I feel very fulfilled after a week of hard work! I also see very clearly that the success we saw came when we were at a loss of what to do, and the grace of God supplied the needed answers.
Carmen was interviewed by elder hendricks and was given the Okay to be baptized. We're preparing the service for this coming Friday. Despite her short answers she was evidently about to bare her testimony of the divinity of the restored church, her willful desire to obey the commandments of God by being baptized, and showed fruit meet for repentance by giving up coffee after at least half a dozen decades of use. She's so sweet, i love that she lights up when she sees us and trusted us enough to let us practice baptizing her with 2 people. She's pretty active for being 94!
Elder Zelaya and Elder Cruz worked our area on bikes for 3 days this week because neither of them have current licenses. Elder Hilario and I had 3 exchanges. I'm sorry I forgot to bring my camera to provide pictures. It was faith building to see how much one Elder had grown since I'd seen him a year ago. He has really stepped outside of himself and has made the work all about giving glory to God and not the other way around. The happiness he has in his eyes and in the work is night and day. We taught together a family battling CPS for the right to take care of their own kids. Granted they aren't very healthy, play a lot of video games, don't clean the house too much, and i assume because of the stress CPS is putting on them because of their lack of steady work the heavy cigarette smoking, they still seem like pretty good people. I was just surprised how easily CPS could jump in and take someones kids away. Knowing the family is the way God ordained for his children to be taught and raised in this life, it unsettled me how much say that man made organization had. At the same time, how great that organization is for children who need to be relocated to a family that can provide the love and nurturing environment they need to thrive.
I've been studying the gathering of Israel. A little of what I know so far, is that to gather means to renew a descendent of jacob with the knowledge of their redeemer and the covenants God made with their ancestors. The gentiles receive the gospel first because those who were last will now be first and the tribe of Ephraim has the birthright to head that charge as descendents of Joseph. I am a son of Joseph, and my lineage traces to Abraham. I literally have his blood in my veins, and all of the earth has been touched through the scattering to claim those same blessings, if they will believe.
I love our prophet Thomas S Monson. I love my mission president James Slaughter. Christ's will is revealed to me through them. God's word and his will, are taught to me through the spirit when I heed and follow their council.
I love you!
Stay Salty!
Elder Tyler Meidell
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