Called to Serve : Finishing in Parla with some fireworks

Well.... The call came... I'm gone from Parla to serve in a huge ward
in Madrid. I still had a lot I wanted to do in Parla, but it's a good
thing I'm not here doing what I want to do, but what the Lord wants me
to do to help his Children. My companion is a transfer older than me
and we are both just focusing on the work. I don't know why things
turned out the way that they did, but I know that the Lord has things
for me to do here in the heart of Madrid with the companion I have.

This week was rough..... So many people failed us.... But on a super
positive note, FRANCISCO GOT BAPTIZED AND CONFIRMED! WOOT WOOT! He was
ready. The baptism was far from perfect. We had to do it in another
ward because we don't have a baptismal font, and when I got there, the
filling was going super super slow. So we got some buckets and began
to help out. Well, we left the water on for the first part of the
service because hey, you can never have too much right? Well.... When
we got to that part and walked into the room, it had leaked through
the walls and flooded onto the hard floors where people were going to
stand. After cleaning it up, we got to the service.... The prayer goes
smooth, and the moment is critical. The member baptizing him did it
very slow.... Francisco slowly went under the water.... Seeing that
his arm wasn't submerged, the member held him down there until it went
down. Well he waited forever, until finally everyone was like pull him
out! He was way out of breath and we had to wait a good 10 minutes
before trying again. Eventually he made it all the way down and got it
all done.

The best part of the baptism and one of the best moments of my mission
was to hear him bear testimony that these things were true. He talked
about how he really had been born again with that whole experience and
almost drowning, but more than anything, he bore a sweet testimony of
how the church has changed his life, and brought a new feeling of
peace and happiness he had never found in all 65 years of his life. I
will never forget asking him after the service how he was after the
service and seeing that toothless smile and hearing Estupendo
(stupendous). It was a great weekend and a great experience to have
leaving Parla. I will never forget PArla or Francisco. Especially
because FranCisco gave me one of his canes, and a nail clipper to
remember him by... The nail clipper was nice and all but the cane is
up there with one of the best gifts I've ever received. I will use
that bad boy often when I go hiking or maybe even on my first date
home.

Well, I wanna leave you all with a scripture from Mosiah 4

9 Believe in God; believe that he is, and that he created all things,
both in heaven and in earth; believe that he has all wisdom, and all
power, both in heaven and in earth; believe that man doth not
comprehend all the things which the Lord can comprehend.

God has a purpose for each and every one of us. Sometime we wonder why
life is the way it is, especially when we feel like we are on the
right path and then we get bulldozed by a semi truck. God knows us and
loves us. There is only one way to find out why life is the way it is
and to find peace and knowledge. Keep trusting and keep moving
forward.

May you all have a great week!

Elder Baron