September 17, 2016

Hey!

This week has been a ton of work but I'm loving it! My companion and I are really pushing ourselves and it's bringing forth success. I really am enjoying every second of it. 

I really don't have too much to say. We are opening an area so we are just trying to get to know all the members and get in contact with the old investigators. It's crazy but it's fun! We are finding some incredible people!

We found someone named Mildred. She is a young single mom (there are a ton of those here in Guatemala) and she was working in the house of a member. We shared a small message with her, invited her to church and to get baptized on the 25th of this month. When Sunday came around Elder Gonzalez and I were stunned that she actual went, and she went with her cute kids. During the sacrament meeting I found a talk that was given to be so weird. The speaker got up there and started sharing his childhood family problems. He shared about his abusive father, and how his father would abuse his mother. He talked about how from a very young age he didn't have a belief in Christ or God, because of the way he was constantly living in fear. He went on the share how he at 20 years old he started talking with missionaries. He said that Christ heals all pains. He gives us the power to forgive. It was a very interested talk but I didn't think too much about it until we were with Mildred on Sunday and I asked her how the church went. She said she didn't want to go, but she followed our advice and prayed and felt that God wanted her to go. She said that in that prayer she asked God to let her know if she should get baptized. With tears in her eyes she told us that during that mans talk she received her answer. She grew up with an abusive father and she has been wanting to be made free from the horrible memories. Elder Gonzalez and I were able to teach and testify of the power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. We were able to teach that through that power she can be made clean, be healed, and receive the power to forgive. We were then able to teach her how to activate that power in her life, by having faith, repenting, and being baptized. She and her daughter will be getting baptized this 25th and I am so happy for her. :)

My companion and I really haven't been sleeping hardly at all this week. There has been a ton of things to do! I have felt the promise that is stated in Doctrine and Covenants 84:33 ¨For whoso is faithful unto the obtaining these two priesthoods of which I have spoken, and the magnifying their calling, are sanctified by the Spirit unto the renewing of their bodies.¨ 

I love you all so much! Thanks for all the support!

Elder Buhrley