In looking at this name I don't have too many memories of Nydia. From what I can remember, she was a referral given to us by a sister in the ward and she was pretty much a member when we started teaching her. She had been going to church for some time and she accepted baptism well.
After: As far as I know she remained active.
Sunday, May 3, 2009
Sunday, March 29, 2009
The Mendoza Family
Because we practically white-washed the area, Elder Fonnesbeck and I, with the help of Preach My Gospel, came up with a plethora of ways to try and find people. One of our brilliant ideas was to pass out fliers for a car wash that we were doing as a zone. We decided to give one to every single person that we saw and use it as a way to introduce the gospel.
One day while we were passing out our car wash fliers we ran into the Mendoza family. Elsa (41), Mariela (19), and Arturo (11) were out for a daily walk when we introduced ourselves and the gospel to them. They invited us to their house (or maybe we invited ourselves) the next week.
They were just an amazing family! We loved going over to their house to teach them the gospel. Not only did they accept everything very well, but they were also extremely fun people. In fact, the dad, who didn't live with them and was a horrible example to them, was a member of the church from childhood.
Toward the end of their lessons they had a few worries and concerns about being baptized into the church. We invited President Castillo to one of our lessons with them, and he really helped them overcome some of their doubts.
On October 9, 2005, the three of them were baptized into the church. I had the privilege of baptizing Mariela. They were the first of our 13 baptisms in October!
After: The Mendoza family remained strong for about 4 or 5 months. Elsa then returned to her smoking and she gradually became inactive from the church. Both Elder Fonnesbeck and I were still in the area when they stopped coming to church, and so we visited them often trying to convince them to return. When I returned home from my mission i heard the news that Arturo received the priesthood, so at least he was attending church.
One day while we were passing out our car wash fliers we ran into the Mendoza family. Elsa (41), Mariela (19), and Arturo (11) were out for a daily walk when we introduced ourselves and the gospel to them. They invited us to their house (or maybe we invited ourselves) the next week.
They were just an amazing family! We loved going over to their house to teach them the gospel. Not only did they accept everything very well, but they were also extremely fun people. In fact, the dad, who didn't live with them and was a horrible example to them, was a member of the church from childhood.
Toward the end of their lessons they had a few worries and concerns about being baptized into the church. We invited President Castillo to one of our lessons with them, and he really helped them overcome some of their doubts.
On October 9, 2005, the three of them were baptized into the church. I had the privilege of baptizing Mariela. They were the first of our 13 baptisms in October!
After: The Mendoza family remained strong for about 4 or 5 months. Elsa then returned to her smoking and she gradually became inactive from the church. Both Elder Fonnesbeck and I were still in the area when they stopped coming to church, and so we visited them often trying to convince them to return. When I returned home from my mission i heard the news that Arturo received the priesthood, so at least he was attending church.
Sunday, November 2, 2008
Eduardo Lopez
Eduardo Lopez was an amazing 23 year old that we found shortly after arriving in the area. We were out contacting in the street one afternoon wen a drunk man approached us and said that he was interested in listening to our message. When we arrived at the scheduled appointment the next day his son, Eduardo, told us that his dad wasn't there. We talked with him for a short time at the door and he expressed his interest in us returning when he and his dad could both be present.
From the very first time we visited with Eduardo we knew that he was special. The house was very dark and messy the first few times that we visited them, but that changed very quickly. One of Eduardo's most memorable experiences is when Elder Fonnesbeck sang I Stand All Amazed at the end of one of our lessons. He said that song touched him deeply.
Perhaps my most memorable experience with Eduardo was when, after his baptism, he told us that he had finished the Book of Mormon. He was so excited to tell us that he had finished the book. He said that he read it all the time, on the bus to school, on his breaks, at home, etc. He told us that they felt a very negative experience in their home before we started visiting them, but that reading the Book of Mormon would cast those negative feelings out.
I had the opportunity to baptize Eduardo on September 25, 2005.
After: Shortly after Eduardo's baptism, his father was also baptized. And, a short time after I left the area his brother was also baptized. When I returned with my family, we got to see him and his brother at church. He told us that he was planning on going on a mission in a few months, but that his family did not like the idea. About a year after my mission I received news that he was in fact going to serve a mission! Now he is blessing the lives of many others!
From the very first time we visited with Eduardo we knew that he was special. The house was very dark and messy the first few times that we visited them, but that changed very quickly. One of Eduardo's most memorable experiences is when Elder Fonnesbeck sang I Stand All Amazed at the end of one of our lessons. He said that song touched him deeply.
Perhaps my most memorable experience with Eduardo was when, after his baptism, he told us that he had finished the Book of Mormon. He was so excited to tell us that he had finished the book. He said that he read it all the time, on the bus to school, on his breaks, at home, etc. He told us that they felt a very negative experience in their home before we started visiting them, but that reading the Book of Mormon would cast those negative feelings out.
I had the opportunity to baptize Eduardo on September 25, 2005.
After: Shortly after Eduardo's baptism, his father was also baptized. And, a short time after I left the area his brother was also baptized. When I returned with my family, we got to see him and his brother at church. He told us that he was planning on going on a mission in a few months, but that his family did not like the idea. About a year after my mission I received news that he was in fact going to serve a mission! Now he is blessing the lives of many others!
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Lucy Luna
On September 18, 2005 Elder Fonnesbeck and I had our second baptism in the Atlanta Ward. Lucy Luna was a 54 year old widow. Her husband had gone to America to provide for the family better and had died in the process. She was a very calm lady and she accepted everything really well. She had a son living at home who was in his 20s and she really wanted him to listen but he never did. She was baptized shortly after we met her.
I remember that every time we visited her we could feel the spirit in her home. It was always very clean. She even signed up to feed us dinner a few times after her baptism.
After: She went inactive a couple months after she was baptized. we repeatedly went to visit her to encourage her to return, but she never got excited about it. She wasn't home when I returned with my parents.
I remember that every time we visited her we could feel the spirit in her home. It was always very clean. She even signed up to feed us dinner a few times after her baptism.
After: She went inactive a couple months after she was baptized. we repeatedly went to visit her to encourage her to return, but she never got excited about it. She wasn't home when I returned with my parents.
Sunday, October 19, 2008
German Treilhard
When Elder Fonnebeck and i arrived in Atlanta there was not a single investigator. The missionaries before us were in the offices because President Ferreyro put his troubled missionaries there. President Castillo had a different idea and he told my companion and me that he expected us to be atop the baptismal chart every month.
Our first month there we weren't able to baptize anyone, but on September 3, 2005 we had our first baptism in the ward. His name was German Treilhard, and he was a 49 man whose entire family were members, and he even had a son on a mission. As we began teaching him in August, he told us that he was ready to be baptized. We would have baptized him that month but he really wanted his son to do it. His son got home on Wednesday and we had the service set up for Saturday.
German accepted everything very well from the beginning. He had heard the lessons before so we kind of just went through the motions. Ti was a good experience.
After: He remained active in the ward the entire time we were there. I didn't visit him with my family, but as far as I know he remains active.
Our first month there we weren't able to baptize anyone, but on September 3, 2005 we had our first baptism in the ward. His name was German Treilhard, and he was a 49 man whose entire family were members, and he even had a son on a mission. As we began teaching him in August, he told us that he was ready to be baptized. We would have baptized him that month but he really wanted his son to do it. His son got home on Wednesday and we had the service set up for Saturday.
German accepted everything very well from the beginning. He had heard the lessons before so we kind of just went through the motions. Ti was a good experience.
After: He remained active in the ward the entire time we were there. I didn't visit him with my family, but as far as I know he remains active.
Sunday, October 5, 2008
The Razo Family
Every person and family that I taught and baptized on my mission holds a special place in my heart. The experiences that I had with the Razo family were singular indeed.
This family consisted of Luz Maria (32), Amaranta (12), Joselyn(11), and a son whose name I can't recall (he never sat in on the lessons nor was baptized). We found them through Luz's brother who was a member in one of our wards.
They accepted the gospel well, but often had doubts. The lesson that I remember above all others is when we were teaching about family. I don't remember her concern nor do I remember what I said to solve it. What I do remember is that she a had a very real concern and it was impeding her from being baptized. I remember that I didn't know what to say in response to the concern. I had learned in the MTC that when this type of thing happened I should just open my mouth and start talking. That is exactly what I did and the Lord talked through me. The spirit of the Lord completely took over for me and said exactly what Luz and her family needed to hear. It wasn't as though the spirit was helping me to remember something that I had already learned or studied (I had had many of those experiences before), the spirit literally took over and answered her concern.
This experience was a testimony to me that the Lord is aware of all of His chilren and He cares sincerely for them. Luz was satisfied with the response and she and her two girls were baptized shortly afterward.
After - I heard that shortly after I left the area they stoppjed going to church. When I returned with my parents they were nowhere to be found.
This family consisted of Luz Maria (32), Amaranta (12), Joselyn(11), and a son whose name I can't recall (he never sat in on the lessons nor was baptized). We found them through Luz's brother who was a member in one of our wards.
They accepted the gospel well, but often had doubts. The lesson that I remember above all others is when we were teaching about family. I don't remember her concern nor do I remember what I said to solve it. What I do remember is that she a had a very real concern and it was impeding her from being baptized. I remember that I didn't know what to say in response to the concern. I had learned in the MTC that when this type of thing happened I should just open my mouth and start talking. That is exactly what I did and the Lord talked through me. The spirit of the Lord completely took over for me and said exactly what Luz and her family needed to hear. It wasn't as though the spirit was helping me to remember something that I had already learned or studied (I had had many of those experiences before), the spirit literally took over and answered her concern.
This experience was a testimony to me that the Lord is aware of all of His chilren and He cares sincerely for them. Luz was satisfied with the response and she and her two girls were baptized shortly afterward.
After - I heard that shortly after I left the area they stoppjed going to church. When I returned with my parents they were nowhere to be found.
Sunday, September 28, 2008
The Lara Family
The Lara family included Oscar (35), Adriana (34), Oscar Jr. (15), and Adriana Jr. (9). They were a referral from a family in the ward. The dad had just lost his job and they were looking for God in their lives. They accepted everything pretty quickly and they were baptized in a very short amount of time.
One time I remember Oscar Sr. telling me that one of the reasons he wanted to be baptized was so that he would have more success in his business. We tried to help him understand that the Lord will help him, but that he should be baptized for the right reasons.
The mom, dad, and daughter were all baptized on June 26, 2005. They were active in the church up until the time that I left the area.
After - Oscar Jr. was baptized shortly after I left the area on September 4, 2005. I heard from someone in the area that they went inactive not too long after their baptism. They weren't home when I returned with my parents to the area.
One time I remember Oscar Sr. telling me that one of the reasons he wanted to be baptized was so that he would have more success in his business. We tried to help him understand that the Lord will help him, but that he should be baptized for the right reasons.
The mom, dad, and daughter were all baptized on June 26, 2005. They were active in the church up until the time that I left the area.
After - Oscar Jr. was baptized shortly after I left the area on September 4, 2005. I heard from someone in the area that they went inactive not too long after their baptism. They weren't home when I returned with my parents to the area.
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