Wudduupppp

So this week was awesome! we are teaching a few new people who are super receptive and ready for the gospel. others? not so much. people dont get the importance of going to church here..

this email isnt going to be extremely long mainly because i want to focus on the "message of the week" part.

so first, we met President Archibald and his wife and 2 of his kids (out of 10). They are from Alabama and have strong southern accents. hearing their spanish is kinda funny. He gave us some advice about praying beforehand to have angels go before you to prepare the people you teach. i did that. we now have a baptism this week.

which brings me to my next part of the week.

Miguel Sanchez. 10 year old kid. we have been teaching since ive been here and he was taught before i got here. this kid is crazy smart and im so stoked for him. So this last time we visited him and his dad (we´ve taught his parents too), i wasnt sure what we were going to teach. they were super cool and receptive to the gospel but miguel couldnt go to church because of soccer and the parents still just "need more time". i started off by asking them how their Book of mormon reading had been. the dad is still in 1 Nephi 9 and miguel hadnt even read in a week. so we were about to do the usual and read a chapter with them. i sat there, stared at my book for a little, then closed it. The spirit completely took over and i looked up at them and just started talking. i told them that we had been studying about why we have the book of mormon, why ots so important, what role it plays in our conversion, etc. Elder aldana (with whom i was on a work exchange) and i bore our testimonies about the book of mormon. i asked miguel what he thought. he said he believes its the word of god. so i kept asking him more questions about why he thinks that and how he came to that realization. there was also a moment somewhere in there of absolute silence (that i dont really remember but Elder Aldana has mentioned it multiple times) where the spirit just powered into the room. i then asked miguel what he thought about baptism. he said "quiero bautizarme".. i want to be baptized. i asked when. he asked when he can. i said how bout this saturday.  after he said yes, he stood up, got the permission slip signed be both of his parents right in front of us, then handed it to me. i couldnt believe what had just happened. We are baptising miguel this saturday at 3. ahhhhh yeahhhhhh first baptism haha. the power of testimonies is real. it works. its awesome!

so my message for the week. 

this is a poem i worked on this past week and im pretty happy with how it turned out. its so cool to see how the spirit guides these things when i write them. i used the scriptures in various parts to make it as accurate as possible. in the final line, you´ll see the word "miracles". this word was something i thought alotttttt about. i didnt know whether to keep it singular to focus on the miracle of the atonement (his death, resurrection, and our salvation) or the fact that the prints were a manifestation of all of the miracles he had performed, which, in reality, ultimately lead to him bearing these marks. you´ll see what i mean.enjoy!

His Precious Hands

When Jesus Christ. our Savior, walked this earth so long ago,

He was the perfect example, for only kindness did he show.

Loving, ever-selfless were the works done by this man,

Such marvelous things has our Lord done with the touch of His precious hands.

The Leper sought Him out, to receive from our Lord relief,

Though others had turned him away, in Christ´s hands he had belief.

Humbly the Leper came to Jesus, beseeching Him on bended knee,

The Master then stretched forth his hand, then uttered, Be thou clean.

They brought a blind man unto Jesus, seeking the gift of sight.

Christ lead this man out of the town then placed His hands upon these blind eyes.

Though after the first touch, the man could see, but still not so clear,

With the second touch of the Master´s hands, his blindness disappeared.

Such countless acts of kindness, of service, and of charity:

The deaf could hear, the lame could walk, the dumb spoke with clarity.

Christ knew his days were numbered, like an hourglass with flowing sand,

But greater works had yet to be done by the touch of His precious hands.

With disciples gathered ´round, in a quiet room up above,

His hands broke the bread and poured the wine, reminders of His body and blood.

Then with a basin full of water, the Master got down on His knees,

With His hands he served them yet again, humbly he washed His disciples´ feet.

Later He went to the Garden, three followed from behind.

His soul was exceedingly sorrowful, great anguish weighed upon His mind.

Suffering the bitterest of agonies. His hands, trembling, clenched the earth,

As he fulfilled His greatest purpose, His calling accepted before birth.

Some men came soon thereafter, their own blood stained His sleeves and hands,

Yet willingly He surrendered himself to the swords and staves of this band.

They took Jesus so carelessly, and bound His hands with cords,

They then took Him forth to Caiaphas to judge the works of the hands of the Lord.

Scourged, stricken, and spat upon, all hope seems to be lost;

Cruel nails are driven through His precious hands, and into the beam of the Cross.

He left the care of His dear mother into the hands of the disciple whom he loved,

Then willingly gave up His own spirit into the hands of His father above.

Three days thereafter He came forth from the grave. a resurrected being, so pure.

Christ had made the greatest sacrifice, so that our salvation would be sure.

The prints He bears today are reminders to all of the love of this man,

And of the miracles performed by the touch of His precious hands.

Elder Kendall Brown

We had mac n cheese. and i ate goldfish. The one of elder aldana is just after he broke the light with a soccer ball haha

(It looks like Kendall had a real 4th of July bash! A candle is about as close to a firework as it gets!)