Hey family!
Well long time without talking. There really is not much that has happened in the last five days. The biggest thing was the baptism of Hermano Dennis this last Saturday! The baptism was really well attended and well planned. I was fortunate enough to have the privilege to baptize Dennis. He has had such a huge change in his life since he started talking with the missionaries. His choices were sending him down a very dark and lonely road. Now he is so much happier and has left all of those bad thing behind him. He was confirmed a member of the church yesterday. The baptism was really good, and his family was there. He has a really great family who support him a lot, none of them are members. They are all Evangelic and believe that all of the churches are great and it does not matter where we go and all of that. Dennis had one brother who was baptized in the church and everything, but his brother was killed 4 of 5 years ago.
We also taught Gladis a couple times this week. She totally knows that this is the true church but she wants to wait until she gets baptized. After talking to her for a little bit it came out that why she wanted to wait is because her little siblings are not baptized and she feels like after she is baptized she would somehow be separated from them. We shared the story of Lehi and how if he had not taken the steps to eat of the fruit of the tree of life the family would not have either. And then related that to how if she is baptized she will be setting the example for her family.
What the heck football and air quality! That is too bad that the game could not have been in Sandpoint! And Post Falls, what a great way to start out the year, gettin’ kicked by a big mean school.
Yeah, unfortunately behind our desks there is not a couch or workout material or anything, just a little front door. The house is really not that great but that’s all fine. It is not like we are in the house that much anyways.
That is awesome that Kylie is now in Greece teaching English. It is hard to see people suffering so much. We just started teaching this one girl who has cancer, she is about 14. It is really hard to see people at whatever stage of life suffering so much.
I haven’t gotten a letter from Erika or Kylie in a little while, but I also have not written them in a little while. I will be sending them both an email this next week. I heard from William today so that was awesome!
In this new program of ministering we are asked to do things a little different. To take the time to visit, or write a message, send a scripture by text, and help show compassion to others. The word compassion literary means, "to suffer with others". To minister with compassion means that we are willing to listen to others and actually hear what it is that they are going through and then take action. If we have compassion we are willing to take a portion of their pain, we give a small part of out heart and mind to them. We want to help, it is not just another check in a book that says, [ministering]. We should not hear somebody else’s problems and then pass them off to Heavenly Father in prayer asking to help them. "Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone" (James 2:17) If we have the faith to ask God for something we also have the faith to take our action. With the combination of Compassion, or deep feelings in your heart, faith in God, and our own actions, the ministering program and all other parts of our life will be a success.
I love you all so much I hope that you’re all doing good in your goals and have a mind of metal and a determination unshakable! I love you and am praying for you all!
Love, Your brother and son,
Elder Marks
Well long time without talking. There really is not much that has happened in the last five days. The biggest thing was the baptism of Hermano Dennis this last Saturday! The baptism was really well attended and well planned. I was fortunate enough to have the privilege to baptize Dennis. He has had such a huge change in his life since he started talking with the missionaries. His choices were sending him down a very dark and lonely road. Now he is so much happier and has left all of those bad thing behind him. He was confirmed a member of the church yesterday. The baptism was really good, and his family was there. He has a really great family who support him a lot, none of them are members. They are all Evangelic and believe that all of the churches are great and it does not matter where we go and all of that. Dennis had one brother who was baptized in the church and everything, but his brother was killed 4 of 5 years ago.
We also taught Gladis a couple times this week. She totally knows that this is the true church but she wants to wait until she gets baptized. After talking to her for a little bit it came out that why she wanted to wait is because her little siblings are not baptized and she feels like after she is baptized she would somehow be separated from them. We shared the story of Lehi and how if he had not taken the steps to eat of the fruit of the tree of life the family would not have either. And then related that to how if she is baptized she will be setting the example for her family.
What the heck football and air quality! That is too bad that the game could not have been in Sandpoint! And Post Falls, what a great way to start out the year, gettin’ kicked by a big mean school.
Yeah, unfortunately behind our desks there is not a couch or workout material or anything, just a little front door. The house is really not that great but that’s all fine. It is not like we are in the house that much anyways.
That is awesome that Kylie is now in Greece teaching English. It is hard to see people suffering so much. We just started teaching this one girl who has cancer, she is about 14. It is really hard to see people at whatever stage of life suffering so much.
I haven’t gotten a letter from Erika or Kylie in a little while, but I also have not written them in a little while. I will be sending them both an email this next week. I heard from William today so that was awesome!
In this new program of ministering we are asked to do things a little different. To take the time to visit, or write a message, send a scripture by text, and help show compassion to others. The word compassion literary means, "to suffer with others". To minister with compassion means that we are willing to listen to others and actually hear what it is that they are going through and then take action. If we have compassion we are willing to take a portion of their pain, we give a small part of out heart and mind to them. We want to help, it is not just another check in a book that says, [ministering]. We should not hear somebody else’s problems and then pass them off to Heavenly Father in prayer asking to help them. "Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone" (James 2:17) If we have the faith to ask God for something we also have the faith to take our action. With the combination of Compassion, or deep feelings in your heart, faith in God, and our own actions, the ministering program and all other parts of our life will be a success.
I love you all so much I hope that you’re all doing good in your goals and have a mind of metal and a determination unshakable! I love you and am praying for you all!
Love, Your brother and son,
Elder Marks