This week was a great week. We really focused on meeting with Fernanda and her family all this week to help her prepare for her baptism. One night we met with them in the house of a member. She is so outgoing with the gospel and has been learning so much that she already acts as though she is one of the veteran members here from Ixhuatan! We love it , but more than anything I have been truly humbled by the experiences that she has and the testimony that she shares with us in each visit. Seeing the change in others truly changes us. This week Fernanda's  family and many others filled the church house here in Ixhuatan and for the first time ever in our pueblito we ran out of chairs because there were too many people:) After the sacrament meeting we jammed into some cars and traveled down the mountain and had the baptismal service for Fernanda. It was super spiritual, everything went smoothly! I know that as we put our trust in the Lord and turn our will over to him, he will help us change. It is taught me that when we hear others testimonies our testimonies grow. The most important testimony is that of example. In Matthew it says: 

14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.

 15 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.

 16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

Fernanda told us that she was baptized because of this example! I am grateful for the examples that I have in my life and I hope that each of you can focus on being the light in the lives of others this week.

Love you all! 

Elder B.

Dear Grant,

It was so wonderful and fulfilling to speak with you Sunday, on Mother's day. The best Mother's day present ever. You look so good. in fact you saw Angie's comment, she wants your diet, she says you look thin. If anything you are on the thin side not the chunky. I think you look great!  You seemed happy and so focused on the following the Savior. Thank you for reminding us and inviting us to act.

Last night Erin had an end of school year pool party here for some of her friends. Dad did a lot of work to clean the pool and have the yard looking nice. Her friends were respectful and nice. I think it was a success, everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves. They swam, roasted smores, ate hamburgers and some watched a movie projected on the man-cave wall. I bought a Costco cake for desert and we had half of the cake left over. I wrapped some of the cake up and put in the freezer, the rest I took to church with me. I wanted to have treats for the YM/YW after the last hour. I went to look get the cake last hour out of the fridge in the church kitchen and it was gone! Someone stole the cake. I thought it was dad playing a joke, so I went to the clerk's office and asked him where it was hiding the cake, and he said he didn't know anything about it and so we went scouring the church for the thieves.  We concluded the culprits were the ward before us. Dad called the bishop of the ward and the bishop told him he would try to get to the bottom of it. Funny, but sad that someone rationalized, stole and took the cake!!!!!!!!

Tonight I walked to the ledge that over looks Sand Cove reservoir behind the Brooks home. It was a perfect sunset. Because of the recent rains there are more flowers in bloom this year; the cactus, creeping phlox and sweet peas in between the rocks on the over look---so pretty. I have a stash of water bottles there, it is a sweet set up. 

 

How did the baptism for Fernanda go?

Scripture for the week I am ponderizing on: And now, as the preaching of the word had a great tendency to lead the people to do that which was just—yea, it had had more powerful effect upon the minds of the people than the sword, or anything else, which had happened unto them—therefore Alma thought it was expedient that they should try the virtue of the word of God. Alma 31:5