Hey family!
Sounds like you have all had a
pretty good week. First of all HAPPY BIRTHDAY MARY!!!! I can’t believe you are
sixteen! I remember that birthday and it doesn’t seem very long ago. Hope you
have an amazing week, and a great day. Just know you are now the designated
taxi driver of the family. But luckily, you only have 2 little siblings instead
of three! So Coop went to scout camp, I didn’t get if it is a stake one or a
ward one. Are they working on merit badges? I always loved those; I hope he has
a lot of fun. So are mom and dad still running? Or biking? Haven’t heard much
about what you guys are doing.
So this week was crazy, exciting,
frustrating, happy, sad, and just about any other emotion you can think of.
Things went really well my last week in Matehuala. The members were working
with us, and we put another baptismal date.
We also learned that Rosario moved
back in with her boyfriend... that was really tuff news. And it looked
like she was going to do the same thing and not make a decision again. She
wanted to live with him, but somehow still obey the law of chastity, so that
her daughter would be able to live with both her parents. We explained that
that just simply wasn’t okay nor would it happen. She was super bummed because
she thought she had it all figured out. She still couldn’t decide so we asked
if we could come by the next day when her boyfriend was there.
She agreed. My companions and I did a special fast and a lot of
praying for her. When we got to the lesson as you can imagine he wasn’t the
happiest guy and had a lot of questions. We explained them, and the reasons why
they couldn’t be like that. We used stories and scriptures and basically we
were all just stuck. Then I felt like saying something that honestly he
probably should have wanted hit me for, but I said it anyway. I very
directly told him he was not setting a good example for his daughter, that if
they wanted things to change between them then they had to change something,
and if he sincerely loved his family that this was the thing to do. I was ready
to get thrown out, but he sat their silently and then said “ok I will move out”.
Rosario couldn’t make a decision but luckily he did. We then made a goal with
them to get married in a couple of months, and for him to stop drinking. He has
also been coming to church with them and he asked if he could keep coming. And
he actually already had 15 days without a drink. We told him yes of course. And
then Rosario said she wanted to follow through with that date. It was a small miracle,
okay maybe a giant miracle.
So that Friday we had the interview
at 4. And we had planned the baptism for 8 on Saturday. But while we were in
the interview the zone leaders called me and said that me and both of my comps
had changes and that we had to come to the conference with all of our stuff,
and we wouldn’t be going back to Matehuala. I was freaking out, I had them call
pres. and I sent him a message but nothing was going to change. They finished
the interview and I told Rosario the news. She decided that she wanted to get
baptized that very day at 7 (it was 5). So we flew to the church filled up the
font, (which takes 2 hours) got the baptism stuff and everything else ready.
It ended up being one of the best
baptisms I have been to. Her boyfriend came and both of them thanked us about
100 times for all that we had done for them. It was amazing. There was also a
ward activity that night so a lot of members were there and they were both able
to stay and make some friends in the ward. It also worked out nice because we
got to say bye to everyone there. It was really sad, we all felt so loved by
the people there, about half the branch was in tears. It really made me not
want to leave.
But we did, (oh and she did get
confirmed Sunday even though we weren’t there.) and we went to the zone
conference the next day. It was really nice; president has done a great job.
That night we got the changes, and they ended up closing my area (which I don’t
get cause it was really starting to take off, but I guess the Lord knows why).
And I was bummed about that. I don’t know what will happen with our
investigators. Then I got my changes. And right now I am writing from the city
of Celaya, Guanajuato. I am in one of the biggest wards in the mission, with
some of the best member support. My comp is Elder Lopez, he is from Nicaragua.
He has about 6 months in the mission. And my old comp is going to be a secretary
in the offices. I am going to miss him.
Anyway that has been my week. Crazy
but exciting (on top of being really sick the last couple days...). I
am really happy to be in Celaya, which means I will be in the Queretaro
mission. I actually got to pass through there today and the city looks really
pretty, and huge. My comp seems nice, but he talks really funny and I don’t
understand him that well.
Oh and I wanted to share a quote
from the president’s wife that is about missionary work but it applies to all
things, I really like it. She said ‘Pray like everything depends on the Lord,
and work like everything depends on you!’
Well I love you all, I miss you
Elder Utley
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