6 Missionaries and a Baptism

The family Velasquez is moving, so we ate with them one last time.

Martin with the set of Elders

Martin ready to be baptized!

 

Hey Fam! 

Okay just a little nib of this week: MARTIN GOT BAPTIZED! 

This kid just makes my mission complete and happy. On Saturday night we went to go see him to get him pumped for his baptism on Sunday. We walked into the tienda and he was sittin’ there talking with this drunk guy. He waved us over real quick to talk with him and this guy. We got over there and I knew that I knew this person, but I couldn’t remember how. We got talking and he told me that he was a member and that I had been to his house before. I really couldn’t remember for the life of me! We got talking a little more and I realized who he was; when I was with Hermana Hoggan we went to their house and were talking outside, he and his wife rejected very harshly and told us that they didn’t want anything to do with us or the church. After he left with his beer in his hand, Martin told us that he felt more of a desire to get baptized after talking with him. He told us that this drunk, less active said “out of all of the churches in this world I know that the Iglesia de Jesucristo de los Santos de los Ultima Dias is the only true church on this earth and when you get baptized you will never regret it." It was a pretty cool thing to hear that. 

On Sunday at 6 was his baptism. We got there 5 minutes before it was about to start and NOBODY was there!  Hello Mormons... about 10 minutes later Martin showed up alone. His mom was supposed to be there with him and we were talking to her about it for a long time and she said that she was going to come, because she didn’t want him to be there all alone for his baptism. (There were only 3 members from the ward that came and 6 missionaries including us. He got baptized in another ward because he lives in another area. GO TO BAPTISMS OF NEW MEMBERS!)  I am a little frustrated with her to be honest. He told us that she didn’t want to enter into the church so he still came to a church to do something that he really doesn’t know much about, nor has ever seen before. He told us that it didn’t matter if anyone of his family came, he said it wasn’t for them and that he came because he knows it’s the right thing for him. His faith is so big. I have never seen someone progress like him. EVER! He was so willing to change because he knew that he would become a better person. He was willing to act and so he could receive the blessings that he needs and wants. He is a great example to me and he is just a great person that I know will keep progressing in the church. He is only 20 and knows what he needs to do and still wants to go on a mission in a year. More than anything it was just amazing to see a conversion happen right in front of my eyes. Its amazing what the power of the Lord can do for a person, only if they are willing to change for the better, and act. I love being a missionary and always will! I love you all and hope you had a great week! Looks like the kids had a great time at granny camp! I love ya all so much!  More great things happened this week, but this is already super long so I’ll save them for the next week! 

Love, Hermana Velasquez