Mashell's Baptism

This week has been great. We've been really blessed in the past week. We found another investigator almost by accident it seemed. It was divine intervention though. We accidentally missed our exit to Paris traveling back from Casey, and so we ended up on a road we had never been on before, however we recognized the name of it since we intended to go there a few weeks previous. There lived a less active member and his non member fiancé--Brian and Julia. We taught them the restoration and she is thinking about getting sealed to him for time and all eternity. We also have great fellowship from the ward because the Benders who we rent from know her well as well as other families in the branch. 

Mashell's baptism was on Sunday! It was a wonderful event. The program, though last notice, turned out exceptional as the Large's young daughters did beautiful talks and musical numbers that really brought the spirit of the Lord. It even had Randy--Mashell's husband--choked up in tears. He also made the comment that to his memory the Holy Ghost reminded him how his mother wished he would marry a Mormon girl. Well that wish came true on Sunday as Mashell was baptized. 

Mashell explained that as she went under the water it felt like her heart jumped out of her chest, and when she came up out of the water she saw gold light, which I suggested to her may have been a glimpse of heaven. It was a beautiful Sabbath for a baptism! 

In other news, Brent has a great shot at being baptized Sunday. At this point he is worthy and has overcome some temptations. We have his interview tomorrow with Elder Durrant and we are being extra careful that we don't baptize him too early. We are having him pray about whether or not he should get baptized this Sunday. He's kind of a shy guy and so my only concern is of his fellowship and how he has social anxieties. We feel like he is definitely worthy, but we want him to make this decision completely himself. 

We had a good district meeting yesterday. Our goals for this week are to

(1) Teach shorter more powerful lessons since they are WAY too long sometimes.

(2) Have more fun but not lose the spirit of obedience

     It was inspired that Elder Durrant and I weren't called to be full time companions together because we have WaY too much FUN on exchanges! I told him that I gave him permission to marry my sister. I was half kidding but not really. I can see us being good friends someday after the mission. 

(3) Make sure we have an effective comp inventory

As for me, my personal goal this week is:

(1) Judge righteously

I like what President Brigham Young said

"Who has the greatest reason to be thankful to his God—the man that has no strong passion or evil appetite to overcome, or the one that tries day by day to overcome, and yet is overtaken in a fault? The power of his strength, faith, and judgment is overcome, and he is found in fault through his evil propensities, though he is striving, day after day, and night after night, to overcome. Who has reason to be the most thankful? The being that has comparatively no strong passion to overcome ought constantly to walk in the vale of humility, rather than boast of his righteousness over his brother. We are under obligation, through the filial feeling and ties of humanity, to more or less fellowship those who do evil. We must endure this until the Lord shall see fit to separate the wheat from the chaff—until the righteous are gathered out, and the wicked are bound in bundles prepared for the burning [see D&C 86]—until the sheep are separated from the goats [see Matthew 25:31–34]. Those who have not strong passions to contend with, day by day, and year by year, should walk in the vale of humiliation; and if brethren and sisters are overtaken in fault, your hearts should be filled with kindness—with brotherly, angelic feeling—to overlook their faults as far as possible" 

(2) start reprogramming my negative thinking patterns

(3) Express more gratitude in my prayers for blessigns received. 

Brigham Young  a very wise man, also said:

"We have reason to rejoice exceedingly that faith is in the world, that the Lord reigns, and does his pleasure among the inhabitants of the earth. Do you ask if I rejoice because the Devil has the advantage over the inhabitants of the earth, and has afflicted mankind? I most assuredly answer in the affirmative; I rejoice in this as much as in anything else. I rejoice because I am afflicted. I rejoice because I am poor. I rejoice because I am cast down. Why? Because I shall be lifted up again. I rejoice that I am poor because I shall be made rich; that I am afflicted, because I shall be comforted, and prepared to enjoy the felicity of perfect happiness, for it is impossible to properly appreciate happiness except by enduring the opposite...."

...

"What is our duty? It is our duty to improve upon every blessing the Lord gives to us.

Just been reading some of the teachings of the presidents manuals, I think are some of the most neglected words of wisdom ever. I am going to download them onto my microsd card so I can listen to them in the car while driving. Same with Joseph Smith. 

Well I hope you all have a fantastic week! I know that Joseph Smith was and is a prophet of God. I learned this week how impeachable his character truly was, and only God good turn an unlearned farm boy to a man as astute and upright as he was. I wish I had the time to learn more of the kind of person he was. I am grateful for my trials which I have had which I am starting to learn are given to me for a wise purpose, of which I am still unclear on. I love what Elder Schmutz said in conference:                       

  "When we view the difficult experiences of life through the lens of faith in Christ, we are able to see that there can be godly purpose in our suffering"Though we may all at times "see through a glass darkly" as Paul said it, only our faith in Jesus Christ will allow us to see things clearly, things as they really are. I testify of God's redeeming love which can encircle all of us if we will try to view the world, others, ourselves, and our suffering as he sees it.Again, Hope you have a wonderful week!Elder Soutasp.s how is jenessa doing? I never heard from her last week.

Working Hard

Hey everyone!

we had a pretty solid week! Eugenio came to church for all 3 hours as well as the 8 year old baptism afterward! He seemed to enjoy it. I really enjoyed sitting next to him and Sister Rigdon as she translated Spanish for him very well! I really want to learn how to speak spanish and vietnamese now, and also italian. the italian can probably wait though.

we invited Eugenio to baptism OCt 30 but he isn't sure yet. HE needs to do some more of his research. Also, he starts working on sunday in 2 weeks and is a very hard working hispanic.I love him too. I don't know if you all remember Jose who I taught in my first area. Well I've had a little experience trying to teach hispanics so that's good. He actually got baptized a few months ago which was good to hear! 

we taught Eugenio on thrusday night. WE showed up at 7 because we actually found out that his roommate in the trailer he lives in is a member of the church and was baptized in KANSAS. So Jenessa, if there is a jOSE blanco (not to get confused with the other JOse in the previous paragraph mentioned) on record in your ward or zone please transfer them over here to Paris. Jose was dormiendo (sleeping) so we haven't been able to teach him. But, after Sister Rigdon showed up late while we were awkwardly tryin gto communicate to Eugenio. We "kidnapped him" and had a great lesson in the chapel where the carpets just got cleaned and the spirit was pretty strong. Teaching with translation is kind of difficult because it is hard to block out the translation. 

But Eugenio is so awesome. i hope he gets baptized, if not that's okay. He can get baptized when he goes back to HOnduras. 

We didn't get to teach Cam this week unforunately because she got sick. We had a great lesson with her last Sunday and she really wants to learn English. So we are going to kill two birds with one stone and teach her important concepts from the lesson by using pictures/pictrionary that I will have Elder Durrant our district leader draw for us since he is talented at that. I am really excited for that idea the holy ghost probably gave me and anxious to see how it will work. I don't care if she barely knows english, we are going to baptize her!.. if the lORd wills it (:We  most likely will meet with her  this week and invite her to baptism so I'll update you all on her next email.

She is so so sweet! she is very kind. She is 24 years old and is just so innocent it seems. she really humble and wants learn. She lives with her roommate Chi who is also from Vietnam. She also has a few other friends in town that are Vietnamese. She has kind of a silly personality. 

brent is doing okay. HE came to church, but his progression is slowing. He needs to repent more and read the scriptures more!!! ger. Change is hard. This week I decided that to help with Brent and his habit we will give up a habit for a day and then for a week just so we can see what it is like to have an addiction. I am going to not leave the dishes in the sink after I eat, pick up my clothes off the floor and keep it that way (sorry MOm I still struggle with that) and no longer brush my teeth after companionship study so we can leave the apartment sooner. You'll have to follow up with me.

Well it was a great week. I'm glad Jenessa is doing awesome! I fasted for her so there ya go. way to go BYU. Ruby is so adorable. I save all of those pictures you send me. And also, I actually have a few pictures to send you for once! Sorry they're not the best though. 

It's really neat being out at the same time. I am glad for the principle of repentance as I am studying that lately. It feels good to repent and I know that it is a true principle because when I don't repent it is so annoying and feels like you are powerless. But I believe the atonement allows us to be saved on conditions of repentance which is possible through that enabling power. So we should all repent! REPENT YE I SAY, REPENT. haha jk. IN the words of D. Todd, "When we speak of repentance we should have a smile on our faces." 

Have a good one,

Elder Soutas

Hi everyone!

wasn't general conference just amazing!

One of my favorite talks was by Brett Nattress. I can't really remember very much of what he said, but the spirit hit me like a ton of bricks during that when it talked about Mothers reading to their sons despite their sons being rebellious. Before listening to that talk I was kind of distraught because I was worrying that I wouldn't be able to follow through with all of the things required of me, but I felt a strong amount of love and the holy spirit while listening to it. I was just really grateful for all of the values my parents instilled in me. Thank youuuu!

I liked when he said that "it is about the one. It is about the little boy who is not listening." Then after that the choir sang I'll follow him in faith.

I wrote a few thoughts during that while bawling:

Right now I feel so much love, more than I ever have probably my whole life. so much comfort, everything will be okay. I will never forget this wonderful feeling while listening to this song...I have never felt so grateful in my life. Let me please never forget this. Everything will be okay........

Conference was pretty great. We had Brent come to one of the sessions and he said that one of the talks made him cry. Also during conference Sis Bemis, our recent convert, was informed that her father is dying so we spent a little time tryihg to comfort her. She is doing okay. I was impressed that they came to the later sessions even after all of that. Long story short, Sis Bemis sisters wouldn't let her visit her father who was dying. Not cool.

Also had a great lesson with Cam. Have to go. tell you more about it next time! Getting kicked off. This library stinks.

love you, the church is true, 

Elder Soutas