Think about it

So this week went slow. Leticia once again has pushed her baptism back. Her current illness is keeping her down at the moment. We will just keep visiting her.

We weren’t able to go visit Guillermo because we had interviews with the Mission President Saturday night, but we left a message for him and the chapter of 2 Nephi 33. We will be passing by with him this week.

I have a song in my music from EFY but, I don’t have it’s name nor the year that it came out.  It is probably my favorite song and I am listening to it right now.

"Everybody used to tell me that big boys don`t cry, but I`ve been around enough to know that that was the lie that held back the tears in the eyes of a thousand Prodigal Sons...."    I love these lyrics.

Are we not all the CHILDREN of God?  We are not His adults.  The kingdom of God is full of those that will be as little children and humble themselves before the Father to do His will.  Also those that will humble themselves to depths of their sorrow, to kneel at the feet of the Savior to seek His everlasting atonement.

President Reeves (my current mission president) wrote to us this week and said,  "If you need to repent... repent."  How simple.  Do it. There is no half way.  There is no next time after true repentance.  There is change, growth, relief, blessings and happiness.  Do it. Repent.  Move forward because you know that there is nothing behind.  

Another part of that song, "Is Your love stronger than my foolish pride?"  Well yes, yes it is.  His love is stronger, so don’t try to win.  Be as a child.  Cry if needed, just return to the fold.  That is all that matters.

I love you all and I hope that you can take these words to heart.  This is not what I had thought about saying, but it’s what hit my fingers when I started typing.  Enjoy the week!

Elder Heath

"He who once was lost..."

The baptism for Leticia has to be postponed for a week because she had some health issues.  She is still very excited and showed incredible trust in us by explaining the reason why she lives alone with 2 kids and doesn´t have many friends.  That is a story that she has not felt secure enough to share even with her mother.  It was an incredible time talking to her and feeling her trust and confidence that we are the Lord´s servants on His errand.  She is an incredible woman with amazing faith.  She is praying, reading on her own and even sharing with her friends.  She is just that kind of disciple of Christ.

Well here is the reason for the headline of this blog..... WE FOUND GUILLERMO!!!  I haven´t spoken about him for awhile because we couldn´t find him.  Last night we were trying to think about what we would do for the next 30 min before we had to call the District Leader and we just thought about visiting him.  We passed, we knocked and he answered with a big grin!  He has left that house because his wife went back to their pueblo and he is living with his brothers and cousins.  He is very excited that we found him again and we have an appointment to teach this week!  He hasn´t read the Book of Mormon, but he wants to know more.  He told us he would read the chapter that we gave him the last time we were there for this next appointment so things should start progressing with him.  I AM VERY EXCITED!!!!

Well that´s the time I have today!!!  I love you all and I hope that you are able to enjoy life even if it doesn´t seem like paradise!  That comes later. :)

Elder Heath

JUST DO IT!

So here is the update! We have a new investigator! Her name is Leticia and she has two sons. One is 4 and the other is 9. She came to church on Sunday and LOVED it. She is very excited to be baptized.  We have a goal with her to be baptized on the 11th of December!  

We met her through a Sister that is not currently active who came to church as well to be with her friend.  This sister expressed deep sorrow that she had left the church for so much time. She has made a goal to be a better example of what a disciple of Christ should be and to help her friend understand what happiness in the Gospel of Jesus Christ is. We have another appointment with her tomorrow and I can’t wait to hear how her prayers and her reading have been!  She is so ready to move ahead in the example of Jesus and to know Him better.

Her family is VERY Catholic and they have vowed to reject her as blood if she continues relations with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints. Her response? "I feel peace and happiness every time I learn something new about this religion and I will follow that which brings me closer to my Savior. I won’t be leaving my family. I will become closer to my God."  What power!  If you could hear it from her very lips, you would just sit there with either a grin (like me), or an open mouth (like Elder Herrera). Both of these women are coming to understand better the atonement of Christ and are bettering their lives through that great sacrifice.

Well, I have officially past the one year mark and am now counting DOWN hill. This year will go fast if I don’t focus on the day that it ends, but instead that I end strong. I recently saw a clip of the movie Confronting the Giants where the coach blind folds a very influential player and has him do a difficult exercise until he simply can’t anymore. He made it all the way to the other 100 yard line. I just have to approach my mission like that.  "Hey Heath! When do you go home?"   "When I´ve done all that I can!"  I just got to put that work into my eyes in order to work with pure faith and the Spirit in my ear saying, "Yes you can. It hurts, I know, but you just have a little bit more. Give it your all!"  I won’t lie.  I’m thinking a little bit more about home, but I just have to remind myself each time of that goal that I made a little while ago - "If I can live the laws of the Celestial Kingdom here, I can live them after this life." 

I really hope that this short message has help some of you. That is always my goal. I love sharing this gospel and if I can do it for the rest of my life, I will.  I will put my all into this work because there is nothing greater.  I love you all and I hope that you will all find ways to share your testimony this week.  Maybe with words or maybe with actions, but the point comes down to this, JUST DO IT.

Elder Heath, signing out.

Pics!

That Endeavor

Dear..... Whoever-the-duce-is-reading-this,

Life is good. Yesterday, we had a Branch Conference here in Cuicatlan. Since this is not a Stake but a District, President Reeves presides. We weren´t sure if he would take the 5 hour drive to get here at 10:00 am, but sure enough he did!

I would like to share a story that President Reeves told about his father.  This is far from a sad story, but a truly happy one that shows true faith and understanding in the Plan of Salvation. 

DISCLAIMER: This story is NOT word for word and only a few of the quotes are directly from the mouth of President Reeves. He has shared this story on many occasions.

President Reeves´ father had terminal cancer and had been fighting this condition for a few months.  In the midst of his struggle, his wife passed away and left him feeling alone.  His kids were always near by and always cared for their father, but as much strength as he had to fight cancer, he had no desire to fight loneliness.  That next Thanksgiving, President Reeves entered the room of his father to find him sitting up in his bed with a bowl  in his lap.  He asked his dad what he was doing to which came the response,  "I am trying to eat, but I’m not hungry.  I just can’t eat with this medicine."

 President Reeves then moved closer to the bedside of his father and asked him,  "How ya doin Pop?"  "Son, This has been a good day.  My old friend President Monson called and we talked all morning."  You see, President Monson called him because he was sick and wanted to help, but because of his agenda and all that he had to do, a visit to his old friend was not possible.  President Monson did, however, ask what he could do to help.  The reply of that sick and dying man is one that we would all do well to remember.  He said, "You are a man very near to God.  I know that if you ask Him, He will deliver.  I miss my wife.  I love her so much and all I want is to be at her side.  Can you do that for me?  Can you help me see my wife again?"  The Prophet responded,   "Tomorrow, we are holding a meeting of the leadership of the church.  We will pray for you."  Not 3 days passed before that the prayer was answered.  He was once again united with his wife.  And he would never be separated from her again.

His father truly understood and had faith in the Plan of Salvation . He knew that he would see his wife again.  He knows that Thomas S. Monson is a Prophet of God and that through his guidance; we can all find eternal happiness.  He knew that Christ died for him, his wife and for all of his posterity so that they could all be together in the glory of Him who loves us and created us to the end that we could all attain all that He has.  I share that testimony.  I desire, that in my last days, I will show that unshaken faith in my Savior and in that Plan that the Father has created for us.  I hope you can all join me in that endeavor.

Elder Heath, signing out.