24th Week--February 20-26, 2012

Missionary Work

          We have been meeting with Jaime Olazava every week since the 20^th of October.  As we have read the Book of Mormon with him we have asked him several times if he feels ready to be baptized and he always says, “not yet.”  We have read and discussed all the scriptures about Christ in the Book of Mormon with him.  This week we reviewed (I am using “we” rather loosely as Dale has done all the teaching in Spanish) the revelation in 2 Nephi 25:19 about Christ’s birth 600 years after Lehi & family left Jerusalem.  In Alma 7:10-12 we reviewed his thoughts on the atonement  and discussed 2Nephi 31:4-7 about the baptism of the “Lamb of God” & that everyone (including Jaime) needs to follow His example and be baptized.  In Mosiah 18:7-11 we read about Alma baptizing at the waters of Mormon, and Dale ended with Alma 13:27-29 about not procrastinating the day of your repentance.  Dale told him that the desire of his heart is for Jaime to not delay his baptism (delay is the Spanish translation of procrastination in the Book of Mormon.)  Jaime said he will pray and think seriously about it and he would have his answer next Friday when we meet with him.  We are praying and fasting for him today.  He came to church today with his family (he has always driven himself before because they a living apart for now) and stayed all three hours.  Victoria, Jaime’s wife, came up to Connie and asked if she would be Victoria’s escort when she goes through the temple!  She has an appointment with Bishop Estrada this Wednesday. What a compliment for Connie. However Victoria definitely needs someone who speaks better Spanish to help her. We definitely  are planning on being there when she does take out her own endowments.

          We also met with Jorge Arzu and read out of the Book of Mormon with him.  He is concerned and worried about his 17 year old daughter, Leslie.  Dale suggested that they start having family prayer and Dale taught Jorge the basic steps of prayer. We both (Dale first in Spanish and then Connie in English) explained the importance of being positive and mentioning the good things his children are doing while saying the family prayer. Jorge said he was going to start having family prayer that very evening.  He closed our lesson saying the prayer himself.  We had met with him twice this week and he asked us to come for the third time Friday (He is out of work.)  He later had to cancel because of a work possibility.  We are meeting with him again this Wednesday.

          We also met with Carlos and Laura Escalante.  We started teaching about the verses in the Book of Mormon about Christ.  We had a nice visit with them and they invited us back.  She made us some delicious fresh blueberry muffins.  She is a very good cook.  The elders are starting to teach them the lessons!!

We had a few discouraging weeks but this week was very encouraging and uplifting.  Senior missionaries should not be afraid of proselyting missions.  They are an experience of a lifetime.