OCT. 26, 2015

Great week, found great people, taught great lessons, great invitations to baptism but no one in church. This week on Wednesday, as a zone we focused a ton on finding new people and inviting them to baptism. We did it and got a lot of people excited for baptism and like 11 people accepted to be baptized the 14th of November but then after when we went back for the next appointments, they bailed and weren't home or they had an Evangelical friend there to tell us to go away and leave them alone.... ugh. But it's normal for people to have things come up and be busy unexpectedly.  A lot of them were very sincere so we'll do more follow up with them this week while looking for more. About 2 weeks ago we had a day when a lot of appointments fell.  We walked around a bit and I started to think about the lives I've seen changed and the miracles that have happened so far and I remember I really wanted to find a family that was ready for help and be baptized.  I offered a little prayer in my heart telling God my desires and how I wanted to find a great family and right after finishing the prayer, I declared to my companion, Elder Acarapi, and Ronny, a member that was with us, that we were going to find a chosen family. As I told them that I made eye contact with a man sitting with his family just by his door in his house. We took a few more steps and I thought "It can't be them, that was too soon!" But I was prompted to go back. Juan Carlos Tobar let us in his home.  He told us that he had been out of work for 2 weeks and very upset, stressed and worried because he has to take care of his wife and two little girls. We had a very spiritual first visit and I told him my prayer and being guided to his house. The Sundays after, fear and worry overcame him and he left to look for work in the morning instead of church.  Now his foot has been very swollen and hasn't gone to church still but wants to very bad. Conversion is never easy and there will always be trials but our hopes for them are still good! I love you all and remember Christ in all you do!

Elder Rawson=) 

Stake service project on Saturday. I got baked.... So burnt:(

Oct. 19, 2015

Its been a good week. Our investigator Marisol Barcos was baptized on Saturday in the afternoon! She lives with her sister and her niece recently left on the mission a little bit before I got here and I think that's why she got more interested in the church. We didn't get quite as much done this week as I would have liked too but we are going to be finding people like crazy this last week. I love you all and hope you keep saying your prayers and read the BoM TODOS LOS DÍAS  (daily)! 

Here's my ponderize scripture of the week. I have it memorized in español so look it up. DC 58:26-29

Porque he aquí, no conviene que yo mande en todas las cosas. porque el que es compelido en todo es un siervo perezoso y no sabio, y no recibe galardón alguno.

De cierto digo que los hombres deben estar anhelosamente consagrados a una causa buena y hacer muchas casa de su propia voluntad y efectuar mucha justicia.

Porque el poder está en ellos. y en esto vienen a ser sus propios agentes. y en tanto que los hombres hagan lo bueno, do ninguna manera perderán su recompensa.

Mas el que no hace nada hasta que se le mande, y recibe un mandamiento con corazón dudoso, y lo cumple desidiosamente, ya es condenado.

Elder Rawson:)

Bautismo

For behold , not that I should command in all things . for he that is compelled in all things is a slothful and not a wise servant , and receives no reward.
Verily I say, men should be anxiously engaged in a good cause, and do many house of his own will, and bring to pass much righteousness .
For the power it is in them. wherein they are agents unto themselves . and while the men do good , do no means lose his reward.
But he that doeth not anything until he is commanded , and receiveth a commandment with doubtful heart , and keepeth it with slothfulness , the same is damned .

Elder Rawson :)
Baptism