Training Trio Tripanionship!!

This week has been HUGE!!

We had changes again, we had a baptism, and we also have the rest of the photos from last week (last week's post has been updated with pictures) Haha!! 

Lets start with changes...

Well, I am now in what President has called a "training trio".  Basically, Hna Mera and I stayed here in Mariano, and she will finish training at the next change... but now I am also starting to train the new and oh-so-lovely Hermana Bringhurst (o sea Hermana B) from St George!  So yeah, it's not the typical tripanionship, but this training trio is such a blast!!  I didn't realize what a change it would be, and what a change it would be for the better!!  It makes for such fun comapny, so many good ideas from so many different perspectives... it makes for great memories!!   And did I mention, we have bunk beds!.. Yeah, bunk beds!!... We are pretty stoked about that part.  Haha!!

Hna. B actually came to the mission as the new nurse, but President wants her to have a missionary experience too, being that she is a young and lovely 29 year old.  So now she is out here with us and I get to teach her Spanish and she is making sure I take care of myself and my knee!!  Haha!  Blessings for everyone!!  Heaven knows, I am my fathers daughter, which makes me "Queen of el aguantar" (enduring)  Ha!  And all kidding aside, I really need to be better about listening to the pain signals.  (Cough cough.. Dad... You too!!... Haha!!).  But basically our house is pure Buena Onda (good vibes)! :) I love it here!! :) 

And nowwwww our baptism! Okay, I know I say it every time... but this baptism was SO special!! :) D is such a miracle!!  He found us, we did NOT find him. We were at M's baptism, and we were in the church, taking care of last minute details, running around the church a million miles an hour, trying to make everything just perfect for her... and next thing I know, Elder Calderon calls me over saying that there was somebody who wanted to talk to me.  So, I came over and before I could even say hello he said, "Hi-my name is Daniel Domingo and I want to be baptized". I was so blown away... but I'm not sure I took it seriously because I could smell alcohol, and so, I can't lie, I wasnt sure how sincere he was in this search.  So, I figured an invitation to teach is an invitation to teach, so I thought "sure, yes... let's get his number and plan a lesson with him for later in the week so we can meet with him and understand better what his intentions are"... and that's what we did.  We took his number down and planned a lesson for the following Wednesday. 

After M's baptism, Hna Mera and I stopped at this place next door so she could try her very first lomito arable (a cross between a panini and a sandwich-like-wrap) and after we had been sitting for about 10 minutes, next thing we know Daniel walks over and asked if he could sit with us... naturally we said of course, and we started to just get to know him and what it was that gave him that drive to come to the church and find us.  Before we knew it, we were teaching him all about the Book of Mormon and we invited him to read the introduction and come to church the following morning. 

Sunday morning came, and he was the first one at the church!!  And he came prepared after reading the intro of the Book of Mormon!! :) We had a really long and detailled conversation about what he had read and learned.  Walking away, we just knew in that very moment, without a doubt, that this guy was serious!  And we knew that he would have a long way to go... but with his desire to progress and change (through the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ), and with a little help, anything was possible!! 

And sure enough as time went on, Daniel's progression took off like a rocket!!... He gave up so much to follow Christ, and as his life changed, you could see it... his face changed, he literally stood taller as his faith increased and his testimony increased!!  After only two short weeks, the Daniel we use to know, that walked into the church on that Saturday - smelling of alcohol and cigarettes, was now reading chapters of scriptures every night, leaving behind everything he could to be closer to his Heavenly Father!  And now he has a new dream.. a dream of being a missionary and spreading the truth and light of this gospel!! :D 

He came to every session of General Confrence, he didn't miss one!!  He has been going out with the Elders to teach lessons, he was going to institute, he was always the first one at the church.  He was ready to be baptized!! :)

On the day of his baptism, he came in a brand new white shirt, tie, and pants... his first ever pair - gifted by Elder Calderon and Elder Silvera... his face so pure, so happy... I will never forget!! :)  For his baptism, we bought him a small gift to celebrate the occasion... a Preach My Gospel and a 'Future Missionary' name tag (shout out to Mom for sending those :D).   When he opened the gifts before his baptism he actually began to cry, he started sobbing right there... all he could tell us is that he had no words to describe his feelings.  Then he was baptized, and his smile coming out of the water was bigger and brighter and compares to nothing I have ever seen in my life... and now he has his very own Predicad Mi Evangelio.. he said he was ready and willing to do whatever he needed to do to get there!! :D

This gospel is so powerful, the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ makes this whole change possible and I feel so privileged to have been able to witness such a genuine and sincere change in the life of Daniel Domingo. 

I learned a great lesson the day he walked into the church for the first time, without even realizing it.  It was something I have alway "known" but meeting Daniel, I have a greater testimony of it... We CAN NOT judge if someone is ready or not to recieve the gospel... only the Lord can... he is in charge after all...  He knows when the field is white and ready to harvest... It is His harvest.. we just have to trust in Him and thrust in the sickle and do the work that He instructs and inspires us to do.  We have to TALK with EVERYONE, we have to LOVE EVERYONE, and we have to SEE EVERYONE as the Lord sees them; FOR WHO THEY CAN BECOME!! :)  I am so grateful that my Heavenly Father sees me for who I can become :) and not who I have been... this gospel is special, this gospel is for everyone, and this gospel changes lives.

I love you all... until next Monday! :)

Hermana Fardos