So, I really don't know how to start emails I'm realizing, let's just get started.
Well
this week has been quite interesting but enjoyable. Firstly, as I
mentioned last week, Elder Eastmond was leaving our poor, sad little
district to go to Los Tuxtlas which is like 9 hours south of here, waaay
on the other end of the mission. Well he left on Wednesday morning at 2
am, if I remember right. Point is, he came to our house to stay the
night with his companion, Elder Carmona, and then we left together very
early to get him there and go back to sleep again. Well, needless to say
we didn't sleep much that night. Especially because we had to share two
fans between the four of us, and it's getting to up to 90 or so degrees
in our house (it serves like an oven, really) even at night.
The other day we were at 46 degrees celsius, as a side note. That's
about the equivalent of... (checking my phone converter thingy..) 114
degrees fahrenheit. So yeah, NO COMPLAINING, DREW! You can't talk about
being in the heat, my friend! Well, maybe you can, I've never been to
Germany, now have I? But apparently you're frying in Freiburg. Haha, get
it?
Sorry y'all, had to give my pal a shout out, I do believe he receives these email forwards, if I remember right.
Anyway,
point is (don't you all love how scatter-brained I am?) that we didn't
sleep good the night Elder Eastmond left. We got up at 6:30 am, as
usual, and got going. Wednesday we worked in our area, and then on
Thursday we worked in Elder Carmona's area. It was definitely
interesting being in a trio, seeing as how I'd never done it, but it was
a good learning experience. On Wednesday night we didn't sleep very
good again for the heat, but it turned out fine, because on Thursday
night Elder Carmona's companion got here! We thought we'd be in a trio
until the end of the transfer, but well, they sent his comp. already.
His name is Elder Realivazquez. Yeah, I have no idea where the name is
from, it's kinda weird, but there you have it. He's from Oaxaca, which
is a little southwest of our mission, if I understand correctly, and
ready to work. It is interesting now though that I'm the only American
in the district, but it'll be fun.
Well, after all of that jazz on Friday we realized that we REALLY
had to start getting things more prepared for Kevin's baptism on
Saturday. We had been distracted with the weird changes and being in the
trio and all that we had forgotten to empty the baptismal font, clean
it, and fill it up again! So on Friday we did a bit of that, and also
checked on Kevin again, since the last time we'd seen him was on
Wednesday.
So his mom (grandma, but she raised and is raising him, so he calls
her mom. The woman of the empenadas) Gloria let us in and we sat down
and caught up for a minute or two and then said that we had to review a
few things because Saturday before the baptism our leaders needed to
come do an interview with him. That's when he said, ''oh, but I'm not
getting baptized.'' We were a little shocked, but that's when Gloria
told us that the day before some brothers and sisters from the church
she went to before came to visit and tell her that she can't let Kevin
get baptized because she has to do it there. She told us how they
basically were fighting with her and shoving scriptures in their faces
telling them not to do it, and so she'd told them she wouldn't. She then
told us that she appreciated our time and that we'd definitely at least
''sowed a good seed'' in Kevin.
Well, let me just say I'm thankful for two very key things that
this mission has done to prepare me for moments like this. One, the
experience that I've been able to have studying scriptures every day and
answering to questions, doubts, and conflicts in the mission with said
scriptures every day of the my life in Mexico. And secondly, the Holy
Ghost that is there to remind us of what we learn.
Well, using what she had said of the ''seed'' we'd planted in
Kevin. We pulled out Alma 32 and talked about the seed of faith that
needs to be nourished to grow to, eventually, eternal life. Then we
pulled out the parable in the bible about the seeds that get dried, or
eaten up by birds, or that don't take root because they don't have good
soil. We talked about how Kevin has learned so much in these past weeks
and that she's seen that, and so if she wants to continue seeing that
change, he needs to move forward. We then talked about how baptism is
the door by which we enter into the path (2 Nefi 31), and that without
starting into the path, there is no progression. Well, that got to her
pretty well and she mentioned how those brothers and sisters of her
other church had not bothered to visit her for years or offered any help
with Kevin in the past, but that suddenly they show up when he'll be
baptized in another church, and decided that that wasn't right, and that
she would let him be baptized.
So we all felt a little relieved and left them with a prayer, and headed off to continue preparing for the baptism.
I
must say that I am so thankful for this mission. It's just crazy how
after all these experiences, I can literally feel the confidence to find
answers to every problem or question in the scriptures. And it's also
been really cool to see the change of my responses from the beginning of
the mission like, ''well, I don't know exactly, but I'm willing to
search it and we'll get back to you tomorrow'' to be, ''well, that's a
great question, and we can find the answer from God himself here in
Matthew 7, would you please read...etc''. Honestly this mission has
taught me a ton, and I'm so excited to keep learning. I really learn new
things every day, and I always get pumped to use and share them
throughout the day.
I'm so excited for Jordan, as he's preparing to go on a mission,
and I'm really proud and happy for him. He's going to do a great job and
see a difference in himself as well. You never know what the mission is
like until you go, and you never ever want to forget it once you know,
because the mission is really the foundation of our testimonies, as men.
I really believe that every young man needs experiences like these to
be able to see that seed of faith grow into a tree that gives us fruits
of everlasting happiness. Every young man (or woman) that reads this
should truly consider their responsibility and the joy that it would
give them to serve a mission, and start preparing yourselves. Don't put
it off, like most of us did, get going on it now, and you'll be so glad
you did.
Anyway, that's my bit for the week. Just so you know, the baptism
went great with Kevin on Saturday, and yesterday he was confirmed. We're
happy and working hard, and I thank you all for your prayers, messages,
and the blessings I'm receiving out here.
Love you all so much!
Elder DeFreese
p.s.
If you're planning on writing me a letter or sending a package or
something, please wait until I let you know what the new mission address
will be, seeing as how the offices are now being changed for me to be
in Xalapa.
1. The baptism of Kevin! =D
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