Sept. 8, 2014
Hello Family!
Well once again it has been another week of miracles in Colonia Divina and I am again left just to thank my Heavenly Father for being able to see them happen in my brief time to serve here.
I'll start off with the two baptisms we were able to have this Sunday of two priest age young men, Abraham and Jestoni.
Abraham (17) has been someone we've been teaching for a while now, although not very frequently until the last three weeks.
He came to church with one of his part active member friends back in July, and we have been teaching him ever since. He works in construction (building the road here in Colonia) with his member friend and he was pretty shy to talk with us or participate in the lesson since he has a speech impediment (cleft tongue maybe? I'm not sure what it's called) but as we started to teach him more frequently he started just opening up and even started teaching his other friends and coworkers the things we were teaching him, (although according to him they weren't too well received, especially about not drinking and smoking.) But he doesn't really care anymore about what other people think now, more on what God thinks.
One of the things he told us when he first started to really progress was, "Here at this church I feel like I am really repenting of my sins, and I can see God in you (us as missionaries), not like the others who just say a lot but don't do anything..."
Now he is a super missionary! We are teaching all of his younger brothers, which seem to really respect him, and also his father. Now whenever I teach at his home I feel like I'm teaching the future Aaronic priesthood quorum (he has several brothers and also nephews and friends who all listen now) and he was super excited to receive the Aaronic priesthood after we taught him about it and is now making plans to serve a mission.
Also there is Jestoni (16), the older brother of Maria Theresa (who Elder Peralta I and baptized his last week here). We have been teaching the whole family, minus the father who has some drinking issues and doesn't sit in on the lessons, who are all preparing to be baptized in the next few weeks. But Jestoni requested that we move his baptism a little earlier for this Sunday since his birthday was the following day, and since he had already met the church attendance requirements and his mom said it was OK. We of course said OK. :)
When we first started teaching him he was a little unsure, and had some questions since he had been attending another congregation that tends to spread a lot of false rumors about the church, but after the first few lessons and finishing explaining the restoration he told us, "Elders, I believe it." And after asking why he said, "I just feel it, and it's different, but good..."
So both of our new candidates for the Aaronic priesthood got baptized together and were both promptly interviewed to receive the priesthood, which they were both pretty excited about.
Also this week was an amazing week for our church attendance! Since it was the first Sunday both the Alimatok group and the Siwahon group came to Colonia for the fast and testimony meeting, and the turn out was so great that our little house, our old apartment, was completely packed to capacity and still had almost the same amount of people standing outside listening through the windows as there were inside the house, having our total attendance at sacrament meeting reach over 112 people, around or above 62 inside, and 50 plus out on the porch. Also Frederick got to wear a white shirt and tie and pass to the congregation. He was really nervous, but he did it so respectfully, formally, and reverently that I could have placed him as born in the church.
I hope to have more good news to share next week! No pictures this week since I lent my camera for the day, so next week I should have double to send.
I love you all!
Be strong in the faith!
~Elder Butler
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