Karen Baptism!!!

Mom's note:  LOVE THIS LETTER SO MUCH!  

La mejor familia y amigos!

Hace mucho tiempo que no les he visto eh!? I miss all of you so much but thankfully Monday is the only day I have even the slightest amount of time to think about that haha. I hope everything is going great back at home!

What an incredible week in ojo! We now have 11 with a baptisimal date! One of the assistants told me that he told President our numbers from last week and Pres just looked at him with his jaw dropped hahaha. We have been so blessed here, it's crazy this is already our fourth week!

This past saturday we had a baptism for Karen!!! Wow it was such a special day. We had been planning on the next week but it turns out her father decided to give her permission to baptize this past saturday! She has had lessons for over a year with the missionaries, and she has such a strong testimony! Neither of her parents are members but her grandma is. The baptisimal program was so amazing. Karen asked me to baptize her so I had the amazing opportunity to perform the ordinance for her. Now the baptism with Claudia and Maria was great back in Mixquiahuala but this baptism meant a lot more to me. As soon as Karen exitted the water, I could feel that she had walked through the door into the straight and narrow path. It was so real!! I can't even describe the feeling, but of course the power of the spirit was what we were all feeling. Karen and her mom hugged each other crying for minutes after the ordinance. It was so special because Karen had just been waiting for her parents all this time, and now their parents feel the truth of these things too. Karens mom came up to me after the program and told me how much she loved it and how my song touched her heart. I have confidence that she and her husband can get baptized especially since we will be reviewing all the lessons with Karen again. What a special day. Im so glad I was able to play a part as an instrument in the Lords hands in this great covenant that Karen made.

The family Reyes back in Mixquiahuala got baptized this week too! Ana actually asked for me to baptize her but Mixqui is about 10 hours and 1000 pesos roundtrip so that unfortunately wasnt able to work out. So Elder Howell{s kid had the opportunity to perform the ordinance instead, which was great, its all the same work. Im so happy for the family Reyes.

Fernando and Erica are progressing super well! They accepted a date for the 13th of October! They're keeping their commitments really well and they have already read First Nephi TWICE so they can understand it better. They are truly so prepared to accept the gospel. I'm amazed by their faith and their desire to change and follow Jesus Christ. I've never had any investigators like them. They were with some friends the other day when their friends starting drinking and they offered them a beer too but Erica said "No thank you, we found a book that has changed our lives, and we{re not going to drink anymore". WHAT, I'm amazed by them every day. They have gone through so much too. Some serious economic situations and also medical circumstances. About 15 years ago, Erica was involved in a serious car accident. She was pregnant at the time, and the baby didnt survive. But GET THIS, Erica was actually pronounced dead and put in the morg. They had a death certificate for her and everything. Erica told us that she was able to see herself in fetal position in her hospital bed and her husband crying in a different room that she had never been in. She said she also saw a very bright light and heard a voice. But then suddenly she just woke up again! When her husband came in to see her again, the first thing she did was ask him if he was in that room that she had seen. She described the room and the husband was completely shocked and didnt understand how she knew where he was. What an incredible story. She told us about this while we were teaching her the plan of salvation. It really added to the knowledge we have that our spirits return to the spirit world after we die. But Erica's time wasnt quite up yet, she has a purpose here on the Earth and so God gave her another chance. They were so engaged in the lesson and I honestly loved how hard there questions were to answer. They were so into it and they were so grateful at the end of the lesson for the knowledge they have of the plan of salvation.

Im gonna be completely honest and tell you guys that this story definitely reminded me of Harry Potter hahaha when he died but then decided to come back to life to finish his mission. I definitely didnt share this with them lol but its honestly such a similar situation haha.

One of the hermana's didnt have time to give us lunch this week so she gave us 100 pesos to go get our own lunch. So of course we went to Little Caesars on Boulevard Ojo de Agua! Sitting next to us were three white people which are no joke only the second, third, and fourth white people I've seen in my entire mission, except for the other missionaries haha. Naturally I had to ask what they were doing here in Mexico! It turns out they are Baptist pastors and leaders! One of the lady's husband is in charge of the baptist church is all of the state of Mexico and Hidalgo. They were honestly soooo nice and I couldnt get over their southern accents. For some reason I felt like I should schedule an appointment with the one who lives here in Ojo de Agua. Guys, she said yes, and so we{re set to meet with a head Baptist leader in Mexico next week. Hahaha I have no idea what I'm going to say to them but Im excited to get to know them and their views and then share our perspective! You never know what can happen. There were other Baptist pastors around Ojo de Agua that day for a little conference and all of them were full of southern hopsitality and accents. It made me feel so close to my sister Sheri haha. These people are something special.

Guys my kid might need to learn how to ride a bike again. Hahahaha listen to this. You already know he hit a car but theres more. He has ran into a lamppost, he's ran into a wall, and he has ran into ME! hahhaha he totally side swiped me the other day and we both went tumbling down into the middle of the street. It was right next to my house where theres barely any cars, and we didnt get hurt or anything but it was sooo funny. Maybe during Pday, Ill go buy him some training wheels so we can practice. Hahahaha lets just say its been trying my patience when we have a lot of different appointments all day but he goes about as fast as my nephew rides on my segway hahahahaha. Im so used to hauling with Elder Howell and this is just a little step back. Its not a big deal its just funny. Im just trying to teach him by loving him. He'll get that hard work mentality in no time.

Yesterday we had 13 come to church! It was an entire army! And it was so amazing because most were able to stay for all three hours, and during the second hour we had a little extra time towards the end of the meeting and Fernando started baring his testimony of the gospel to all of the other investigators! He has such a powerful testimony and he was able to strengthen the other investigators with their personal trials. Once again, Fernando and Erica are unbelievable and I'm so glad Hermana Isabel introduced us to them. Also on sunday, Karen was confirmed with the Holy Ghost! She already feels so comfortable in the church because she already has all her little friends in Young Women. Now we just need to work with her parents haha.

One of my favorite scriptures is Matthew 16:25 where it says "For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; and whosoever shall lose his life for my sake shall find it." There seems to be so many Oxy Morons in the gospel and its honestly so intriguing. The more humble you are, the more powerful you are. The more poor you are in your heart, the more rich God can make your testimony. And that if you lose your life for Gods sake, you will actually find it. This has given me comfort during my mission. That if I just forget myself and go to work, I will come to know myself and my potential as a son of God. I know this scripture can guide all of you guys as well. Do your very best to lose yourself in the service of others. Follow all the commandments, read the scriptures, go to church, and do all the little things! A couple chapters later in Matthew 23:12 it says "And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and whosoever shall humble himself shall be exalted." So let us all be humble and follow Jesus Christ so we can receive the blessings of exaltation. I love you all so much!

Estamos en contacto, les amo!

Elder Millard