6.9.14 - Marriage + Baptism = Maptism

Hellooo,

I could say so many things to you today, but i will try and be brief.

We've been cruising at about 105 this week, and El Centro got sick so we got kicked back onto the bikes. Hey look! Mexico! This is about as close to Mexico as i can get from my area. 

The "S" and "C" family were baptized this week! It was a really special service. El Centro was teaching the Rosales family and they needed to be married so they could be living the Law of Chastity when they were baptized. A lot of the members of the spanish branch made some big efforts and put of on really nice event for them. I was afraid the marriage was going to be too overdone and outshine the importance of the baptism. That marriage was done after the laws of men and is nullified with death. The baptism was done according to the powers and authority of the priesthood of God and represents the first covenant needed to enter into the presence of God. I really wanted the power of the baptism to impress everyone there.

The spirit took care of all of that. It was very nice during the wedding, but as soon as we all got dressed in white and started to sing the opening hymn during the baptismal service I was done for. I was crying like 6 seconds into "Grand eres tu." The magnitude of what they were doing really hit me, and it was so gratifying, I really can't explain how gratifying, to be there sitting next to those two families as they made the choice to enter into the waters of baptism. I was fine after the first song, but I could really feel the spirit testifying of the ordinance the entire hour. I got a little time to think about all of the blood, sweat and tears (mostly sweat and tears) that went into helping these people live the principles of the restored gospel. I felt so spiritually full.

When I come home you can ask me about the dynamic of each person and what they did directly after being baptized, i don't feel like i should write about it right now. It was a really special experience to bring them out of the water and be with them in those first few moments as covenant bearing people.

Ella got a job this week. One of those blessing and a curse jobs... because she'd been looking for a job forever, and she got the perfect job she'd always wanted. She is taking care of kids in a foster home out near the kickapoo reservation. They scheduled her over the baptismal service and church the next day. She doesn't get her hours for the coming week until Saturday afternoon. I shouldn't really baptize her unless she's able to complete the second half of the ordinance the Sunday following. So i have no way of being able to schedule a baptismal service for her more than an hour or so in advance.

She's the project this week. We waited to baptize Tad and Amilio until they could do so with their mom. Everything is going to turn out alright.

I studied faith this week. It challenged me to analyze my level of faith, what i needed to do to increase me faith, and then to change. Because I know that the Book of Mormon contains the word of God and is a pure medium for receiving revelation I can believe everything it says ... and it contains the fulness of the everlasting gospel. I memorized D&C 4 in spanish and to believe that the entire field is white already to harvest really does influence the way I talk to people. Everyone is ready to receive this message, until they prove to me otherwise. There is so much hope in the Lord's work.

I love you! 

I'm proud of everything you're doing!

Stay Salty!

Elder Tyler Meidell

6.2.14 - 12 Baptisms on the Horizon

103-degree bike day

We did an AP exchange, had a zone conference, and we saw some miracles!

We couldn't be more excited or more anxious.
In the Eagle Pass District this week we are planning 12 baptisms. Elder Olsen and I anticipate 7 baptisms this coming Saturday evening which include the "S" family, the "G" family and the "C" family. The Elders from El Centro will be marrying a couple and then will baptize 4. El Indio will baptize 1. I think we've mostly taken care of all of the logistical work, but there's still so much time for these families to get attacked and tempted this week. I don't really worry, but I definitely am doing all I can to try and foresee any possible folly's the adversary might throw at us.

I imagine for someone not in our position our attitude toward baptizing in great numbers seems overzealous and irregular. The blatancy of our work is that unless a man in baptized by water and by the spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. I know that God loves each and every one of his children, just as much as I know that living the principles of the gospel brings real happiness into families. I have seen these families change in the past 3 months, not that there was anything wrong with them before, but now there is a genuine light that shines in their eyes and faces. I can see the spirit in their lives and feel it in their homes. These families laugh and smile more. Amilio and Tad hug their mom earnestly, while Ella cries in gratitude for their expressions of love. These are not the families that I would have anticipated meeting, but they are the ones that God has brought into my life and encouraged me to serve. If they continue on the path which they will enter upon being baptized they can expect to find peace in this life and support through the difficulties that are sure as are the blessings of living the everlasting gospel. They may then expect joy in the world to come when they are sealed to their families and endure in the faith until the end of their mortal probation.

These are the fruits of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I testify that by their fruits ye shall know them.

Once someone has received that testimony from the spirit, teaching is super easy. We taught the word of wisdom, the law of chastity, the law of tithing and fasting all at once after church yesterday to the "C" family so they would be ready for their baptismal interview. Even though they were going to have to change a few things, and go through some struggles, they accepted the invitation to live each commandment quickly.

With Elder Warren and Elder Morra

Tad had some second thoughts last night, and we spent 30 minutes with him helping him see that doing what Christ wants us to do really will make us happier than what our body sometimes feels like doing. Tad has a pretty bad temper, and his parents have been cracking down on him in an extreme way (he may be grounded for the next 3 years). He takes his inability to controls things by trying to control his twin brother and little brother. He'll yell at them and insult them, hit them if he has to, and he was convinced that those things made his bad feelings go away. During the lesson he got really frustrated with us because we were persistently teaching the opposite of what he wanted to do, and at the same time his little brother ran in the room making this super annoying noise and waving his toy around. He grabbed the toy, threw it across the room and yelled, "will you shut up!" It didn't really phase the toddler, but Tad collapsed back and started crying. We sat for a good while in silence, and after some time he came to and apologized to everyone in the room. He gave his mom a hug and told his brothers a few things he liked about them upon our request. I'm certain the spirit taught him a quick lesson during the time of silence that was more powerful than what were trying to convey with our feeble words.

I know that exact obedience to the commandments, and especially to my mission rules are what ensure the strength of the Lord in our work.

I know it's the Lord that's doing his work through us, and that without him, I feel like I'm wasting my time. When he's with us, I don't feel like I can keep up.

This week, my testimony was strengthened in the power the Book of Mormon, and its ability to open the window of revelation in our lives. I was getting bogged down and unsure because of some struggles the Contreras family was going through last week, and I could not decide what to teach them. During my personal study, I simply read from the Book of Mormon, and I received confirmation of things that I'd been learning from my mission leaders. I also received clarity as to what this family needed to hear. That next lesson they committed to be baptized.

Thank you for writing!

I love you! I miss you! Stay Salty!

Elder Tyler Meidell