Week Two in the Books

AYYYYYY

 It's elder Tadje here from the land underwater!!!! I've never been to a more humid place, and the rainstorms here are completely ridiculous. If you don't think it's gonna rain or it doesn't look like it will, just wait another hour or two. It'll come. And it'll bring the entire ocean with it. You haven't lived until you've been in a true central American rainstorm- it doesn't matter how waterproof your shoes are if you're walking down the middle of the street and the water is halfway up your shins!! and I'm just going to say right now that there are few situations harder to find a bright side to then when you're standing at someone's gate preaching the holy word, and a flock of birds decides to use you as target practice. I still can't find where the blessings are in that.

But this week we were able to have our first baptism!!! His name is Rodolfo Gonzalez, he's 50 years old, and I compare him to a slumbering grizzly bear. He staggers around like his drunk, which he always used to be. And by staggers around I mean he flies around, falling forward and trying to catch himself until something-or someone- breaks his fall. He took out a young mom and her toddler at church on Sunday.... When Elder Petronilo found him with Elder Ñaña, he was sleeping right under the window on his couch at his mom's house. (He lives across the street with his dog Droopy) They stood at the window about a foot from his head shouting and calling for him, but he didn't wake up until his mom came and shoved him off the couch! Our biggest problem with getting him to church has been getting him to wake up. His baptism was Saturday, and Sunday at 8 was church with his confirmation. We got to his house at 7, and after banging on the gate for 10 minutes I scaled it spikes and all and started banging on his door. After five minutes and no answer, I climbed around the side of his house and started pounding on and shouting through his bedroom window! With the combined help of Droopy's barking we woke him up after about five more minutes, and got him to church in time for his confirmation! 

But at church one of the youth had a really incredible and inspired talk. And by youth I mean the second councilor in the bishopric who's been back from his mission for a year. But his talk was over a question we often ask- why me? As humans we are imperfect beings, and often think less of ourselves than we are. When we are given a calling or putting into a situation, many times we ask ourselves 'why me? Why not somebody else more qualified?' He used the example of Moses and Enoch. When they were called to be prophets, both asked this question, saying they were slow of speech and inadequate. But this doesn't matter to the Lord. He knows us perfectly, and He knows who we are. We will never be given a situation we cannot handle, or something that was not meant for us. If we are worried about failure, we don't need to be. If we are living righteous and worthy of the Lord's help and our will is aligned with His, He will not allow us to fail. We will become instruments in his hands to accomplish all that is asked of us. 

That's all for this week, I'm trying to get my camera to work so hopefully I can send some pictures! Love you all, you're always in my prayers!! Also thank you so much for the emails. Even if there is not time to respond to every one, your words of encouragement help me so much more than you can know!

Elder Tadje