A Baptism This Week!

Hey family! 

How are ya?  Well, things are going great here in good old Barrio Colombia.  It has been interesting this past week.  My companion was sick and we missed 3 working days in our area.  But, one of the zone leaders was also sick and since we live in the same house, we just went on exchanges a couple of days in their area.  I must say, I like our area a lot more.  Their area is so bland.  It's super tiny but it has a TON of people in it.  All it is people and nasty dogs.  Anyways, we didn't get a whole lot of time in our area but we still seemed to have some good success. 

Anyways, we're going to have a baptism this Saturday!  I'm so excited!  Our area hasn't had a baptism in 8 months!  Her name is Ingrid Lopez and she is 21 years old.  We're going to be holding the baptismal service at 4 o'clock this Saturday.  We printed off flyers and stuff yesterday at church and were handing them out to everyone.  Plus, the ward gave us a 100 Quet (12 dollar) porsupuesto for to buy refreshments.  That's enough to feed like 50 people here.  =)  Needless to say, we are super excited!  Oh and plus, I get to wear my baptism tie!  =D

We made a baptismal date with Soraida Villatoro and her son this week for September 3rd.  It's really nice to be finding these people and seeing the work progress finally in our ward.  The ward is still definitely weak, but I think that these couple of baptisms will get them excited to know that the people really are prepared.  Soraida is such a strong lady.  Satan is really working on her and giving her some super hard challenges.  She was offered a job the day after we taught her the first time and she told them no because she would have to work on Sunday.  Now she doesn't have a job and is super poor.  But, there is going to be a job fair in the next couple weeks and that will help her.  She's also having a ton of family problems, but she knows that it's just Satan trying to get her, and that her baptism is the thing that she needs to concentrate on first right now.  So yes, pretty much awesome!  We've been trying to pass by her and Ingrid every day just so we don't lose them. 

We had church yesterday and had 10 investigators again.  We also have been teaching the gospel principles lessons to new investigators and less active members.  That's been pretty cool.  It´s definitely always guided by the Spirit, because I never really practice it.... and it´s in Spanish....  =)

We have changes in two weeks.  We shall see how it goes.  I definitely wouldn't mind changing areas, but I also wouldn't mind staying.  The work seems to be just starting here and is going to be great here next change.  I really would enjoy getting out of the city however.  It's been torture because one of the zone leaders, Elder Hale, was in Polochic most of his mission, and he tells me all of these super amazing stories about life in the Chic.  It sounds like paradise there.  I don't know.  I'm beginning to realize that you can enjoy wherever you are as long as you are working hard.  We'll see what changes bring.

We've got divisions right after we head out from internet.  In both of the appointments that we have we are hoping to place baptismal dates with our investigators.  One is the Najera family that lives close to our house.  There is this lady with a son and a daughter that are members, but she isn't.  She also lives there with her 3 sisters, her other son, and her parents, and none of them are members.  She said that a month ago she had 3 gringo missionaries show up on her doorstep asking for where we lived.  They said they were from the Ilusiones area and were coming to visit us.  She took them to our house and said that they walked in.  The weird thing is that we don't remember ever letting those people in.  I don't know, maybe it was the Three Nephites.  Quite frankly, I don't care, I just know that she takes it as a sign from God that the missionaries have been trying to teach them for years without success and that we are teaching them tonight for the second time.  She also is coming to church this Sunday.  Amazing!  The other family we're visiting tonight is Ingrid's family.  Hopefully we can get some baptismal dates.

Well, I got to go.  I love you guys.  It was great to hear from you.  Sounds like the reunion was a ton of fun!  Keep living this true gospel.  I know it's true and will bring us blessings without end.  See ya!

Love,

Elder Lloyd