Hola Familia y Amigos!!!
Well, I'm Super excited to tell y'all about Marcos! He got baptized and confirmed this Saturday and Sunday! For some reason (I don't know why) he wanted me to both baptize him and confirm him, and I am so thankful to have been a part of Marcos wanting to change his life like this. I'm full of gratitude that I was able to meet him, teach him, and be here to see him get baptized and change and grow so much! I truly have seen/recognized miracle after miracle this week. (I included the word recognized because some of them were miracles that happened a while ago, but that I only recognized this past week).
As far as this week in general has gone, it's been a crazy, busy week. Which is good :) To prepare Marco to get baptized we had to teach him everyday from Monday to Saturday. We really pushed hard to have lessons with him in members home and managed to get a lesson in a member's home every day!! Granted, he lives in a less-active's home, which made that easier, but we had most lessons at other member's homes, and we always had one of our group leaders there with us! And we definitely saw miracles with Marco's progression and growth over that week. He really grew in understanding for a lot of things, in large part, I believe, because of the Spirit that was there because of being in members' homes. We also were able to get an RM, Vanessa Vankatwyk who just got back from a Spanish speaking mission in Texas, to go with us to two other lessons with the 4 kids we're teaching. That was good, it turned out that she already had gone to lessons with them before her mission, and they really loved having her there with us. The kids love learning, and while they have a hard time doing their "homework" they are learning and growing as well. This week we talked about the Gospel of Christ, and talked about baptism and asked if they wanted to be baptized and they really expressed desires to be baptized. We just have to find some way to be able to teach, or at least involve the parents so that the kids can come to church and eventually get baptized. And then a little miracle this week as well, we finally got the sisters' area and investigators on our ipads this week and we used that to stop by some people from that. While looking for an investigator, Maria, that apparently is in Mexico right now, we met Alfonso, her cousin. While he says that he's Catholic and won't change religion, he admitted that he's an alcoholic and that he needs to change that and wants to meet with us to talk about how through Christ he can stop drinking. Unfortunately he leaves for Mexico as well on Thursday, but we're seeing him on Tuesday and it was a great miracle to find him!
Then on Friday I got the disappointing news that I'm getting transferred to Napa. I'm not 100% sure, but I'm pretty sure I'm going to be on bike again. I'm actually pretty excited about that. I really miss biking actually, and I need the exercise! :) My new companion's name is Elder Teran and I don't really know much about him other than he's another native speaker, which will definitely be good for my Spanish. And I'll be going back to a branch and working with the branch all the time, so I'm really hoping to work hard and get my Spanish to be really good there! I'm going to really miss Elder Alcivar, though. He's been a great companion, and a great friend to me. I'm going to miss him, and also Vacaville. There are great, great people here. But I am excited to go to a new area, to meet a new companion, and to go help a new branch and area! I know it's the Lord that wants me there and I will strive to do what the Lord wants me to do there!
I love all y'all. Be sure to remember our Lord and Savior in this time of the Celebration of His Birth!! Think of something everyday that you're grateful he does for you!
-Elder Whitaker
Well, I'm Super excited to tell y'all about Marcos! He got baptized and confirmed this Saturday and Sunday! For some reason (I don't know why) he wanted me to both baptize him and confirm him, and I am so thankful to have been a part of Marcos wanting to change his life like this. I'm full of gratitude that I was able to meet him, teach him, and be here to see him get baptized and change and grow so much! I truly have seen/recognized miracle after miracle this week. (I included the word recognized because some of them were miracles that happened a while ago, but that I only recognized this past week).
As far as this week in general has gone, it's been a crazy, busy week. Which is good :) To prepare Marco to get baptized we had to teach him everyday from Monday to Saturday. We really pushed hard to have lessons with him in members home and managed to get a lesson in a member's home every day!! Granted, he lives in a less-active's home, which made that easier, but we had most lessons at other member's homes, and we always had one of our group leaders there with us! And we definitely saw miracles with Marco's progression and growth over that week. He really grew in understanding for a lot of things, in large part, I believe, because of the Spirit that was there because of being in members' homes. We also were able to get an RM, Vanessa Vankatwyk who just got back from a Spanish speaking mission in Texas, to go with us to two other lessons with the 4 kids we're teaching. That was good, it turned out that she already had gone to lessons with them before her mission, and they really loved having her there with us. The kids love learning, and while they have a hard time doing their "homework" they are learning and growing as well. This week we talked about the Gospel of Christ, and talked about baptism and asked if they wanted to be baptized and they really expressed desires to be baptized. We just have to find some way to be able to teach, or at least involve the parents so that the kids can come to church and eventually get baptized. And then a little miracle this week as well, we finally got the sisters' area and investigators on our ipads this week and we used that to stop by some people from that. While looking for an investigator, Maria, that apparently is in Mexico right now, we met Alfonso, her cousin. While he says that he's Catholic and won't change religion, he admitted that he's an alcoholic and that he needs to change that and wants to meet with us to talk about how through Christ he can stop drinking. Unfortunately he leaves for Mexico as well on Thursday, but we're seeing him on Tuesday and it was a great miracle to find him!
Then on Friday I got the disappointing news that I'm getting transferred to Napa. I'm not 100% sure, but I'm pretty sure I'm going to be on bike again. I'm actually pretty excited about that. I really miss biking actually, and I need the exercise! :) My new companion's name is Elder Teran and I don't really know much about him other than he's another native speaker, which will definitely be good for my Spanish. And I'll be going back to a branch and working with the branch all the time, so I'm really hoping to work hard and get my Spanish to be really good there! I'm going to really miss Elder Alcivar, though. He's been a great companion, and a great friend to me. I'm going to miss him, and also Vacaville. There are great, great people here. But I am excited to go to a new area, to meet a new companion, and to go help a new branch and area! I know it's the Lord that wants me there and I will strive to do what the Lord wants me to do there!
I love all y'all. Be sure to remember our Lord and Savior in this time of the Celebration of His Birth!! Think of something everyday that you're grateful he does for you!
-Elder Whitaker