One Step

So this was a happy week once again. We'll just go miracle by miracle here. First of all I'll just say that Ricardo makes me so happy, he's the one we baptized a couple months back and he has been flying. He moved recently after his baptism but has been traveling far to come to church every week and all the activities, and sometimes other days just to visit the less active youth. We had one young man who has had a ton of problems with the old bishop, rumors, and started going off the path into tobacco and not-so-great friends, and Ricardo was like what are you doing, and got him to come back to church and go to EFY where they all had an amazing experience. Yesterday we went to visit Josue, the young man, and his mom only to find that Josue was gone visiting other less active youth with Ricardo. When we taught Ricardo about Family History and asked for questions, his only question was "when can we start?" and it just always fills my heart up to see his good decisions. It just goes to show what good friends can do. First Jenny invited her friend Ricardo to go to EFY with her, and now he's inviting everyone to live better lives, and they're all starting on the same track. GO RICARDO!

V. is already basically a member and is always right there at church on time and ready to help us with our other investigators, helping them to feel at home and participating in the gospel principles class. Last week we invited her to be interviewed for her baptism and invite her mom, in hopes to see some realization that her daughter is ready and she agreed but her mother was another question. However, we are seeing step-by-step progress. The other night I felt we should see V. even though I knew she was probably asleep because she always goes to bed early, but I couldn't think of anyone else and just felt the need to go. So we went, sure enough she was asleep and we left. But as we were leaving we ran into her mom and ended up talking forever and I just listened to the spirit as we talked. She ended up bringing up baptism on her own and once again we talked about V. and I invited her to the interview so she could see for herself if V. was ready. Well, she didn't quite agree but she's coming closer and once again we accomplished something though I'm not sure what. One thing I can say that I couldn't a couple months ago is that Z. R. is my friend, and we've become pretty close over these past months. She always tells us how special we are to her daughter and how they're going to follow me when I have to leave, and told us she loved us as we left that night. THIS IS HUGE. When I first arrived she would just short of shut the door in our faces.  They even named their cat after us! Okay, so we did that, but they let the name stick and Wilson Castillo is now a favorite. Anyway, Mama V. is breaking under the spirit, and we'll see this eternal family shortly! Go V.!

Third miracle is a surprise: Miracle I.! This week we asked a less active for a reference, she sent us to her neighbor and we went to talk to her. While there we saw Iván across the street for the first time in weeks, and he waited for us. We went to talk to him and he ended up opening up and telling us he'd drunk for 12 days straight and was hospitalized recently and went through some really dark moments and finally had enough. He´d decided it was time to change. We were a little unsure if this was true since we'd been through all of this a couple of times and had heard stories of his behavior recently, but we let him know that if he would show up when he said he would, do what he said he'd do and come to church we could help him. If not, there was nothing we could do. Well, I am here to tell you that this man is fulfilling EVERY commitment, waiting for us outside when we come, leaving notes when there's a chance we'll miss him, and doing all of his homework. He really seems to want to change and we're now looking at August 29th for his baptism. I think he'll really make it this time. I know that the Lord works in his own time and can truly change hearts and I remember all the weeks we prayed and prayed for him and he wasn't holding up his end and know God was listening. I'm so glad he wasn't baptized before when he wasn't truly meaning it and I'm hoping August 29th will be the most special birthday of his life! GO I.! 

I was studying today about repentance and thinking a lot about these people and the changes we must make. In Jesus the Christ it talks of how He provided the Conditions of repentance, and that ONLY through these conditions can we be saved. However, these conditions are in the means to even the weakest of us and the only ones who can't be saved are those who WON'T be saved. Repentance is a bridge that Christ has constructed from us over a lake of brimstone that will lead us from our quickly-crumbling natural-man-land to a safe Eternal heaven where He awaits us, but we've GOT TO STEP ONTO THE BRIDGE! That first step is so vital and those who take it find help - angels are always waiting to keep us going. It reminded me of the EFY song "Let it Begin" (we'll see if my dad can do a fancy link or something) that says, "Just have the courage to take one step, Someone's gonna be there to help with the rest. To start is the hardest but it's something that ONLY you can do." I know that as we learn to take that step and let Him in, we will see miracles in our lives, and it's something so beautiful!

I love you all and hope you have a fantastic week full of the spirit!

Wilson Castillo