Seeing Progress

This week we finally got to do our first service opportunity. One of the less active members had recently moved into a new house, and it was a mess. So we and the other 2 missionaries in the other area spent a few hours and helped her cleanup and organize her house. This week because of everything going on with the coronavirus, the Mission President has adjusted some of the rules about baptism. Normally, the people that we are teaching have to have at least 2 attendances at church, before they are baptized. But now that there is no church, that rule doesn't apply anymore, and any person that has prepared themselves for baptism, can be baptized right away, as long as they have met all the other requirements obviously. 

Anyways, Dayton got married on Saturday and I got to see a little glimpse of the wedding activities, it looked amazing and I really wish I could've been there. 

During my lessons, I always learn so much  about the beliefs of other religions. For example, we had a lesson which we were teaching and explaining the restoration and the people we were teaching said that the Jehovah’s Witnesses also have the same power of God. And so I showed them how we have authority tracing back to Joseph Smith, the Apostles, and then Jesus Christ. And after I explained it like that they weren't quite sure how they got it so they are going to ask. Anyways, after everything that we would teach, they would say, oh it's the same for Jehovah’s Witnesses also. For example, we talked about how we have General Conference where all the 70 and 12 apostles and prophets meet and it’s broadcasted throughout all the world, Andele.  And they apparently have the same thing. I would explain something like that, and then she would just say Andele, which is like, right. And we just started laughing because this Lady kept saying that like it was the same in their church. We taught about how we baptize and receive the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands, Andeles he says. We have the priesthood authority, Andele. So on until the end of the lesson.  I had just never heard “Andele” used like that before.  It was funny.

Anyways, the area and branch has truly made a significant amount of progress since the first day I got here more than 5 months ago. The branch has increased, and the amount of new people that we are continually teaching is so much more than it was when I got here. Sometimes it's difficult for other people to see the fruit of the labors as missionary when sometimes all that people look for is who got baptized and who’s coming to church. No doubt, that is definitely what we hope that the people can progress towards, but all we can do is teach and invite  Every person has their own agency to act for themselves. What people always say down here in Mexico is Cada Quien, which means every who, which does not translate very well directly in English but yea. Cada quien has their agency and their own way of life. I will most likely be transferred and gone next Pday, but it’s been a great time here in Parral!