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.
Sunday, October 26, 2008
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.
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