Sunday, April 6, 2014

Week 30: Saying Goodbye, Lehi's Vision, and Gratitude for My Family

Hey everyone! :)

This has been a sad week for me. I've been saying good bye to most of the people that I teach. You truly don't know how much you'll miss someone till they are gone... It's been sad but I have loved all the experiences and memories that we have shared together. There was a farewell lunch after church and we all ate then it was kinda awkward/sad but I sat in the middle and then people around the room just said their goodbyes. What I mean be awkward is that on the 1% chance that I stay in this area, I return to church after all the goodbyes and say, 'I'm back!' hahah I think it would be funny.

Anyways I had been really worried with leaving the area with something to build on. As 4 of our investigators became Recent Converts, it left our teaching pool for potential baptisms on low. We really focused the past few weeks on finding new people to teach. For the past 3 weeks we have had over 7 new investigators every week! and a lot of them have baptismal dates for May. So I am pretty excited about that. The work will hopefully continue to grow here in Talavera Ward. It's interesting but the work in terms of baptisms is basically doubling every new companionship. Before me there was 1, then Gomez and I 2, then Choresca and I 5, and hopefully Choresca and his new companion get 10! :) The work is starting to pick up in the area and I'm excited for it.

As I was going to teach my favorite person I've met here, sister Nela, I had no idea what to share with her, as it would be our last teaching appointment. We got there and I still didn't know what to teach. So we had the opening prayer and I thought to teach Lehi's vision. I had no idea why but as I started it I realized that it was totally her story, as with most people. Lehi starts in a state of confusion then prays and the Lord shows him a tree off in the distance that would make him happy. No coincidence that the tree was inferebly far away. The Lord requires us to work and show faith to him to receive his blessings. I really thought this was Nela, she was in a state of confusion in her life when we met her. We showed her a way out, the tree. Not only did she eventually partake of the fruit, she sprinted to it. We then went on to enduring to the end and holding to the rod. But that lesson was so powerful and I could just feel the spirit so strongly. It goes on how when Lehi partook of the fruit he desired it for his family.

On a slight tangent from that, I'm still in touch with my friends that are on missions and a few that are at home, and I am so happy to be where I am today. I was reading my Patriarchal blessing last night, and the first thing is how blessed I am to be born into the family that I have. It's so true. I see so much sadness here and hear about others back home. And it is most always due to family problems. Everything starts with family and I am so happy with the one that I was born into. I love you all so much and am so grateful for the great examples you are to me. I couldn't be here if it were not for each of you.
I hope you all have a fantastic week :0
Love you all 
Elder Watkins

Most of the Benedicto Family

Family Home Evening hosted by Sister Maan. She is on the right, Rochelle is on the left.


Elder Watkins with Javen before he moved.

Elder Watkins with Sister Balangatan and family. She gave a talk at Rochelle's baptism.

Dustin loves caribous!!!

Sipping on a drink Sister Nela made...yum :)

Dinner at Sister Nela's!
my groupies... after my lovely singing...  lol jk this is jus after the missionary musical fireside :)

Elder Watkins with some elders from The Zone
Elder Watkins with the dude that cuts his hair (in the black shirt),
Elder Choresca, and  another stylist at the salon. 




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