March 26, 2018 – Week 78!

April 05, 2018

This week has been great!

To start out, we had a baptism this week! The young man who was baptized is named Brandon. He is the younger brother of a recent convert who was baptized in January right before I came to the sector. We have been working with him for a good long time now, and it's been great to see the changes he's made in his life to be able to get to this point of baptism! It's always great to see a child of God enter into the waters of baptism and enjoy it! Now we'll be working on getting him to the temple so that he can enjoy the blessings that come from temple attendance too! He has adesire to enter, and even prayed to be able to go into the temple! If things all work out, we'll have a future missionary here in a couple years!

This week during district meeting I was able to use Sour Patch kids to teach a little lesson on repentance. I explained that sometimes repentance seems sour when we're first starting, but then we realize that it's a sweet blessing, and the sour part ends fast. It's really true though. We may feel ashamed or sad about the mistakes we have made, and we may feel nervous or shy about confessing our mistakes to God and to His representatives on earth (Bishops, etc.), but then after the process is over, the blessings flow in rapidly, and the sweetness comes into our lives. I can testify of this. I know that the Savior suffered for every one of our afflictions and pains and sins so that we can be clean and feel the joy that our Father in Heaven wants for us.

This week we also found a couple new investigators. 2 of them are part member families, so they have a support group! 2 of the new investigators (Danny and Claudia) both came to church with members of their families this week, so we are working to make sure that they stay firm in their committments so that they can progress until their baptism! It's always great to see members helping out others so that they can progress!

We also helped out in seminary this week. Seminary is taught in the chapel at 7 pm, and there are a couple kids attending, including Brandon! We helped explain a bit about 1 Nephi 13 where it talks about when North America was colonized. We also helped explain how to relate the scriptures to our own lives, and how to apply them. We also gave tips on memorizing scriptures (Scripture Mastery verses), and I remembered the years of seminary that I had where I had to do the same thing. Great memories, and now I'm sharing the tips and experience with other seminary students!

We had a contacting activity this week, and Elder Mortenson and I were grouped up to contact. With one of our contacts, we knocked the door, and asked to come in, and the man at the door said "Sure, come in!" We found out that he had his own Book of Mormon from years ago, and we shared a couple scriptures with him. We also set an appointment so that the sister missionaries could come and visit him later on in the week. It's great when people are so willing to open the door to representatives of Jesus Christ! The world would be a better place if we could come to a unity of the faith (Ephesians 4:13). This is why missionary work is so important!

And, the highlight of the week. BAUTISMO! Saturday was a full day with the contact activity and the other appointments we had, but in the end, the baptism went well! I had to perform the ordinance 2 times just to be sure that it was complete, but Brandon enjoyed it and wanted to be baptized again after it was all over haha. He asked us what we do to get the water so clear blue in the baptismal font, because he said " I know water in Lima, and it's not that blue!" haha. I'm glad he was able to get baptized. His sister shared her testimony, and expressed the desire that her parents would also follow in their steps and be baptized later on. I have faith that in time, the family will be able to be baptized and enter into the temple to be sealed for time and all eternity!

Sunday was cool too. We had a couple investigators attending, and a couple more who came late as well! Also, some parents of a convert came to church for the first time in a long time and enjoyed the classes! Hope they can come to the general conference next weekend to feel the spirit there too!

GENERAL CONFERENCE THIS WEEKEND! You all have to go and watch it! It's a great experience to hear from the Prophet and Apostles, and we will be learning who the 2 new Apostles are too! Invite everyone you can and go experience the peace! Go with a question in mind. Usually it gets answered! Prophets are called of God to receive revelation for the whole world. God knows each and every one of us individually and our needs too, so He knows how to help us!

Hope you all have a great week this week!

Con mucho amor,

Elder Bruner