Sanderson
Family,
3/18/20
Another
awesome baptism this week! haha Things are going great and the work is moving
forward here in Rio Bravo. One of our investigators named Santa Cestou told us
that we needed to move her original baptismal date (the 24th) back a week
because she had to go out of town on some emergency trip for the school
district. I don't like moving dates back because it gives Satan more time to
create doubts in their head. So after saying a silent prayer as what we might
do, we invited her to be baptized the next morning at church. haha She was a
little nervous but eagerly accepted. It was an awesome service! I'll attach
some pictures. Santa is probably the most prepared person that I have ever
taught. She never missed a lesson, and kept every single commitment. She has
such a good desire to serve and she is already asking when she can come out to
lessons with us. I'm so grateful for her and the wonderful blessing she is to
us and the branch here. Haha she always refers to Elder Wilding and I as
"her angels". After her baptism we asked how she felt, she said that
she felt so light haha and then went on to explain that it was probably because
of all the filth she left in the water. Hard to believe that this woman has
sinned at all haha she is such a saint.
The only
damper on the week is that Robert Mungia has asked us to stop coming by. About
9:30 p.m. on Thursday night we get a call from his wife (who is a member)
telling us that Robert has really been smoking the entire time and just been
lying to us because he didn't want to let us down. She then explained that he
needed more time and in the meantime he has asked that we don't go by. As you
can imagine this was heart breaking news for Elder Wilding and I. Ever since I
had arrived in Laredo I have been working with Bro. Mungia. The progress has
been slow but he has slowly been progressing. He was looking great to get
baptized this weekend. It was disheartening to know that if only we had
followed up better on the smoking, this problem wouldn't have existed. When we
would follow up and ask him about the smoking, he would just tell us great. I
felt the impressions to dig more, but I ignored them, now I realize it was the
Spirit trying to guide us. Its the worst feeling knowing that you have ignored
a prompting and not acted upon it.
The
experience with Brother Mungia has really made me focus my studies lately
around the Spirit. At many times in our lives we feel the impression to say
something, but we retrain ourselves for a number or reasons. I believe most of
the time it is because of fear, and in the case of Bro. Mungia, fear of
disappointment...on both ends. Not following the Holy Ghost will always lead to
regret. This awesome quote that I carry around with my in my scriptures has
really helped me overcome the fear sometimes accompanied with following the
promptings of the Spirit.
"Real life is a funny thing you know. In
real life, saying the right thing at the right moment is beyond crucial. So
crucial in fact, that most of us start to hesitate for fear of saying the wrong
thing at the wrong time. But lately, what I have begun to fear more than that,
is letting the moment pass by without saying anything. I think you deserve to
look back on your life without this chorus of resounding voices saying, 'I
could have, but it's too late now'. So there is a time for silence, and there
is a time for waiting your turn. But if you know how you feel, and you so
clearly know what you need to say, you'll know it. I don't think you should
wait. I think you should Speak Now." - Taylor Swift
May we be
able to look back on our lives with the sweet satisfaction knowing we never let
fear restrict us from the guidance of our loving Heavenly Father. I hope all is
well!
con amor,
Elder
Craig Sanderson
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