27-SEPT-2010

Hola Familia

Elder Lopez and I have had a great opportunity to get to work with President Hicken more closely, and WOW have I learned a lot! Pres. Hicken is truly guided by the Spirit and I learn in every meeting with him. We do have quite a few meetings, but I think you have a different idea of what we have to do. For example, we spend most of our time in the area, but we do have several meetings. For example, with last week and this coming week we will or have had -1 training with new missionaries, - 2 Planning Sessions, -1 Training with Zone leaders, and -1 Transfers meeting. As Assistants our job is to, well, assist the President. We’re here to serve him and help him in all we can. We train the zone leaders, and are expected to set the example with baptisms.

Even though we are not in our area full time, the Lord has blessed us so much! Its amazing! Last Thursday night we were contacting everyone in the street and being rejected by pretty much everyone. We saw a family out of the corner of our eye and caught up to them to contact them. Whenever I see a complete family I get excited and want to run up to them. Luckily, I kept my cool and we got up to them and contacted them. Alva and Eduardo gladly accepted and told us that they’d be there at their house at 5. On Friday we got there at 5 and they weren’t there. We left a note asking them to call us, and my faith was starting to waver when we received a message at 9. It was Alva and Eduardo saying that they were really sorry that they couldn’t get there, but that they wanted us there the next day. We got there and found out that Alva is Elder Dan Lopez’s cousin! I told you about Elder Lopez, he’s from Utah. About two Mondays ago he visited his grandma and family and Alva was there. It’s amazing to see how the Lord prepares his elect. Alva was ready to accept the gospel, but just needed that extra push from Elder Lopez. I know they’ll progress! Elder Lopez from Utah just wrote me and told me that his cousin sent him a message saying that she went to church with us! She and Eduardo are going to be baptized on the 10th.

Another experience. We contacted a lady named Angelina on Wednesday night. We only had about 3 hours to work because of a meeting we had on the other side of the city. We contacted her and she said thanks but no. We kept on walking and for some reason we felt like we should contact a lady in a hot dog stand, which we never do. We contacted her, and she said no. We turned around to go and as I turned I saw Angelina hurrying to catch up to us with her baby stroller. She whistled at us and asked, “How much do you charge to visit people?” I’m sure we almost shouted “nothing!” and we went to her house, and she also accepted her baptismal date.

I gave a talk this Sunday. I used a part of Pres. Kimball’s talk of “Is this all we can do?” I think that would be the translation. I talked about how it really is easy for the members to just share their testimony to share the gospel with others. Elder Lopez talked about “hermandad”… fellowshipping! That’s the word. It was great. A lot of members afterwards came up the investigators and shook their hands and took time to talk with them. That helped them feel so much more at home.

Can you see how this is the Lord’s work?? Really we are nothing! We can’t do it on our own, and have to depend on Him. The elect are there. This is HIS work. I know that every single one of us knows somebody who is ready. Ready to accept the gospel in their lives and receive the blessings. If you don’t know what to say, simply bear your testimony that God lives, because “that is the greatest testimony in the world” (Pres. Kimball). This week, really pray for those opportunities, and the Lord will open doors. HE will do everything if we are willing. I heard Elder Tanner has contacted several people and offered the Book of Mormon. Remember, it’s easier than we think sometimes, just be an example and you’ll be blessed.

Enjoy General Conference! It’ll be just great! Les amo!

-Elder Rasmussen