Week 40 - The Week where we keep focused on the Purpose

This week was an all around solid week for us here in Argentina! We managed to find 8 new people to teach this week and we have already given one of them a baptismal date. We are really surprised at how well everything is working with what we've been doing recently. We have the goal to have 5 people that have a fecha bautismal (baptismal date) every single week, and we've recently been given the challenge by the asistentes (assistants) to talk about baptism in every contact, in every charla, and basically anytime we open our mouths - to remember that our purpose is to help people accept the gospel of Jesus Christ and be baptized. Before, I really thought that having 5 people with that planned fecha was really hard, but it really isn't, you just need to be straight up with people and just tell them why you're there, and I've been really surprised by how many people actually accept the invitation. We have 8 people that are currently working towards their baptismal dates right now.

This week A. and F. came to church. A. - we decided to move his fecha to the 13th of April and we also are thinking of later changing F.'s fecha from the 20th to the 13th because they are both friends so it would be kind of cool to do them the same day; we'll obviously have to ask him first though but it would be cool!

Unfortunately C. didn't come to church this week because her baby was sick, but we are now planning for the 13th as well.  She'd have to come to a Saturday and Sunday session of conference, but it`s definitely possible.

 

G., the man we found on the bus, is still super cool. He also accepted to keep meeting with us with the end of becoming baptized on the 27th of April if he feels ready on that day. He has kept all of his commitments so far and he says he feels a lot better now than he ever has before!

This week I have 2 thoughts to share with you:

This week we showed a talk by Pres. Nelson, that he gave while still Elder Nelson, about the value of the Book of Mormon, and that if given the option, would we choose great wealth or the knowledge that comes with the Book of Mormon. Also this week, we gave a man named S. the Book of Mormon, and he seemed beyond stoked to have a new book. This guy loves to read, but it was great to see a man so excited to be able to have the book. I know he will read it, and I know that as it says in 1 Ne. 1:12 as he reads he will be filled with the Spirit of the Lord and he will know that it is true, just as I know it is true.

I also want to share a scripture: 2 Nephi 25:26: 

And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins.

This week I also read "Gather Together in One all things in Christ" by Elder Bednar from the last conference. Basically I want to share with you that we need to connect everything we do to Christ. I love this quote:

"...the power of the Savior’s gospel to transform and bless us flows from discerning and applying the interrelatedness of its doctrine, principles, and practices." 

If we can connect everything we do to the why we do it, and how exactly that helps us come closer to Christ, if we can do this, we will feel the Spirit even more in our lives, our faith will grow, and we will see many more blessings in our lives. I know the Savior lives and he loves us and through him and only through him we can return to our Heavenly Father. I love you all!

Nos vemos!

Elder Martin

Bryant enjoying a conversation with his family, particularly his niece, 

who was blowing him kisses!