This week I can't even describe all the things that happened but I will try to clam it all intro one email! First off, I got a new companion named Elder Allen!! Elder Hatch left to Cleveland, TN to be companions with my first son Elder Fillingim! Elder Allen is from Mapleton, UT and went to the University of Utah before he came on his mission for a semester! He's been out for about 4 months so this is his 2nd area! His first time speaking español so I get to help him with that!
Transfers: transfers was on Wednesday so we drove out to Farragut and traded off. I had to say a lot of goodbyes today. First off, to my trainer Elder Mitchell, who will be going home in the next few weeks back to Portland, OR and will be going to BYU! Man I love that guy. We also had to all say our goodbyes to President Griffin and his family. They have done such a marvelous work here in the South and I'm very grateful to have been able to know them and to serve under their leadership! President Pickett and his family will be arriving here this coming week!
Carrie Ruiz: Angel. We met Carrie a few weeks ago but Elder Allen and Got to sit down with her and teach her the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. She is so humble and has such a desire to learn about Christ. I remember reciting the "First Vision" with all the conviction in my heart I could muster up and testifying of how the heavens are open and God still speaks to us through his living prophets. Tears were losing down her face and she accepted a baptism date for July 22. Pray for her!!
Felipe Hernández: Miracle. What can I say more. There's this house that I've driven past probably 30+ times as we go to the same Hispanic concentrated areas, and I remember Elder Hatch and I always wanted to go knock on that door, but we either forgot about it and didn't do it. Well, we did it Friday. And it turns out that Felipe walked around the back of his house and scared the heck out of me!! We talked to him for 45 minutes and this guy was the most GOLDEN Hispanic I'd ever met in my life. Turns out he had already read the Book of Mormon, his daughter was baptized in Mexico this year.....he even recited 1 Nephi 3:7 out loud....my jaw had just totally dropped. He told us his life story and all his ups and downs. He told us he loved the teachings of Brigham Young. He then immediately said he was coming to church with us at 1 PM! So he stayed all 3 hours of church and it turns out that some accusations came up that Felipe might be a MEMBER. So they put his name and birthday in the records of the church and it turns out that he has been a long lost sheep for at least 20+ years!! Gracias a Dios por este milagro! The Lord works in mysterious ways but he never forgets his sheep!
Esther y Raul: pray for them as well. They need to take the "salto de fe" or leap of faith. They know everything is true, but there are some things that are still holding them back from baptism. We invited them to read every day and to pray in order that they may feel ready! They still have a few steps but they need a goal of a baptismal date! A vision.
What thing I was thinking about a lot this week was repentance. In Mormon Ch 2 we read in verses 12-14 that the Nephites had began to lament and mourn, a few indicators of repentance. But as we read further they had not truly repented because they found happiness in sin, and that they were willing to "struggle with the sword for their lives". How often to we mourn or lament mistakes or natural desires that we have but we hold onto those things because we remember the momentary happiness that comes from it. How much easier would it be to throw down our swords and to surrender our will to the Lord. Repentance isn't just grieving something or acknowledging mistakes but rather it is a change of heart, a change of desires. Let us align our hearts in Christ Lord. Love yall
1. Mi Hijo
2-3. Ciao Pescao Papa
4. 🤙🏼 this man is headin to the North Shore this week
5. Adelita's 🍦
6. A New Era
7. Quezada Fam Bam
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