Hello Family and Friends!
It's starting to really heat up here in Altamirano. Every
time I mention the heat to people here they just start laughing and say,
"This is nothing Guero (their word for white boy), just wait until April
and May come around." I am literally terrified. They say that during the
height of the heat it gets to be about 120 degrees. Luckily the new house we
moved into has air conditioning (it's a luxury here in Mexico)!
Impressions of Mexico!
1) Valentine's Day in Mexico is called The Day of Love and
Friendship. I sort of like the title a little more here.
We are going to have a baptism this week in Altamirano! Her
name is Luz María. It has been such a blessing to teach her. She's actually a
reference from President Kusch. He came here to Altamirano in September and
felt inspired to stay in a different hotel. When he asked a worker in the hotel
where he thought a good place to eat was, the worker referred him to the restaurant
that she owns. When Elder Millan and I arrived, President Kusch told us that we
should go contact her. I love her so much. She has so much faith. She will be
such a strong blessing for this little branch. She has a desire to serve the
members and has already accompanied us to teach other investigators and invites
people to go to church and to meet with us every time that she gets the chance.
Things that at the beginning she told us that she would never even consider she
has now committed to do (close her restaurant on Sundays to honor the Sabbath
for example). The Spirit changes the hearts of people. I feel so joyful. I love
baptisms. They are such beautiful moments. These precious sons and daughters of
God show that they are willing to leave their old lives
behind. That they have repented and that they are willing to remember the
Savior, keep the commandments, and serve others. Truly beautiful. And
absolutely necessary as well.
We are working really well as a companionship. We are both
motivated and we have seen a lot of miracles as we have acted in faith and
followed the Spirit. One example of that happened this week. We were going over
our plans in the morning during our studies and a less-active sister suddenly
popped into my mind that we had visited a long time ago but that had expressed
0 interest in returning. When we arrived at her house, she told us that it was
a miracle that we had found her because she had decided that morning to not go
to work. We started visiting with her and everything seemed completely normal.
There was a moment of silence and then I felt inspired to ask her "And how
have you been spiritually?" She opened up and told us about some serious
difficulties and suffering that her family had experienced recently. As she
did, she cried. I felt the Spirit very strongly. I felt a lot of love for her.
When we follow the Holy Ghost everything turns out alright. I know that that is
true. She is now more willing to return to church.
So many people suffer in this world. I won't go into
details, but I just want to say that so many horrible things are happening in this world. Without a knowledge of God, the
Savior, and the Plan of Salvation, this world would seem very hopeless and very
dark for so many. I know that God is real and that he loves us. I know that
everything that is unfair about this life can be made right through the
Atonement of Christ. I know that it is hard sometimes. Sometimes we feel so
alone and we feel that it is unfair. I felt that way when I arrived here in
Altamirano. At the beginning I felt that it was so unfair. But yesterday,
hearing Luz María say that she knows that this church is true and that she is
ready to make a covenant with God by being baptized, I realized why I have been
here for so long. God is fighting for his chosen sons and daughters. As I knelt
in prayer yesterday I just told him "Thank You". And that I will
never doubt him or his plans again. Everything has been alright. Better than
alright. Things have been perfect because they have been the way that God has
wanted them to be.
I love you all so much.
Elder Nielsen
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