C. Se Bautiza!

 Hola todos!!

As you can see by the very creative title line, C. got baptized this week! It was really great because he really has changed a lot since the first time we met him. Apparently his family is coming soon from Mexico City too and he says he is already working with them so they can be baptized here with him. The baptism was going to be on Saturday night but when we got to the stake center there wasn't any water.... We had to just call it off and wait for after the services to baptize him on Sunday. The only bad thing was that he'll have to wait until next sacrament meeting to be confirmed. He is a really great guy though!

This week we had a really neat experience with a family we are teaching. The family situation is a bit complicated: single mom M. with her two sons A. and H., her sister N. and her newborn daughter, and M.'s 18 year old daughter with her 3 year old daughter.... The Family; a Proclamation is definitely applicable here, right? Anyways.... we found them because A. is a good friend of our ward mission leader's son and he always wants us to visit them. The other night we were verifying to see if they had read the Book of Mormon and when they told us they hadn't, we decided it would be best to read it with them. We decided to read 3 Nefi 11 and we slowly analyzed the whole story and what was happening. Suddenly, H.touched his chest and said, "What is this that I'm feeling?" He along with his little brother and aunt commented to us that they felt different and when they described to us the feelings, we told them that it was they Holy Ghost. The more we talked about it, the more the spirit was felt in the room. It was really neat! They weren't able to go to church yesterday but we're hoping that this next week they can be able to go. They definitely could benefit from the gospel. 

We also had a zone conference this week that was pretty good. I like seeing my buddies from other areas.  The picture I am sending is of all the elders from the three zones and Pres. and Sister Garcia. It was their grandson's 7th birthday so they decided to send him a picture of his "heroes." 

 

The area that we are in right now is really growing pretty quickly and because of the distance from the church (the division lines here are really weird) we are trying to talk to the stake president to see what we can do. Unfortunately there are a few families that would go to church but most have to take two buses, something that they can't afford, especially with families of 6 or 7. In other areas, they split the ward as far as Sunday meetings but just have one counselor that sees the divided area and the Bishop watches over the two areas. That is what they did in Hunucmá and so we're trying to see what can be done here in Villas Del Oriente. It would be very awesome to have a house of prayer. Something like that would really open things up here even more. I understand however that there are more technical things that have to be seen and for that we're just going to talk to the Stake Pres. about it to see what he thinks.

Well my dears, I hope you all have a superb week and that you're all singing Christmas songs loud for all to hear! 

Con amor, 

Elder Jaussi

Sea feliz, sea Mormon

November 18 Through December 9, 2013

Elder Jaussi has had some amazing experiences in the last few weeks.  He has seen several people be baptized and even had the opportunity to give a name and a blessing to little boy of a newly-baptized member.  He and Elder C. have also been blessed with investigators attending church and having the assistance of members in their area. 

On Nov. 18 he said, "I must say that I really am enjoying myself and even though the mission honestly is still something that is really hard for me, I feel like I have forces that I never had before.  I know where they come from too.  I have been, as Isaiah says, 'borne on eagles' wings'.....I know honestly that God only requires our best effort, not a perfect one.  Every day I try to do my best to thank Him for letting me enjoy the ride and realize that He blesses us always but only on HIS time."

He said that the members tend to call me "Elder Jacinto" because they get stuck between Elder Juicy, Jasi, Howsee and some even tend to give up when they see my name and just look at me like 'Is this some kind of joke, kid?'....We are working on the pronunciation though, because I'd rather be remembered as Howsee or Jasi..."

Members in their area that really help with the work

 An early Thanksgiving dinner with new member, A., her husband, F. and D., the baby that Elder Jaussi was able to bless

 Going to church

 The Elders removed the temptation for an investigator as she came to accept the Word of Wisdom.  Here Taylor holds the contraband along with a "Palabra de Sabiduria" pamphlet.

 Their "turkey bowl"

 One of their investigators, C., who joined them for football.

J. T., a member in Merida

  Elder Jaussi had this to say when he sent the photo below:  

It really was a great week this week. We were able to baptize E. and her three kids and it was grrrrreat!! All of her kids were so excited and so was E.. [She] got baptized first with all of her kids and even her husband watching. Then, her kids went one by one.  The smallest son kept saying "Me next, me next!" but we waited to baptize him last. L.L., who lives two doors down from them baptized them all and it was really neat. He and his wife have been good friends with them for a long time and they were happy to finally see them get baptized. B., the wife of L., was a really good help for E. the whole time we were teaching her. Now, we are working with her husband but that could take a little while longer... Faith though, right?? 

The spirit was really strong when E. was baptized. This was something she has wanted to do for a long time but because of a strong [religion in her] family, she has always been scared to do it. Now whenever we see her you can really tell a difference. She smiles a whole lot more and she is always so happy to see us. She really is a good example of how the gospel can change people.  Elder C. and I also sang "I'm trying to be like Jesus" in Spanish and English.

"I can see a rainbow, see a rainbow...."

 A pretty sky over Merida

 Saying good-by to fellow missionary, Elder H. who was completing his mission