still recognized him, but we stopped and talked to him, and this time I feel like we did what we could for him. He wouldn't give us an address, but we have his phone number and we left him with a book of Mormon that I wrote my testimony in. I now feel like we've given him as much of a chance as we could have. I really hope he reads the Book of Mormon and hopefully can come to know of its truthfulness. He needs the gospel, but he can't seem to see it, probably doesn't help that he's almost in a permanent drunken state it seems. Though we did get him to throw away his bottle of alcohol he had with him! Still, he needs the atonement, hopefully he can decide to use it...

Other than that, that's about it for the week. It went by far faster than any week I've had so far. It really feels like I just wrote you guys yesterday. Sheesh, too fast! Last week of the transfers though, hopefully we can do well! I really feel like I'm going to be transferred though, not sure why, but I guess we'll see!"

We got to talk with Derek on mother's day. He sounds great and is doing well. We got a letter from him on Wednesday but I forgot to post it here.

"...we have had a couple of cool experiences in the last two days. We had a really good day Monday with a lot of teaching, it was incredible, we actually taught almost the whole day! People answered doors and let us in, and appointments actually went through! It was still kind of sad though, on Monday we talked to two 14 and 15 year old girls that are either pregnant or already moms... It's ridiculous, my eyes are being opened more and more to the wickedness of the world. In Utah I knew the world was wicked, but Utah is so nice, and there are so few of those cases that it didn't seem too widespread. I came here and realized more how wicked the world really was, how much it really needs the gospel. Now, my eyes have been opened even more, and I can see that the world truly is becoming ripe for the second coming. When 14 year old girls are about to become moms and they feel like it's a good or lucky thing, there's definitely a problem. Especially since more than likely the guy is probably in his 20's. It makes me mad and sad that Satan has "such great hold upon the hearts of the children of men".

Luckily, the gospel is also growing, and it's cool to see these people begin to light up as we speak to them about the gospel. There was this one 5th grader that had never prayed before. We taught her how to pray two weeks ago and now she prays every night and day, because she needs it. She laughs about how her Dad gets drunk and beats her as if it's just a normal thing that happens to everyone. It's so sad that these people almost don't realize how sad their lives are or how beautiful they can really become, but with the light of the gospel I think they're starting to realize that they're lives don't have to be the same, that there is a hope for a brighter future."

"This last week I've really been trying to focus on gaining a greater love for the people I teach. I feel like I'm serving for selfish reasons as of right now, or at least sometimes I am. It's not to get noticed or anything, but I think it's so that I can feel like I succeeded, like I did what I had to do. In other words it's focused on myself rather on focusing on these people and how their lives can be so much better. It's made a pretty good change already, and I hope I can continue to grow in love for these people. I think it's working because I'm beginning to feel like Nephi did when he said that he sorrowed for the sins of the world. Truly evil abounds, and the only thing that will ever be able to combat it and bring joy to these people's lives is the Gospel of Jesus Christ, it really does shine into darkness and the darkness comprehendeth it not."

Here is a picture of Derek's bike wheel after running into the car last week.

Hit By A Car

"I did indeed get hit by a car haha, yeah not something to laugh about, but what else can you do? It wasn't bad though, I was coming up this hill called metzerott, and the light I could see was red so I decided to turn left onto the sidewalk. Unfortunately the oncoming traffic light was green, and I was dumb and didn't see that there was a car coming, so I got hit... It wasn't bad though, just bent the front tire, and the lady managed to brake in a reasonably good amount of time so I mostly just tipped over when I got hit, but I had to buy a new tire... The lady was really nice though, she didn't even swear at me, which was something of a miracle! :) I also didn't make her pay, even though I probably could've because I felt dumb enough and it was really my own fault. But, no worries, I'm ok, and it really was a miracle I wasn't hurt, a little reminder from God for me to keep my eyes open."

"As for other miracles this week, there have been some good ones, and it's also been a rather frustrating week. The good news would be, 5 people at church! Whoot! [From the family, the] wife and kids came as well as two other investigators we have. So that was really cool! God has also been giving us more people to teach which has been good!"

Derek also talked about a good lesson they had with a couple, and some young boys who they took to the Visitors Center to have the Sister missionaries talk to.

"Other than that it's been a humbling and frustrating week as well. It's super tough to know what to do... We're always told we're here to harvest the people that are ready, those people must be hiding pretty well, because it seems like we can't find them... Still, God leads us step by step, and it's just making it through these tougher times, especially when we hardly ever teach, it feels like our day has been wasted...

Oh, another cool experience. Elder Shinost and I decided to go check on some referrals we've received. We have a pool of 54 referrals, most of which are never home, but we decided to each choose a couple by the spirit and then go visit whichever ones matched up. Out of the 54 Elder Shinost picked two, I picked three. Elder Shinost's two matched my two exactly! We checked on them, and both were fake addresses haha, but we talked to some cool people, and actually ended up being in an area of another referral at exactly the right moment for them to be home. God does indeed work in mysterious and small ways, but he does work. I just have to learn to be more patient and trust that if we're working we're doing his will, which is honestly very hard at times when you just don't seem to see any results... All our people are just sitting there, not really progressing towards baptism because they all have a big stumbling block that we just can't seem to get around... We'll see what happens this next week, we're really trying to push them and impress upon them the importance of baptism, hopefully it goes well!"

"Man, the time just goes by so ridiculously quickly... Ha, I even dated a letter April 4th today, and thought it was perfectly normal, psyche, it's now May 4th, whatever happened to April? 20 months is all I've got left, and it feels like they're going to be gone before I know it, haha missions should be three years! Anyways, talk to you soon, I love you all!"