Week #93

Boom!

Let me tell you that this week was the busiest, most work filled week of my life, and it was the most fruitful week of my entire mission. I am so happy.

So just so you return missionaries and others can get the idea. This week my companion and I taught 60 lessons! Yes, you read that right. We ran all over the place and we don't have a car. We were doing the absolute best planning. We really are doing 100 percent everything possible. This is truly the first time in my life I can say I have done EVERYTHING in my power and then prayed for the rest. And truly God has blessed us.

On Tuesday the very first day of this transfer my new companion and I, Elder Drake decided to visit a few young men. We went to a certain house, only to find that those young men were not there, but another man was, Aldary. I had met him once before but this time it was it different. We found in in a very sad state. He was quite put down and very concerned. So we spoke with him about Christ. He began to open up to us and he described how he felt such a desire to do something; to change his life and to find what he was missing. We testified of Christ and how he truly needed to be baptized to change his life. I have rarely felt such a spirit in my life as I did that day, in that house. It was precious as we testified to this man. His countenance changed and his eyes teared. He began to feel something. He told us that he knew that it was all true. So he then turned to the young man who had been with us that day, Italo, and asked "how is it? To be baptized by Gods' power?" This young man responded one word: "Perfect." At that moment, Aldary decided he was going to be baptized that very day! We left the house and flew! We made the calls and the district leader came to interview him. We talked with the members to prepare to font. EVERYTHING worked. It was as if angels flew before us preparing the way.Aldary asked ME to baptize him and as I did, I felt I could see God. He cried as he came out of the water and gave me the biggest hug. I felt something incredible. I later asked him "how did you feel?" He replied "Perfect. I am truly a new man." Wow. I was shocked. God knew of this mans need and we were there RIGHT WHEN HE NEEDED IT. I felt as Philip did in the Bible baptizing the Eunec or as Peter baptizing the 3000. He knew it as they did. This is the truth!

Oh man, so much more happened this week. We had the spirit with us constantly. We had scores of lessons where we knew that that person was touched. We met another women who told us that she had never felt such a strong force with her; that it was as if someone was by her side telling her to believe! We met 2 ladies from a referral; Seliane and Suellem. They knew the very first day, that what we said was true and they came to church with us. This week they are planning on getting baptized! We are just working so hard, praying so hard, walking miles and miles. Seriously, nothing will hold this work back. We have serious business to get done.

My new companion is Elder Drake. He is from Seattle Washington, Poulsbo actually, and he is INCREDIBLE. He has spent his whole mission traveling around the tiny cities on the amazon and baptizing people in the river. Absolutely crazy. For over a year he has baptized every week on his mission. WOW. I love the guy. We just play around all day. He is a mariners fan and the Miami heat. This week we tried to list out every NFL team and every MLB team as we walk. We got all the football teams but we had forgot 2 baseball teams. It took us the entire week to remember the Kansas City Royals and Pirates. But we finally got them all on Saturday. Also, we quote "The Sandlot" on an hourly basis. Basically he is the coolest guy ever and I love the guy. We have way too much fun. Seriously. Its good stuff.

So the members in this ward are THE GREATEST of all time. We have meetings that go well, people that go out with us EVERY DAY, and they actually do their home teaching. Irmão Ytlon gives us car rides whenever we truly need them (only about once a week). Our ward mission leader checks up with us DAILY on what we need and how the work is going. the young men walk with us. The leadership gives us referrals. We have EVERYTHING a missionary could ever want. We even had a meeting with the stake counsel, where the stake president kept telling everyone about how good our ward is going. I am so blessed to work here. Wow. Just wow.

We also had 2 other baptisms on Sunday as well. Gleyson and Antonio. So they are young men we have met at the soccer tournament this week. Last week I sat next to Gleyson at church and talked to him about the church. he said he was feeling really good and I testified that it was the spirit of God and invited to be baptized the next week. Well, he accepted and the whole week was just super excited. We had tons of people at his baptism and we are so lucky to meet good young men like him. Antonio is Aldary's younger bother who saw his brothers baptism and told me that he had felt something really strong at his brothers baptism and it had made his hair stand up. He wanted to learn more. So we talked with him every day and on Sunday he was baptized as well! It was amazing. It felt so good. They felt so good. I love being a servant of God. There's nothing better (Oh, oh oh!).

I love this mission. There is no place better. I love everything about his work. I just want to do my best, hang the rest, and give it all I have. I have a work to do and I have no time left to get it all done.

eu vos amo,
Elder Asa Laws