Sanderson
Family,
05/06/2013
Crazy
that another week has already flown by and I get to write to you all again!
Hope everything is awesome at home and things are going smooth. I am super
jealous though of the snow you have been receiving Here in Laredo its been up in the 100s most
of the time.
So a
little update on some of our investigators getting baptized this month. The
Robles Family (Francisca, Stephanie, Emily, and Rudulfo) came to church this
weekend and loved testimony meeting. Francisca is super emotional and so I
don't think here eyes were dry for the entire 3 hours. The family has caught
the flame of testimony and are progressing well towards their baptism. We are
trying to move their date up to the 19th but that's still undecided. The rest
of the family is actively involved in mutual and other church auxiliaries. Que
Padre!
The
Villarreal family is still doing great but not progressing nearly as quickly as
we would have hoped. Problems with the drug cartels have re-surfaced and so
having lessons with them is still very difficult. Saturday night someone threw
rocks through their windows and so they spent the night in the police station
for safety. President Trayner has asked that we stay away for a few days. We
have been reading the Book of Mormon with them over a secure telephone line and
so that has been wonderful. Miguel has such great desires for his family. They
have been through a lot and they so desperately need the Restored Gospel. They
love the Book of Mormon and the peace it brings to their lives. This experience
has really brought to life the scripture, "the pleasing word of God...the
word which healeth the wounded soul." (Jacob 2: 8)
This week
we combined with the Corpus Christi and Sinton Zones to celebrate Cinco de
Mayo. After the dinner Elder Sanchez (my zone leader) and I gave a training. He
did his part and then I was asked to give a brief explanation of what this
holiday was and then tried to tie it into missionary work. I think the
information is accurate, haha I just asked members and this is what they told
me. aqui esta
Today is Cinco de Mayo!
Some erroneously believe that this date is the Mexican Independence Day,
but that is incorrect (Sept. 16). For
our Mexican brothers and sisters, Cinco de Mayo remembers the unlikely story of
the outmanned and under armed victory of the Mexican army in 1862 over the
vastly superior French forces that controlled the city of Puebla in south
central Mexico. The victory represented a significant morale boost to the
Mexican army and the Mexican people. The
battle at Puebla established a much-needed sense of national unity and
patriotism. The French, however, did not
give up. The French had not lost a
battle in nearly fifty years. While
future battles over a period of the next five years would determine the future
of Mexico against the occupying French troops, the battle on May 5, 1862
prepared the hearts and minds of the Mexican people to win.
We as missionaries can find ourselves sometimes in a battle
against what seems to be a superior force.
It takes us days, sometimes week, to find a great investigator to
teach. Seemingly within minutes of our
great discovery, the forces of the adversary are at work. They soon discover our treasured and much
loved investigator. Anti-Mormon
literature and internet postings, family pressure, doubts, and temptations seem
to find their way to our precious lambs within moments of leaving them. These tender lambs, whose knowledge and
testimonies are so fragile, are attacked from all fronts by the adversary. Many, unfortunately, do not survive. Our hearts break as we observe fulfillment of
Alma’s
statement that “wickedness never
was happiness” (Alma 41:10.)
As we witness the after effects of the adversary’s
efforts, we may at times think that our battle is too hard and our chances for
victory too small. We too, then begin to
fill the buffetings of the adversary. If
he can “break”
our spirits and determination, he wins.
We must not let this happen.
One hundred fifty one years ago today on the hills
surrounding the city of Puebla, an army of men and women stood on the
battlefield. That day the future of a
great nation would be determined. That
future was determined first in the minds and hearts of those who stood to do
battle against seemingly overwhelming odds.
In similar fashion, we too must realize that so very much
is at stake each day in the battles we wage as the army of God in South
Texas. Unlike, the tiny Mexican army
that assembled that day, we stand nearly 70,000 strong throughout the
world. Our ranks are ever increasing in
this the greatest season ever for missionary work. We have been called by The King of King and
Lord of Lords, even the Prince of Peace, to battle for the hearts and minds of
our brothers and sisters. It is
something we covenanted to do before the foundation of the earth. We have done it before and exhibited “exceeding
faith and good works” (see Alma
13:1-5). In truth, in this latter-day
battle, we are never outmanned nor under armed.
God has promised us that we will never be outmanned nor under armed in
this the greatest battle that has ever been waged. The promises of God are true.
We then
ended the night with some hispanic dancing and some music. It was a lot of fun!
Ok mom
this friday I will call you and set up a time with you Sunday night of when I
will call you. Expect the call on Friday to be around 9. Thanks again for all
you do! Feliz dia de madre mi mama!
les amo,
Elder
Sanderson
Texas McAllen Mission
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