Hey Family!
Well we had the baptism for Jose this last Saturday! The baptism went really well, other than starting an hour late because nobody knows how to show up on time! LOL - really though, I remember when Kylie was on her mission and talking about how everything starts late. I testify that it’s true, everybody just kinda shows up when they want to. The picture attached below goes, from left to right, Jaimito, Jaime, Alba, then the fourth person I don’t remember her name.
This Saturday two more people are getting baptized also! If everything goes well, we will have the baptism for Ana Maria and Delmi. Hopefully Ana Maria’s health is doing ok for this Saturday, please keep her in your prayers so that she will not have a lot of pain from an operation that she had a while back so that she can be baptized on Saturday. Ana Maria’s husband’s name is Ceferinos, and when I got to this area I thought he was kinda crazy, (and he is) but he is now also one of my favorite people in this area. I see how much joy he feels from having missionaries that can visit him and help his family progress so that they will be baptized. He is also very agile although he is 74, and sometimes he gets up and 4:30 in the morning and goes running! He also always gives us mangos to eat. What a great guy.
We had a mulit-zone conference this last week which went really well. One of the things that they gave us was a poem. You could say that is long but worth sharing, it goes…
“I am part of the fellowship of the unashamed. The die has been cast. I have stepped over the line. The decision has been made. I am a disciple of Jesus Christ. I won’t look back, let up, slow down, or be still.
My past is redeemed, my present makes sense, and my future is secure. I am finished and done with, low living, small planning, smooth knees, colorless dreams, tainted visions, worldly talking, cheap giving, and dwarfed goals.
I no longer need preeminence, positions, promotion, plaudits, or popularity. I don’t need to be right, first, recognized, praised, regarded, or rewarded. I now live by faith, lean on His presence, walk with patience, am uplifted by prayer, and labor with power.
My face is set, my gait is fast, and my goal is Heaven. My road is narrow, my way is rough, my companions are few, my Guide is reliable, my mission is clear.
I cannot be bought, compromised, detoured, lured away, divided, or delayed.
I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice, hesitate in the presence of the adversary, negotiate at the table of the enemy, ponder at the pool of popularity, or meander in the maze of mediocrity.
I won’t give up, shut up, or let up, until I have stayed up, stored up, and paid up of the cause of Christ.
I must go til He comes, give til I drop, preach til all know, and work til he stops me. And when He returns for His own, He will have no problem recognizing me. My banner will be clear.”
‘Author Unknown’
(Whatever the source, it is powerful words to live by.)
This is a long quote but awesome. I have until the part that says, “and labor with power” memorized.
We saw a great sunset this last week also, so I will make sure to attach a couple of pictures down below. The super bright ones were taken with a super vivid option on the camera, and the other pictures are the normal ones.
I love you all! And am happy to hear that you all are doing well. Have a great week this one!
Love,
Elder Marks
Well we had the baptism for Jose this last Saturday! The baptism went really well, other than starting an hour late because nobody knows how to show up on time! LOL - really though, I remember when Kylie was on her mission and talking about how everything starts late. I testify that it’s true, everybody just kinda shows up when they want to. The picture attached below goes, from left to right, Jaimito, Jaime, Alba, then the fourth person I don’t remember her name.
This Saturday two more people are getting baptized also! If everything goes well, we will have the baptism for Ana Maria and Delmi. Hopefully Ana Maria’s health is doing ok for this Saturday, please keep her in your prayers so that she will not have a lot of pain from an operation that she had a while back so that she can be baptized on Saturday. Ana Maria’s husband’s name is Ceferinos, and when I got to this area I thought he was kinda crazy, (and he is) but he is now also one of my favorite people in this area. I see how much joy he feels from having missionaries that can visit him and help his family progress so that they will be baptized. He is also very agile although he is 74, and sometimes he gets up and 4:30 in the morning and goes running! He also always gives us mangos to eat. What a great guy.
We had a mulit-zone conference this last week which went really well. One of the things that they gave us was a poem. You could say that is long but worth sharing, it goes…
“I am part of the fellowship of the unashamed. The die has been cast. I have stepped over the line. The decision has been made. I am a disciple of Jesus Christ. I won’t look back, let up, slow down, or be still.
My past is redeemed, my present makes sense, and my future is secure. I am finished and done with, low living, small planning, smooth knees, colorless dreams, tainted visions, worldly talking, cheap giving, and dwarfed goals.
I no longer need preeminence, positions, promotion, plaudits, or popularity. I don’t need to be right, first, recognized, praised, regarded, or rewarded. I now live by faith, lean on His presence, walk with patience, am uplifted by prayer, and labor with power.
My face is set, my gait is fast, and my goal is Heaven. My road is narrow, my way is rough, my companions are few, my Guide is reliable, my mission is clear.
I cannot be bought, compromised, detoured, lured away, divided, or delayed.
I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice, hesitate in the presence of the adversary, negotiate at the table of the enemy, ponder at the pool of popularity, or meander in the maze of mediocrity.
I won’t give up, shut up, or let up, until I have stayed up, stored up, and paid up of the cause of Christ.
I must go til He comes, give til I drop, preach til all know, and work til he stops me. And when He returns for His own, He will have no problem recognizing me. My banner will be clear.”
‘Author Unknown’
(Whatever the source, it is powerful words to live by.)
This is a long quote but awesome. I have until the part that says, “and labor with power” memorized.
We saw a great sunset this last week also, so I will make sure to attach a couple of pictures down below. The super bright ones were taken with a super vivid option on the camera, and the other pictures are the normal ones.
I love you all! And am happy to hear that you all are doing well. Have a great week this one!
Love,
Elder Marks