This week has been a busy one for sure. We have the Baptism of our family coming up this Saturday at 9 in the morning and they are SUPER excited! I can see it in their eyes every time it is brought up. They are beyond ready to take this first step and soon after they will have a goal to enter into the temple and be sealed as a family. I feel really special too cause their chose me to confirm them! Elder chapdelaine will baptize and i will confirm! It Has been on my mind all week and I feel honored. This will be a huge opportunity for me :)
This week has been so busy for many reasons. One being the baptism and trying to figure that all out and squared away so it will be successful, we had a Hispanic activity again which we tried to get put together, and It was my last week of training, which was insane cause I now will be a lone ranger! Part of me still feels inadequate because I never quite figured out everything i probably should and there is still so much more that I could learn. But Elder Chapdelaine has done a very good job at helping me and letting me know that I'm doing everything i can. Which is perfect to understand. I thought of the Newly called apostles yet again this week and how they all felt inadequate to be an apostle. And they have a tough job! They have to do more than me... HAHA but they trust in the lord and have that faith. And for me that has been what is keeping me going! I have realized this week more than before that I will have times even worse than now and that I need to have my trust in the lord anchored into the ground. And so that will be my next step as I move out of training. I'm just blessed to be with Elder Chapdelaine for another six weeks. HAHA
So not much more to report for this week. It seemed to fly by really fast which is nuts... The days go by faster and faster and by the time i look at my watch, its already P-day! Which is scaring me cause I don't want to be done! And i've only been out for four months. HAHA i still have plenty of time :)
Ending on a more spiritual note, I have thought a lot about the less actives in the branch. There are many reasons why people don't come to church or why people fall away and at least here, a lot of the time they leave because they don't feel loved or wanted or needed in the branch. Which is terrible. Now I cant blame them, cause when I got here there were only two members who constantly came to church in the Spanish side of the world, and all the other people are retired people who like their own little world and honestly, don't speak Spanish. HAHA But we have had the blessing of watching as more and more people are activated in the church and brought back into the "fold." Yesterday we had a total of around 15 Spanish members come to church and they are beginning to support each other more and more! And that has been a truly amazing blessing. Just remember that missionaries can only do so much. All of YOU have a more positive, lasting influence on less active members and converts. When you reach out to them it doesn't just seem like someone is being assigned to them but that someone really does love and care for them. All of YOU can do so much even though you are not missionaries. The lord loves you and all of your friends and family. I thank everyone for showing me an amazing example throughout the years :)
Much love from the freazing state of ALABAMA!\
Elder Stonely!
P.S. its not actually THAT cold... i'm just a wimp.
