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| The 6 Elders and Sisters in our district |
July 25, 2016
Well it has been a sunny, blue-sky, HOT, week here in Nevada.
But man is life good!
This week we had some really awesome lessons with the Coto
family and a few other investigators. The Coto Family is doing well. They came
to church for the third time in a row yesterday, and they even brought a cousin
and their nephew! Their cousin is just in town for a week with his parents, but
their nephew is named Jose and he is actually moving in with the Coto family
for a month or so. Jose is a young guy YSA-aged, and he loved church!! He
looked and acted like a regular member yesterday at church. It was awesome.
Hermana Coto (the mom) and the two daughters are 100% on board
for baptism on August 13th. Hermano Coto told us Saturday night that he likes
the idea of the church and is grateful for the way the Gospel has blessed his
family even in these past few weeks, but he hasn't felt a spiritual
confirmation that it is true. We
encouraged him to read the Book of Mormon and continue praying about it,
because that is the key.
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| Family Night with the Coto Family (on the right) and the Martinez family!! |
Last night after church we had a Family Night with the Coto
family and another family in the branch that lives close by. It was a lot of
fun! I uploaded a picture of the event. It is so cool to see families reaching
out to other families to support one another. It is also crazy to see how many blessings
come from living the gospel. It teaches us so many great and powerful
principles – even beyond just what you might consider "church-related
stuff".
We were scheduled to have a lesson with Alicia and her family
tomorrow with another family in the branch, but the member family got in a car
wreck yesterday! So we aren't going to be able to teach them tomorrow night.
However, a small miracle happened yesterday at church. Alicia's husband,
Isidrio, came up to us afterwards and said, "We have a few questions and
want to meet with you, can we come to church an hour early next Sunday and have
a talk?" !!!! We were super pumped. So we will update you next week on how
things go. They are certainly warming up to us…we talk together before and
after church and they have two little girls who are really funny. They are a
great family and will be solid members after they are baptized.
The lesson yesterday in Elders Quorum was about sacrifice and I
really enjoyed it. We read the scripture Matt. 16:25,
"For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and
whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it."
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| The entire zone |
On my mission I have seen so many examples of people who have
sacrificed time, money, talents, and themselves for the Lord. One of the
biggest blessings that I have received here in Reno is learning from the
examples of the members. So many members are willing to sacrifice to help us
out, whether it be to feed us, to help us out with rides, or to join us for
lessons. I am SO grateful for all that the members do for us. I remember a few
months ago a member, Brother Mathews, joined us for a few hours in the evening,
and afterwards he mentioned that it was his anniversary!! We were shocked! I
can think of many other times when members sacrificed their time and energy to
come and help us out as the Lord's servants. I am so grateful for all of them.
I know that truly the Lord blesses us when we turn outwards and
serve. Just as the scripture says, when we lose ourselves in the service of
others we really find ourselves. I know that to be true. I hope that I can
follow the example that so many members have shown me, and that I can continue
to serve in whatever way possible.
I love being a missionary. It is not everyday that you get to
wear the Savior's name on your chest. I am grateful for the opportunity that I
have to put it on everyday.
This gospel is real.
I love you guys!
Love,
Elder
Todd
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