Rafael Castillo- Week #18

Purse and Script

I got the package this Monday, and it was sweet! The calender was exactly what I was looking for, and the treats were good, and the tape was so cool to listen to.

Ciris is progressing so well! He is on track for his baptism on the 8th, and he is really excited. He missed this past Sunday because he was out of town having to do a school project or something, but Elder Shields called President Benton and got permission to baptize him anyway. So we go by Ciris last night to tell him he can still get baptized on the 8th, but first we wanted to make sure he understood the importance of baptism, so we read Doctrine and Covenants 20:37 and asked him if he felt he had met with all of those requirements, and he looked at us and was like, "No...I missed a Sunday...I need to repent more, I have to repent so much, do you forgive me? No wait, I need to ask God to forgive me, yeah, I need to ask God." I was so PROUD of him! He gets it. I told him that we were really excited for him, and that he already understands what he should do really well. Elder Shields said that Ciris is the most prepared for baptism he has seen in his mission, and I wouldn't doubt it. He doesn't doubt anything that he learns.

So Purse and Script is the subject of the e-mail because this week was kind of difficult. We were working really hard, but numbers wise it wasn't looking like it. We were getting a little frustrated, because we are doing all the things that are asked of us, yet not finding those investigators we want, who will progress in the gospel. So one really hot day last week we were clapping houses and we were like dying of thirst haha, so it reminded me of the New Testament, when Christ sends out the Apostles to preach, and tells them to basically live off of the people you teach, so I said a prayer that we could find a lesson and rest for a bit. A few houses later these two old Catholic women let us into their shady patio and as we were teaching, the old man husband, who wasn't interested in listening, kept bringing out like water and juice and cookies and stuff. It was sweet! So we didn't have purse or script, but the Lord was taking care of us anyway. Also, I hope I am using that analogy right, because if not it would make me look like a pretty clueless missionary.

Anyway, yeah I have seen the Lord boosting my spirits when I get frustrated or tired or something happens that isn't what we were hoping. Elder Shields told me on a particularly hard day, that this is the hardest area he has been in, and I was unlucky it is my first area...I think he was just venting haha. But yeah, we are still giving it everything we got. I was walking in the street one day, and some words from Come Come Ye Saints popped into my head that really helped me out. Hymns are such great answers to prayers. The capital words are the words I put in of my own free will because I forgot the real words...actually I only forgot one...anyway...

Why should we WHINE, or think our lot is hard

Tis not so, all is right.

Why should we think to earn a great reward

If we now, shun the fight

Gird up your loins, fresh courage take

Our God will never us forsake!

It got me all excited to keep trucking along.

In the words of John Joseph Naylor V, "All is Well"

Love you, everyone!

Sean