77: Sonsonate 14

Hola familia!

How's it going?

So this week has been busy.  It's really interesting being district leader.  There's only one other area in my district, but they're both pretty new missionaries and really have no idea what they're doing...they usually have like 4 or 5 lessons a day...which is terrible.  So I've been working very hard to help them out.  It's been cool.  I feel like I've been working harder and following Preach My Gospel so well lately.  It just feels awesome.  I get along really well with my companion, Elder Govea, and it's been a lot of fun.  We've enjoyed it a lot. 

On Sunday we brought a woman named N. to church.   She loved it.  We returned later that day to her house and asked her what she felt and what she had to do.  Her answer was very simple.  She said, "get baptized."  "Yep.  That's right.  So will you get baptized this 21st of July?"  "Yeah."   Wow.  That's freakin' awesome (was my response in my head).  It was way sweet.  I have worked so hard in this area, harder than any other.  I've already contacted about every house in my area at least once, but we're still finding news.  So yeah, we're gonna baptize this woman.

On Tuesday I went on interchanges with Sonsonate (the other area in my district).  We worked hard, put two dates, and had 9 lessons.  It was a way sweet day, but then they didn't really do any follow up, and the dates fell.....Grrrr.  That area is so awesome, one of the best in the mission.  If they work hard there, they could baptize so many!  So I'm going to keep working with them.

Really, I just love the mission.  It is so awesome.  I feel like the end is coming up really quickly, and I don't want it to come.  Now that I am following closer than ever Preach My Gospel, I'm happier than I've ever been.  Yeah, sometimes it sucks to contact in the hot sun, and a lot of people lie to us, but it is just so cool to work in the Lord's vineyard.  I love it.  We have so many spiritual experiences, and that's what counts.  The reason people get baptized is for their spiritual experiences.  When you feel the spirit, it changes you.  You really become a light to others.  That's what makes us better people.  You should all look for spiritual experiences.  It doesn't matter where.  If you listen with the spirit, God can teach you so much, even if it is in a boring sacrament meeting.  Do things the Lord's way, and give Him your best.  Sometimes it doesn't make sense, but that is where we find happiness. Learn to love people.  Don let petty things get in your way.  God has a plan for each one of us, and if we've fallen off track, we can always get back on, no matter how far we are. That's why we have the atonement.  That's the good news we teach.  It makes us happy. So just have faith and believe.

Here in the mission I've heard a lot of stories and a lot of gossip about people who have had hard times in their lives.  In almost all the cases, it's because they weren't keeping the commandments.  That's when things got really hard.  But if we keep the commandments, we're safe.  If we keep the commandments, we are happy.  The bishop in this ward is a good example.  I respect him a lot.  He has a really hard job, not a lot of money, but does as he should.  He has a wife and 2 kids, and is honestly the big brother of the ward.  Everyone always goes to him for answers because he's always on the path.  Life is hard for him, but he's happy.

The mission really is the best thing you can do.  God blesses us so much.  It's really hard, but it's worth it.  Well, those are my two cents for the day.  I love this Gospel.

Elder Bailey