Hey Family!
How art thou all? I hope that you all had a great week and that things are going well in all of the different activities and goals. This last week for us was really good. We had some good things happen and there is a lot of potential in the month of June.
First things first, we had a wedding for Otto and Sara this last week, and it went great! Not a lot of people came which was good because they did not want a bunch of people there, really just family members and us. #privileged.
It has been super cool to see Otto change so much. He has been a member for all of his life but for a while walked away from the path a bit with some poor decisions. His grandma, who is basically his mom because Otto’s parents died when he was little, was at the wedding and was so happy of him! She was so grateful for what we are doing to be able to help him. Seeing her cry out of joy for her son made me reflect on the pure love that a mom has for her kids.
Sara was not baptized on Saturday but she might be baptized this Saturday. Tonight we have a lesson with her so see how she is feeling now about baptism. Otto had an interview with bishop and is cleared to be able to finally present his daughter and also to be able to baptize Sara when she is baptized. I might be coming back to Guate in a year when they go into the temple.
Diego is still a beast! He baptism is a 100 percent go for this Saturday at 4 30. We should have great attendance because all of the ward knows him and want to support him.
Another person that we are teaching is Erick Molina, who I think I told you a bit about last week. He went to church this last Sunday and really wants to get baptized on the 8th of June. We are going to be trying to work a lot with him over the net two weeks to see if we can make it happen. He is 22 and also has lots of potential.
Another two people who are very probable for this month is Jaime and Maria Colon. They are in their 60’s and have gone to church the last three weeks, and they went to a marriage class that is being offered in the church right now. They have big desires to get married, get baptized, and they are starting to take an English class. PLIAS! (Awesome)
Something random: This last week I was in a paca, which are little used clothing stores in which all of the clothes come from the states, and I bought a suit vest and jacket for 6 dollars, but it did not come with pants. Dad, I don’t know if maybe you could find pants online? The brand is Vitarelli, made in Italy. On the inside of the jacket there is an information tag that says that the name is SB'V2 and the color is Charcoal. I don’t know if this part matters but it says that the shell is 65POLYESTER and 35 polyester. I don’t know why it doesn’t just say 100% polyester. I guess it is an Italian thing. :) It would be awesome if you could find some pants to go with it, it fits me great!
Another thing, I think I might end up using the money that Grandma Hughes gave me for my birthday to go towards buying a new camera. You will see in the pictures below that there are parts of the pictures that are a little blurry, and it’s due to that little part that broke. Also, tomorrow I will be going to the eye doctor to get my eyes checked. We will see if I have to get new glasses or not. I think I will because things at a distance are little blurry, I’ll let you know how it goes.
THOSE IDAHO POTATOES WERE GREAT!!!
I got the package yesterday, and wow there is a lot of great stuff. I opened what I knew to be the watch and headphones but the other wrapped package I haven’t opened although I really want to. Thank you for all of the cads and food and snacks, its perfect.
Oh, and just so you know, elder Rebeiro and I did not have changes so we will have another change together.
Reading the book Saints is going great, I am now on page 230 and still going strong. It really is worth reading, and is a testimony builder of the church.
Revelations 3:20-22 says:
20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.
21 To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.
22 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches."
When I was thinking about this scripture I realized that maybe the missionaries are the knock at the door in some cases. When we knock as representatives of Christ, the person chooses to let the good word in or not. But many times for members of the church the knock at the door is a spiritual knock at the door of our hearts. If any man hear my voice and open the door I will come in to him. When we allow the spirit to enter into our hearts and into our home we receive those promised blessings. The biggest is that one day we will be able to return to the presence of God, with our families. I know that every one of us wants to have that great blessing, but sometime we take our eye off the ball a little. The invitation for everybody is to not wait for ways, but look for ways to invite the spirit into our lives, and be like little children who are always humble enough to do the will of the Father. I love you all so much! Thanks you all for being such great parents and siblings!
Love, your brother and son,
Elder Marks
How art thou all? I hope that you all had a great week and that things are going well in all of the different activities and goals. This last week for us was really good. We had some good things happen and there is a lot of potential in the month of June.
First things first, we had a wedding for Otto and Sara this last week, and it went great! Not a lot of people came which was good because they did not want a bunch of people there, really just family members and us. #privileged.
It has been super cool to see Otto change so much. He has been a member for all of his life but for a while walked away from the path a bit with some poor decisions. His grandma, who is basically his mom because Otto’s parents died when he was little, was at the wedding and was so happy of him! She was so grateful for what we are doing to be able to help him. Seeing her cry out of joy for her son made me reflect on the pure love that a mom has for her kids.
Sara was not baptized on Saturday but she might be baptized this Saturday. Tonight we have a lesson with her so see how she is feeling now about baptism. Otto had an interview with bishop and is cleared to be able to finally present his daughter and also to be able to baptize Sara when she is baptized. I might be coming back to Guate in a year when they go into the temple.
Diego is still a beast! He baptism is a 100 percent go for this Saturday at 4 30. We should have great attendance because all of the ward knows him and want to support him.
Another person that we are teaching is Erick Molina, who I think I told you a bit about last week. He went to church this last Sunday and really wants to get baptized on the 8th of June. We are going to be trying to work a lot with him over the net two weeks to see if we can make it happen. He is 22 and also has lots of potential.
Another two people who are very probable for this month is Jaime and Maria Colon. They are in their 60’s and have gone to church the last three weeks, and they went to a marriage class that is being offered in the church right now. They have big desires to get married, get baptized, and they are starting to take an English class. PLIAS! (Awesome)
Something random: This last week I was in a paca, which are little used clothing stores in which all of the clothes come from the states, and I bought a suit vest and jacket for 6 dollars, but it did not come with pants. Dad, I don’t know if maybe you could find pants online? The brand is Vitarelli, made in Italy. On the inside of the jacket there is an information tag that says that the name is SB'V2 and the color is Charcoal. I don’t know if this part matters but it says that the shell is 65POLYESTER and 35 polyester. I don’t know why it doesn’t just say 100% polyester. I guess it is an Italian thing. :) It would be awesome if you could find some pants to go with it, it fits me great!
Another thing, I think I might end up using the money that Grandma Hughes gave me for my birthday to go towards buying a new camera. You will see in the pictures below that there are parts of the pictures that are a little blurry, and it’s due to that little part that broke. Also, tomorrow I will be going to the eye doctor to get my eyes checked. We will see if I have to get new glasses or not. I think I will because things at a distance are little blurry, I’ll let you know how it goes.
THOSE IDAHO POTATOES WERE GREAT!!!
I got the package yesterday, and wow there is a lot of great stuff. I opened what I knew to be the watch and headphones but the other wrapped package I haven’t opened although I really want to. Thank you for all of the cads and food and snacks, its perfect.
Oh, and just so you know, elder Rebeiro and I did not have changes so we will have another change together.
Reading the book Saints is going great, I am now on page 230 and still going strong. It really is worth reading, and is a testimony builder of the church.
Revelations 3:20-22 says:
20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.
21 To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.
22 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches."
When I was thinking about this scripture I realized that maybe the missionaries are the knock at the door in some cases. When we knock as representatives of Christ, the person chooses to let the good word in or not. But many times for members of the church the knock at the door is a spiritual knock at the door of our hearts. If any man hear my voice and open the door I will come in to him. When we allow the spirit to enter into our hearts and into our home we receive those promised blessings. The biggest is that one day we will be able to return to the presence of God, with our families. I know that every one of us wants to have that great blessing, but sometime we take our eye off the ball a little. The invitation for everybody is to not wait for ways, but look for ways to invite the spirit into our lives, and be like little children who are always humble enough to do the will of the Father. I love you all so much! Thanks you all for being such great parents and siblings!
Love, your brother and son,
Elder Marks