March Challenge! So the mission-wide March Challenge is to teach Lesson1: The Message of the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ at least one time each day. As of last night, the 13th, we have taught it 16 times! We are ahead and we want to keep up this pace!
Brother Winn: So last Sunday Bishop Velasco gave us some names of family that he wants to be taught the Restoration lesson. So on Friday we had some appointments fall through and we were looking at our planner. Just then I remembered this list that Bishop had given us. One name popped out, Winn Family. So we looked up their address and drove over right away! They are a less active family that I haven't met before. We go knock on the door and Brother Winn welcomes us in immediately. He was very kind and we got to know hime a little bit. He works for Border Patrol on the horse detail. We then talked to him about his experience with the church and the gospel. He grew up in the church in Utah but wasn't truly converted. He didn't live the gospel for a long period of his life until he actually tried it out one day. He read the Book of Mormon, received an answer, repented, and gained a testimony! It was great listening to his story. We then shared the Restoration. He loved it and the Spirit was so strong! You could tell that he was spiritually recharged from that lesson! He committed to read and pray about the Book of Mormon again.
Eugenio: So we go in for a lesson and he is wearing an earring... It is a little gold seahorse. We were like, "What the...". So I guess he had his ear pierced before. We had a good lesson and he had good questions then good jokes after the lesson. He is a good guy he just needs to progress more and come to church again. We will be more bold with him this week on that.
Norma: She came to church yesterday!!! She also got to talk with Bishop for a little bit! We had a couple lessons with her this week and she opened up about her concerns. Last night we taught the Restoration and it went super well. It is awesome because it provides the groundwork for all the other lessons.
JP and Germy: So JP is an investigator and a friend of Daniel Noriega, a young man in the branch that is preparing for a mission. Germy, pronounced Jeremy, is another friend of Daniel. Turns out that Germy was baptized when he wad 8 and he lived in Utah. But now he lives here and hasn't gone to church. We taught JP the Restoration the other day with Daniel. Later, Germy came over and we gave him a blessing. He has been going through a difficult time recently. It was a great experience! We just need to meet with both of their parents.
Gospel Principles Class: I am basically the Gospel Principles class teacher. I like to teach and be in front of a class so I am super comfortable. Gospel Principles is the basic class when you first become a member. I taught the lesson The Fall of Adam and Eve. We had a super good discussion!!!! It was amazing! Everyone learned something! We talked about physical and spiritual death, how when they took the fruit it wasn't a surprise to the Plan, and how we are saved from the Fall through Christ. We then actually transitioned to focusing on the Atonement and it was super powerful for all of us! The class: me, Elder Chiñas, Bro Gladwill (Ward Mission Leader), Brother Allen (Active member), and Ali (Recent Convert). The discussion impacted each one of us in a different way. I shared an insight that I want to share with you guys too.
**Insight: The scripture that has stood out to me recently has been Luke 9:23.
"And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me (Emphasis added)."
I was confused. Christ bore the cross so that we don't have to suffer if we would repent. (See D&C 19:16-19.) but then I realized that we still have our own personal trials in this life. We each have our own cross to bear. As we look around the crosses that others carry may look bigger or small in comparison but it splinters just the same! The splinters are deep and they hurt in their individual way. I may not have the splinter of a disease or a family issue but I have my own splinters. We all must carry the cross of discipleship but the splinters make it personal. **
So it was a good class and I learned a ton even though I was teaching.
Border Patrol Commotion: So we were visiting a member Thursday night and on the street outside their house a BP truck was pulling someone over. Right as they were both about to make a complete stop the blue suspect car took off! The BP truck took off after it! Then they drove into a field and ditched the car and took off on foot. Then all of a sudden there were like 50 BP vehicles and agent, some had just gotten off work and were in their personal trucks, there were also some county sheriffs and some Douglas PD officers. We don't know if they caught the guys but they actually busted a guy down the street for dealing drugs in the meantime. Never sell or do drugs but definitely don't do it when 100+ law enforcement agents are walking around all the nearby properties. Just a normal day in Douglas.
#Hallelujah: Easter 2016 video! It is sooo good! Just go to FollowHim.mormon.org and watch the videos and learn more about how you can "Follow Him and find new life" #Hallelujah
Surprise: I was getting ready Sunday morning and I found a few gray hairs when I was fixing my hair!!!! The mission ages you a bit...
Have a great week everyone! Stay safe during this Spring Break season!
Love,
Elder Dallin Baker
Pics:
1. Grilling chicken last Monday
2. Driving like a short person
3. The church parking lot one night
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