Sister Rodriguez' Baptism

Well a lot of exciting things happened this week. First, Sister Teichert has joined the club! We are covering both areas until the end of the transfer; that means anyone in our area both Spanish and English speaking comes to us. 

I just wanted to share some really cool experiences that we have had this week that make me so grateful to be a missionary. 

S. Burdette, Hrm. Wright, B Rodriquez, Hrms. Clarke y Teichert 

1) This last Saturday (the 22nd) was the Baptism of B Rodriguez. And it was the most powerful spiritual experience I have had yet in my mission. The spirit started off so strong. We were so worried there wouldn't be a great turn out from the branch. I had been playing prelude music for about a half an hour until it started, so the last I had seen was only 5 people. When I looked up the whole primary room was full. WOW! Then we commenced....there is no other way to describe the spirit that was present, other than it was tangible.....so so powerful. First Hermana Duarte spoke on baptism and bore strong testimony of the gospel. She told her conversion story and it was hard not to cry. Then the cutest old man, Hermano Vigil, talked about the Holy Ghost (POWERHOUSE!!!!). Then K (B's sister) got up to sing Soy un Hijo de Dios. She sang the first line and started crying and all I heard from the piano bench was the congregation start singing with her. I glanced up and saw B and the whole family just crying....SO POWERFUL!!!! And then....after 18 years of waiting B was baptized. It was such a special, sweet, tender moment for her mother especially (who is already a member), her grandparents, and her siblings. IT was awesome!

B Rodriguez with her parents.

2) We taught Jose this week....he is still as awesome as ever. He has still been struggling with his WOW problems and has been drunk EVERY day of the week. Yesterday we went to go visit him and didn't plan to teach him if he was drunk. When he opened the door he kind of groaned, and he told us he had drunk too much, but reluctantly invited us in. We stuck with the plan and told him we would come back another day....but he insisted and grabbed a chair from inside and brought it out onto the patio. He sat down and started pouring out his heart about how much he wanted to change his life and become a new person. He kept calling himself trash and felt like he couldn't do it. He couldn't change because he loves his ways too much. It was such an awesome opportunity to bear witness of the Atonement. I know personally that the Atonement not only is for forgiveness but it LITERALLY changes us from who we are and we become 'new creatures'. I shared the 'go and sin no more' story from the Bible and we helped him understand that change is possible! Such a great man! 

 

Hermana's with N Rodriguez

Funny Moment: We had been talking a lot with the Rodriguez family about praying for their dad to feel the spirit at B's baptism so that it would 'soften' his heart and let all the kids get baptized. One day we were talking to N (the little brother) and he said that they were still praying their dad's heart would be 'weakened'....we laughed SOO hard!!!

That's it folks! I love you all!!!!

Con much carino
H Wright