May 20, 2013 - Blessing his body to be still and calm

This is how we rock taxis around here 

Another hard working week down in the books! I came into this new area and we didn't have a lot to work with. But through pushing ourselves we had such an  incredible week! 

Because we basically didn't have any investigators to start with, we made the decision to get the ward list, and visit the inactives. To help reactivate them, and to see if all of their family is members also. Through this we have been so blessed. This last Tuesday we were looking for a house (which a lot of times here is close to if not impossible) And we thought it was this tiny house, basically nothing of a house. We were yelling good after noon to see if there was anyone home, because there isn't any door bell or anything. As we were doing this a teenage boy named Luis came and told us that this was his grandmas house and asked if he could help us. Turns out that it was the wrong house, but we had the impression to tell him a bit of what we do, and asked if we could talk to him a bit. He responded yes and we headed to his house. We had a great lesson, and he told us that he has been looking for a church, and answers. During our lesson I asked him what experiences he has that brings him to believe in Heavenly Father. He went on to tell a story. He had a brother who was 4 years older than him, and this month 3 years ago past away of a sickness. In that same month his mother was pregnant with his little sister, and when she was born she was born with the umbilical cord tied around her neck, and they almost lost her life. He went on to tell us that he knows that God lives because He saved her life and knew that his family could not take another death. Wow, what a kid! 

We have a baptism with this awesome guy named Abe, he is about 30. One of the most rewarding things was seeing him yesterday, as we looked out the window of the bus, walking home from church smiling, and Book of Mormon in hand. 

We also got word that there is an in active family that has a son that just turned 8. So we headed over to go talk to them. We came in, and it was just the wife Rosa and her 8 year old son, and one other. The other son is SEVERELY handicapped, basically not functional. He was born with water on his brain, and the doctors said he wasn't going to live. He received a priesthood blessing and now he is 2 and a half years old! It is one of the best things in the whole world to see how much love they have for that little boy!! We made an appointment to come back to talk to the husband. This past Friday we went over again, and Omar the husband was there. We talked to him about the opportunity he has to drop the habits like drinking and smoking that he has picked up, come back to church and receive the priesthood and baptize his son. With so much conviction in his eyes, he looked at us and said he wants to change and is ready. It was so strong. We decided to read a chapter of the Book of Mormon with them. During the chapter, their little boy in the arms of the mother started to shake and threw up. We didn't know if it was regular so we didn't say anything and it stopped. After about 5 minutes it started again and worse. My companion stopped the lesson, and asked if we could give him a blessing. They said please! We rushed over to him, and in one of the most incredible experiences I have had, as I called on the powers of God to give this little valiant, shaking boy a blessing, and blessing his body to be still and calm, and to literally feel him slowly stop and fall asleep in the arms of his father....... I know with out doubt that this is the true Gospel of Jesus Christ, and no one else. That as we live worthy we have to TRUE and REAL power of God to bless and sanctified His children. The priesthood is real! I know that with all my heart! Hope everyone is doing awesome!

So it started to rain a little here... these are streets, NOT rivers

 Love you all!!

Elder Lloyd