Interested!

Baptism coming up this Saturday! Samuel (9) and Emanuel (11) will be
getting baptized on Saturday which they are both really excited about.
They weren't able to come to church with us on Sunday because they
were out of town.

We had one family come to church that our Elders Quorum President
invited to listen to him and his wife speak. They use to be taught by
missionaries a year or so ago but then decided they didn't want to
take the lessons anymore. We talked with the father and he still
didn't want us coming by but the 17 year old son seemed very
interested and wanted to talk with his father to try and let us come
over. We hope that everything goes well there and that we can start
teaching this family of I think 5.

We haven't had any flooding here in my area but about two weeks ago in
my last area and areas around us were hit by the worst hail storm in
San Antonio history. There were size of soft balls falling from the
sky that broke many windows on houses and cars and dented cars. We
have been lucky with just a little rain in my area but these last two
days it has started to get pretty hot.

We meet a couple new investigators this last week one was a referral
from online who ordered two bibles. It is only the parents and the
kids live in Austin. They were very interested and were taking notes
as we taught the restoration. We gave them the bibles but also the
Book of Mormon. We set them with a date for the 14th of May. They said
they were going to come to church but didn't show up yesterday so we
took them off date. Hopefully we can meet with them again this week
and get them to church next Sunday and also invite them out to the
baptism on Saturday. The last names is the Grimes. It's pretty hard to
visit them since they live on the very far end of our area which is
about 6 miles from where we live.

"Your faith will grow not by CHANCE, but by CHOICE."

Service in the Temple!

They were putting in new carpet into the San Antonio temple and they called president slaughter and he gave us permission to spend all day on Friday helping them put in carpet. It was a wonderful experience we were able to help pull up the old carpet out of the men's and women's dressing room and put in new carpet. Elder Kariuki and I also had some time to walk around the temple and sit in the celestial room. It was great to see the inside of another one of the lords temples and also be able to do service and help keep it clean. I am so grateful for the experience that we had to do that and for the spirit and joy that I felt while in the temple. We were at the temple from 9am to about 6pm.

This Sunday we had the two Garcia boys Samuel and Emanuel come to church again as they are preparing for their baptismal date on the 30th. They can hardly wait for their baptism and our keeping all the commitments that we our extending out to them. The Shamas family said that they were going to come but they didn't make it to church yesterday so we are hoping to help resolve their concerns and help them come to church next week.

We had zone training in which we heard from President Slaughter and had interviews with him as well. It was a great time to have interviews as I was able to ask for suggestions on ways to help my companion understand the importance of being exactly obedient. We also had another meeting that day which was with an old mission president who is know in our stake. Our Ward council came together and went through everyone on the Ward list and gave us a big list after they were done of people who they don't know if they live there anymore and also who has not been endowed in the temple. We have been asked to go to these people and if they are receptive invite them to receive all the blessings that the temple has to offer. It is so nice to be busy with this assignment and help people get back to the temple. Sister Garcia is now preparing for the temple. We read this quote from President Monson with them and invite them to meet with the bishop.

"If you have not yet been to the temple or if you have been but currently do not qualify for a recommend, there is no more important goal for you to work toward than being worthy to go to the temple. Your sacrifice may be bringing your life into compliance with what is required to receive a recommend, perhaps by forsaking long-held habits which disqualify you. It may be having the faith and the discipline to pay your tithing. Whatever it is, qualify to enter the temple of God. Secure a temple recommend and regard it as a precious possession, for such it is. Until you have entered the house of the Lord and have received all the blessings which await you there, you have not obtained everything the Church has to offer. The all-important and crowning blessings of membership in the Church are those blessings which we receive in the temples of God."

Baptismal date!

This was a busy and great week. Tuesday I had District Leader Council which was a meeting with the district leaders and President Slaughter and the assistance gave trainings and answered the questions that the district leaders had. I learned a lot and hope that I can apply those things that I learned to help my district. Also on Tuesday evening we set the two Garcia boys with a baptismal date for the 30th of this month. When we invited them to be baptized (after getting permission from the father) they both jumped up super excited. It was so great!

We meet a lot of new people as our district has been trying our best to talk with everyone. We meet a brother named Enock who moved here from Kenya about two years ago which is were my companions dad is from. We saw Enock running and when we talked with him he said that he always listens to the Mormon tabernacle choir and then starte singing "praise to the man". We invited him to be baptized but he said he wants to know if the Book of Mormon is true first. Hopefully we can set him with a baptismal date. He has one new born baby and puts Mormon Tabernacle Choir on for the bay all the time.

We also meet with a family named the Shamas who is a family of 6. They said that they will come to church on Sunday and we set up a church tour on Thursday. We are praying that it will happen. I also had exchanges this Friday with a zone leader. I learned a lot from him and he helped me understand and find ways to help my district and my companion. I hope that I can one day be at the level that he is at.

Last pday we played indoor soccer and we will be doing the same today! It was so fun and we had about 8 elder there. It felt great to run around and touch a soccer ball again. Looking forward to it again. Both of my zone leaders are really good which makes it fun

Real Faith!

General Conference was great. We watched General conference at the church and there were two other elders there and there bishop and his family who have quintuplets. 5 kids in less than 5 minutes. This family feed us and their missionaries lunch between the sessions on Saturday and also Sunday. One of my favorite talks was from Brother Stephen W. Owen on leading and following. I have had the greatest leaders in my family, church, and now my mission that I look up to and hope that one day I can become like them and be a leader for others. I will be looking and following those leaders around me and especially Christ who was and always will be the greatest leader and follower.

President Thomas S. Monson was so powerful when he spoke in both priesthood and also Sunday morning session. “May we choose to build up within ourselves a great and powerful faith which will be our most effective defense against the designs of the adversary—a real faith, the kind of faith which will sustain us and will bolster our desire to choose the right.” Faith is the first principle of the gospel of Jesus Christ high starts as a seed and can grow in us if we let it. Although the prophets words were short they had a mighty power behind them.

The Garcia came to conference at the church on Sunday morning. The Garcia is a part member less active family. The mother is the semi less active member who we have been reactivating and the father is kinda against the church. They have one kid who is 10 but they are fostering two other kids who are part of there extended family. One is baptismal age (11) and the other is 7. We hope to talk with the father today and receive his approval to set the kids with a baptismal date.

We went to the food bank and sorted out food on Tuesday and also Friday this week which was great. We have been doing a lot of knocking and visiting potentials and less actives/part members to try and grow our teaching pool. We are trying to find a family to teach and baptize so that one day they can be sealed in the temple. Especially after General conference and there emphasis on the importance of family we hope to find and help a family hear Gods gospel and receive the blessings found in this church.

Holding one of the 500 original Book of Mormons one of our members have

"Keep trying. Keep trusting, keep believing, keep

 growing, heaven is cheering you on today, tomorrow,

 and forever."  Jeffery R. Holland"