May 10, 2012

Queirdo familia,
     For our Tuesday night devotional, D. Todd Christofferson came and spoke to us. It wasn't a traditional talk like I expected, but instead Elder Christofferson would read a verse or two and then ask the audience to expound on it. So, there were people that ran mics to anyone in the audience. The topic wasn't anything new, just the relationship between the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost.
     We now teach two new Spanish speaking investigators, so we are starting fresh with lesson one again. We aren't teaching our first investigator, Sebastian, anymore. On our last lesson with him, he said he wanted to be baptized by his brother once he knew it was true.
     Our first new investigator is Luis, a single dad who has one son, is retired from the military, and finishing school. He is very contemplative and thinks for a moment after we tell him something. Our other new investigator is Gabriel, a seventeen year old who was raised Christian. So far we've taught them each once.
    My Spanish is coming a lot faster now, though it seems. It seems learning is not so much filling a bucket, but more like lighting a fire.
     Cole, in 64 B.C. there were many wars spread out across ancient America. There was one group of people that had given up war years before and refused to join the battles. But as their friends and allies started dying to defend them, they felt like they had to break their promise to never go to war again. But all the sons of the peaceful people said they would go to war so their parents wouldn't have to break their promise. All of these sons were young men, maybe 14-20 years old, and they were strong and courageous. They were men of truth and soberness, and they kept all the commandments. These boys called themselves the Nephites and they were lead by Helaman. Now, there was another army who was their ally and they were called Antipus. The army of Antipus was in trouble because tey were tired from so many battles and they were being chased by the Lamanite army. Soon, the Lamanites caught up to Antipus and began to destroy their army. But Helaman and his Nephite army came up behind the Lamanites and saved Antipus. The battle was so fierce, Helaman thought many of those young men had died in the battle. He counted and saw that not one of them had died. These very young men had never fought before, but they did not fear death. They knew they would be safe and protected. When asked why they were so valiant, they said "we do not doubt, for our mothers knew it."  They did these things because they were obedient to their moms.


Amor,
Elder Burt