Becoming the man. . .

Well we have been blessed yet again here in Barcenas.  We baptized a little family:  a mom and her son which was just an absolute miracle because they are never home because the mom has to work all day long just to survive.

It makes me realize how much we take things for granted back home and how  here  they don't even realize how good we have it in the states.  They work to survive,  we work to have more things. It's just a little reality check that  I have gotten here in Guatemala.

But I have been really thinking about how I can be better as a missionary and continue to grow and be better and better.  I think during your mission that's all you think about is how to continue to improve and be better every day. And  I have been really trying to focus on my teaching and how I treat people. And I talked a lot with my companion about if it's good to pressure a little bit your investigators or not because there are a lot of missionaries that do that here and they baptize a ton but sometimes the people don't continue to go to church afterwards.  So what is better to baptize a lot of people or only people that are more sincere about it? How did you teach your investigators Dad and Mom? I have been reading my patriarchal blessing quite a bit because it gives me a ton of information about what I can do and my gifts and I have really been trying to focus on becoming the man on this sheet of paper [in the blessing].

But to answer your question Dad about how we find people, we do just about everything.  We contact the buses right in front of everybody in the streets and doors and sometime references from our investigators or members.

I really see why I am here.   I have learned to have more trust in the Lord.  I can't tell you how many times He has provided even when I doubted and how important it is that we follow the commandments with exactness.  That is something very important that I have been learning here in the mission: obedience with diligence. Family Lopez Monson is a little better.   Ronald drank again he believes that he can't quit and I sat there listening.  If you learn to listen to your investigator and the Spirit,  you'll get an answer for what you should say and that's what happened to me.  I knew what his problem was and also for the family. And I explained it to him that it is upon the rock and  foundation that Satan will have no power over us (Helamen 5´.12) that no matter how bad it is, that if they have a stronger testimony and faith in Christ and God they can always win and I explained what it is that they need to do to have this foundation and it's the simple little things:  reading,  praying ,  going to church.  That's how you can plant the seed and nurture it and afterwards they had the energy again and they said that they are going to try again so hopefully they can. 

But that's it for this week.

Love you all,

Elder Toma