crazy week.....

dance pose in San Sabastian

Dear family,

This week with our investigators we have seen the concept of "opposition in all things" play a huge role.  Although Alexander was not baptized this week, he is still a miracle in our eyes.  We found him through his father Abel, a menos activo, when they came to church one weekend.  From Pero and Alexander is an only child.  We set up a visit with them and continued to meet with him and his father every other day, if not more.  He is so intelligent and the gospel just makes sense to him.  Just a golden investigator.  It came to our knowledge that his father has not been keeping the commandments or living the gospel at all.  He offered the son coffee one morning, Alexander sweetly declined.  The father stopped meeting with us, but we were finally able to meet the mother one night.  She walked in asking who we were, "what is this?"  Alexander replied, "the Mormons."  I said our full name then asked if she would like to join us.  Quickly she replied, "No, NO I´m Christian."  I sweetly replied, "Oh that´s great! Us too!"  She still declined but said that we could keep going.  She is Evangelical.  Everything was going great, everything was set for his baptism this past Friday.  As the Elders went over to his house the day before to interview him the mother went ballistic.  She was not in agreeance with him being baptized.  The Father also started to back her up saying "He´s not ready and I´m afraid of him falling into temptation right after his baptism."  Well the Elders thought they were just going over to interview Alexander, but it turned into a great lesson.  They helped the Dad to remember the blessings of the temple.  They were able to bring the spirit to the home.  They told the father that his son is more than prepared to be baptized.  The father came around, but the mother still is not in accordance.  This all happened within these last 2 weeks.  Although Alexander is 18, he wants the support from his mother.  I think the parents are just afraid that what happened to the father will happen to the son.  The wife pins the church to the fathers example.  The adversary is working on this family, but we´re going to work harder!  The miracle is that he still wants to be baptized and is still aloud to meet with us.  This boy will be baptized!  I pray for the mother´s heart to be softened every day and night.  The Lord softened the Lamanites hearts, I know he will help to soften this mothers heart.  We told Alexander to continue reading, coming to church, and being a good example to his family.

As for Hermana Smith, sweet Hermana Smith and I there is a lot of work to be done in this area!  A skill I truly admire about my companion is her ability to teach in parables.  She is extremely talented at telling stories, even in Spanish.  I can´t tell stories worth a dime, so that is a skill of hers that always comes in handy.  We are having a hard time finding people to teach as well as investigators who keep their commitments.  But I am going to continue doing the little and big things, as taught at the last zone conference this past week, so we can find more miracles.

Through all these great experiences and challenges we are facing I am still the happiest I have been.  Never before have I been so engaged in the scriptures and on my knees.  There is a power there.  My love and relationship with others around me, and especially my father in heaven and His Son has grown in tenfolds.  I know this is the work of the Lord.  We see too many prophecies and miracles unfold daily to say it´s not.  I love you and thank you for your support.

Sinceremente,
Hermana Walker