bautismos y cambios

12 Oct 2009

Dear Family,

Today, I find myself next to Elder Runolfson here in Moreno 2. Elder Callejas went to one of my favorite areas, Rafael Castillo 1. He will be able to help and protect the converts in that great ward. Elder Runolfson is from Northern California and has been on his mission for 17 months. I continue being district leader, so that makes me senior companion still (even though I´d love to return to the responsibilities of being Junior Companion). I´ve known him since the beginning of my mission because he was in my district my second and third transfer, which allowed us to do a few divisions together. I think we´ll have a good time together and I hope that we´ll be able to work as hard as I did with E´Callejas. I don´t feel we have very many good investigators (none came to church on sunday) right now, so it is possible that we´re in for a rocky road, but through pray, faith, and work, the Lord will provide. I have a firm testimony of that.

This past week, we had the great opportunity to be apart of the baptisms of Rocío, Romina, and Gastón Mendez. Elder Callejas baptized Rocío and Romina, while I baptized Gastón. I really wish that Alvaro and Gabriel could have done them, but they aren´t yet Priests. They helped us out a lot in supporting Gastón.

It gives me great joy to know that Nic was able to enter the waters of baptism and make covenants with our Lord. I really wish that I could have been there. And I hope to always be there to help him on this difficult road that gives so much peace and joy. I will pray his parents will accept his decision. I suggest to Nic that he too prays and possibly fasts to know that words that the Lord would have him use and the to do so with the faith courage that Limoni had while travelling with Ammon when they encountered his father. A good read would be Alma 20 and Alma 22 about how at first the father of Lamoni rejected his decision to be baptized, but then accepts. That his father becomes and instrument in allowing the entire kingdom receive the gospel. With this faith, prayer, study, and courage, God will help touch their hearts.

We have a new form of doing the transfers, so we are doing this really late and I don´t have time to write any more. May the Lord be with you all and his peace and comfort cover you. Here on the mission, I try to keep in mind, “Never give up, never surrender!”

Love,
Elder Drake Ranquist