Prison

Alright, so the reason I couldn't write Monday was because of election this weekend.  We weren't aloud to leave the house, but in the end it was a useless precaution because nothing happened at all.  But that's a relief.  We were in the house for three days!  ugh... almost went crazy.

I achieved some personal goals this week, finishing the New Testament and Doctrine and Covenants.  Now I'm sprinting the finish on the Old Testament so that I will have read all the canonized scripture in my mission.  I didn't think I was going to meet that goal, but things recently changed with three days of free time...

We found a new family whose head is named Elmer.  He met the missionaries in the states, and didn't remember much of the message.  But now he's very receptive and is progressing very well.  He read more than we assigned him, and he seems like a young father with an unusually high maturity level.  He seems very excited about the gospel, and is very easy to teach.  We contacted him while avoiding a drunk of the street (giving him time to pass by).  God works in mysterious ways!

Juan and Bessy are running into some serious Satan problems, because Satan knows that they're going to be killer members.  I expect that this is normal.  They'll beat it.  

Pedro and Guillermina are also having some issues (not with each other or anything).  It just looks like their progression toward baptism is going to take longer than we thought.

Carlos and Neydi are on the brink of baptism, but the problem was that the mom was being super attacked by a pastor (that happens to be a seek and destroy missile that attacks almost all of our investigators!).  He doesn't like us.  So we read the Book of Mormon with her one day then taught her the restoration yesterday.  She loves it!  haha.  She was constantly working in the school, so she never listened to us before.  Now she's on board and committed to go to church this week!  haha.  I love the gospel!  The Spirit changes hearts!!!

I also had time this week to write a great talk on the power of the Spirit in conversion, so I may send that to you all.  But I may just use it for my homecoming... haha.

Love,

Elder Thalman

People

I love these people!  This week was so full of cool stuff.

This week was full of miracles. Yesterday after church we, my comp. and I, were both just full of the Spirit. We found ten newbies and all of them accepted baptism in the first visit. I don´t know what the difference was, but for some reason just asking God for charity seems to be finally working. I felt a great love for these people yesterday, and they all seemed to understand the simple concept of pray to know, then act on the response. If the answer is yes, get baptized. It was awesome.

We found three jovenes a couple days ago. We explained to them the Book of Mormon and put an appointment. Yesterday we found the three in the same place, and then their friends all started showing up. Everyone seemed at least a little interested in the message. We started to get to know them, and soon we had ourselves a formidable crowd. I felt really impressed to take advantage of the fact that we had them all really focused and explain the Restoration. We started like normal, but they were all sitting on a wall, and we were standing, basically preaching to them. It was really cool, and the Spirit was strong. We challenged them to baptism and put return visits with them all.  I felt like Dan Jones!

Juan and Bessy are going to get there.  We´re just being patient, but they are so ready.  They both went to church, and loved it.  They are so cool.  Their little boy is the best too!  He´s so funny.

Pedro and Guillermina still don´t get the need to be baptized, but they´re going to church and asking if it´s all true.  But she can´t read and he´s just not doing it.  But we´re going to have the members assigned this week to do that with them.  It´s the really lack honestly. (?)

Our recent convert Iris got kicked out of her house for being baptized.  Tragic.  She lives with a totally bi-polar mom, so she´s going to live with her grandparents I think.  It´s a little in the air still, but she went to church and her little boy (2) was a stud in his shirt and tie.  haha.  He seemed better behaved dressed that way.  Note to self for when I have kids...

I really can´t write everything, but things are moving forward here, and the members feel it. I love and thank you all for letters and love.

Elder Thalman

Growth Unabated

This week we had some great success. Mostly, our baptism that we thought had fallen through came through in the end, and she was baptized after the conference on Sunday.  Iris.  She was very excited, and there were so many people at the baptism, that not everyone fit. In total, 13 investigators were present as well, which I think will help all of them progress. All the members were impressed with her testimony that she gave after the baptism.

We have two really good couples that we´re preparing for marriage and baptism. Pedro and Guillermina went to church together this last week, and exercised a lot of faith to do so. They are just beyond happy with us as missionaries, and we´re trying to redirect that enthusiasm towards the gospel itself. We´re receiving great help from the members, and there are several great possibilities for the coming weeks ahead.

Bessy and Juan have begun praying together every night and have decided to get married. This is the fourth time in my mission that I have seen a couple with "marriage problems" (in quotes because they´re not really married) resolve them lighting quick through family prayer. I have never seen a single case where a couple actually prayed together for more than a week and didn´t immediately chose to get married. It´s a miracle! This gospel really does work!

As a missionary I feel like I have been growing so much, and I can´t explain.  This prayer thing really really works.  This Tuesday in district meeting I think I had one of the most powerful experiences that I´ve ever had.  That feels like three weeks ago!

But words just don´t do it.  The Spirit was there, there were major tears shed, and humility was made manifest in people I never expected to see it from.  I testify that the power of Godliness truly is manifest in the gospel, and that the Spirit is that power that makes us God-like.  That third member of the Godhead truly is one of the greatest gifts.

Love,

Elder Thalman

My go home date has changed

Although a lot of people used their agency poorly this Sunday, we have a lot of great investigators.  I´m learning the difference between recognizing bad choices and separating those from the people themselves.  Their faith is tender, and we just have to help them grow it. 
Most of the young men (majority of our investigators) have exams and study groups taking over their lives.  We´re still going to work hard this week, find news, and advance with those that keep progressing. 
Our baptism this week fell through because she got sick and didn´t go to church.  Sometimes I ask myself why these things happen.  My expectations I think are unrealistic at times while working with imperfect people.  It´s a good thing that God doesn´t expect me to be...

The big news this week is that my go home date has changed.  It´s not Dec 10th, but now is January 23rd.  I´m sorry for the disappointment that may cause some of you, but please know that this is God´s will, and all these things will work out in the end.  I will enroll in BYU later.

We had several miracles this week!  I think that some gospel principles this week have penetrated my heart this last week like never before.  One is the miracle of the Gospel in changing the hearts of men.  I don´t know why, but I´m really starting to understand that (more for personal experiences than with investigators).  Change can happen, and that´s incredibly humbling to me. 

Prayer has truly become a real communication for me, and I think that´s why God waited to tell me to extend the mission until know. 

Yesterday I was feeling a lot of human weaknesses in my heart (mostly impatience), and once again I could feel direct and specific answers in the form of inspiration come to my mind as I prayed to God for help.  It´s something that´s never been quite so real before.  It´s almost instantaneous sometimes.  On that subject, I think that extending the mission (the decision) has been one of the greatest growing experiences of my life.  After finalizing the decision, I could recognize the confirming peace of the Spirit.  Looking back, I´m not sure why it was such a hard decision, but I´m glad God took the time to teach me the lesson.

Our couple that we´re teaching is great.  They are getting their partida from Colón themselves, and taking care of all the paper work themselves as well.  They even are trying to see if they can pull some strings to meet their Nov 16th date for baptism. 

Carlos and his sister received Spiritual witnesses this week that the Book of Mormon is true.  A miraculous experience for a boy who said, "I don´t have the faith to receive an answer."  The Gospel changes hearts!

I love you all, and hope you enjoyed Halloween.  I pray that the Gospel of Christ can be as real for you in your lives as it has become in mine.  Please make it the center.  The best way to do so is to share it.  No amount of study has been able to shape me as having to help others.  That´s the true Gospel.  Love in action.  Service and longsuffering for those we love.

Elder Thalman