Dusty's Email -- 12/1/08

Familia

This past week went well. We worked real hard and are still seeing success. We've hit a couple of trials with a few of our investigators. They want to be baptized but their families are really Catholic and take it as an insult that they are even listening to us. There was another lady that her husband always listened to our messages and seemed like he really supported his wife, but when we talked about baptism, and her baptism, he butted in before her and gave an excuse about how his whole family is Catholic and all the problems that might occur. We didn’t even ask him because we knew he wasn’t interested. Anyways, she got scared and said that she didn’t want to get baptized. We are working with her and the others and trying to teach them away from their families, like at church. So we'll see. We've made goals to baptize them this week, but we'll see if they can put enough trust in the Lord or not.

Everything is well here in Neza. My companion and I are still having struggles and we talked about it during our planning session because there is a part where you talk about your relationship and all. I brought up everything and he kind of just brushed it aside with laughter and a few jokes. But the last couple days since have been better. So I’m hoping his laughter and jokes were his way of trying to hide the guilt or something. We're still working together and all is well.

Mom, thanks for including me in your festivities this last weekend. I’m excited to get the package. Again thanks for the last one. The socks I needed and the toothbrush too. All the snacks are almost gone. I’m still working on the Jujyfruits. I was going to try and save the Reisens till Christmas but that desire lasted about 2 days. haha.

Well I’m glad that all is well despite the protests and the things that the gay rights supporters did. Its kind of getting that way here. The guy that I’ve told you about that is stuck here, that is from LA, is totally against the gay rights movement, and there are some here and he's always arguing with them and harassing them. It’s not the way to handle it. but ya........!

So Thanksgiving passed here and it was just a normal day for all. yeah. That stunk. haha. But that’s funny that you met Berlyn... she was in the physics class with Mike and I. So we know her pretty well.

I taught Gospel Principles for the first time yesterday. Like the whole hour in Spanish. It was about repentance. Usually I’d make comments or something, but yesterday I taught the whole class and we had a discussion. It was so awesome. I had people come up after and compliment me and said that they enjoyed the class and are looking forward to next week. So the pressure is on. haha. No really, the Lord has blessed me.

Also yesterday, during church the meeting began and we went to sing the first song and I noticed that the pianist wasn’t there. so...yeah...I went up and played the rest of the song and actually the whole meeting. People were really impressed because they didn’t know that I played. There is a lady that has the assignment to play. They also liked it a lot because the lady doesn’t play the songs with any emotion, and I did. Especially the last one, “Praise to the Man”. I love to belt that one out, and it should be, because it’s a song of praise. So now I’m going to play for the Christmas program.

One more thing....this last week we talked to the lady that is in charge of the food for the missionaries and she told us some names of people that don’t really want to, or can’t, feed the missionaries. There was one family, converts of a year or so, and they haven’t fed us since about September. It is because there was a problem with them and my first companion Elder Mora. I remember the problem and everything.

We've been talking to them and trying to help them feel okay to invite us over again. We found out yesterday that we're going to eat with them. During the meeting the husband kept joking with my comp and me. . .and the Lord has blessed us. I hope their thoughts of the missionaries are restored to being good ones.

Well I’m sad to hear about all the lights and all that going up because I do miss it. I see it here, and at Wal-Mart today I heard Christmas music, and ugh....wanted to cry...but we press on.

Love
Elder Howard