Un Traslado, Un Bautismo

Email 12/6/17

Hello everybody,

This week a million things happened. I’m actually in Málaga right now (more accurately,  the city of Fuengirola) at the mission office to renew my residency. Almost everyone from my CCM group is here too, so that’s really cool since I haven’t seen some of them since we got to the mission field almost a year ago! I left yesterday afternoon from Jaén, spent the night in Málaga, and I’ll be getting back to Jaén tonight. Best preparation day ever!

So, the biggest thing that happened this week was that Benjamin was baptized and confirmed as a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints! It was crazy getting everything ready for the baptism. President Andersen came to Jaén on Wednesday in order to interview him, we had the baptismal service on Saturday, and he was confirmed in church on Sunday. Benjamin is the coolest guy ever. Some of you may remember that the way we met him was because he showed up to sacrament meeting all by himself our first Sunday in Jaén. He’s actually moving to Luxembourg next week, so it was a miracle that everything went super well and he was able to be baptized here. During the baptism, when he gave his testimony, he said, “When I came to Spain, I didn’t have a family; now I do. When I go to Luxembourg, I’ll have one there too.” 

Juan, who was baptized a few weeks ago, also got the priesthood yesterday. More miracles!

On Friday, we had a ward activity with a barbecue. For some reason, the ward assigned the full time missionaries to be in charge of the games for the kids, so we spent some time during the week designing and setting up an obstacle race for the kids to get through. The activity and the obstacle course turned out super well, there were a lot of non members and menos activos who came too, so maybe we’ll be able to start working with them soon, too.

Also on Friday, Elder Moffat and I were driven by a member named Carlos to a pueblo called Acaudate to meet with our investigator named Bernardo. We taught him about the plan of salvation. It was a good lesson, and he had so many questions about everything, which is really cool, because questions mean that they want to learn! Things that happened in that lesson included the Jehova’s Witnesses stopping by to deliver a magazine, some guy without a shirt on joining us for about half and hour, and a food delivered truck coming, so all in all, it lasted about two hours. He’s doing really well though, he’s been reading the Book of Mormon and praying. Now he just needs to come to church!

Probably a million other things happened this week that I’m forgetting to write about, but that’s just the mission life! Also, Elder Moffat and I are going to be staying together in Jaén for another transfer.

On Sunday, I gave a talk in church about the joy that comes from seeing changes in the gospel. I talked about the story of Alma and Alma the younger and both of their conversion processes and the profound joy that they both experienced at the end of their respective conversions. I also talked about the joy that Alma, the father, must have felt when his son turned from someone trying to destroy the church into the strong and powerful leader that he would later become. 

As missionaries, we have the privilege of not only helping other people change, but seeing ourselves change as well. D&C 18:15-16 says, “And if it so be that you should labor all your days in crying repentance unto this people, and bring, save it be one soul unto me, how great shall be your joy with him in the kingdom of my Father! And now, if your joy will be great with one soul that you have brought unto me into the kingdom of my Father, how great will be your joy if you should bring many souls unto me!” That first soul is our own soul. Accepting the gospel into our lives will always bring joy, equal with helping othesr make changes in their lives to qualify to have the same level of joy.

Have a good week!

Élder Stark ??

Photos

1: Cathedral in our area

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2: I’m going to Chile!

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3. Out and about

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4. We made a cake for Benjamin

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5. Accidentally went to Córdoba 

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6: Ward party

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7: Sunset

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8: Another Sunset

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9: Benjamín got baptized! 

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10: Another one from the baptism!

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11: Us and the other Elders and Jesus, the ward mission leader when Benjamin was confirmed. 

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