I had a great experience at my first zone conference, and it really set the tone to get out and get back to work. It was like a whole day of motivational speeches, filling us with the energy to go and share the gospel at our best level. I loved the words of Sister Castro about feasting upon the scriptures. President Castro talked about how we represent Jesus Christ, and especially how important our eyes are. They are the window to the soul, and the sincerity of our eyes can make or break all the difference when meeting, finding, and teaching.

 Now that J---- is baptized, We are trying to focus on his wife and kids.  We had a lesson with them this week inside the church house on Tuesday night, and it went really well. His wife loves us and thanks us for everything we do, and the children love us as well, but his wife still feels like she can't "abandon" her Catholic roots.

We are teaching another lady named M----.  She has had all the lessons and knows it is true and knows she needs to be baptized, but is letting her husband hold her back. We still have not been able to even contact her husband, but she is praying to soften his heart and so are we.

Last week a random man approached us and asked us for the address of our church because he wanted to attend, and then he actually showed up yesterday! His name is J---.  He attended all 3 hours with his granddaughter.  We visited him in the evening and had a lesson, and he really wants to keep coming and learn more. He belonged to a Christian church for 13 years, but said he got tired of all the screaming and yelling they do, and said he really enjoyed the peace he felt at our church. Hermana Coleman and Hermana Linford played "Yo Se Que Vive Mi Senor" on their violins in Sacrament Meeting again like they did at zone conference, and the spirit was really strong.  He said he loved it.

We also have a baptismal date with S--- for the 14th of December, but we found out it has to be pushed back.

R---, a less active recent convert we have been seeing is still battling with his alcohol addiction, and it seems like every time he takes one step forward, the next week he takes 2 steps back. But he has a great knowledge of the gospel and is committed to change.  It is just taking a lot longer than he and we would like.

But everything is going well! I got a flat tire on my bike this week, and Elder Griffin got 2 flat tires and his pedal broke. Elder Griffin was a little ticked, but I was happy, because it was nice to take a break and get to work with my hands and fix all his stuff and teach him how to do it.

What an amazing week! J--- was baptized on Saturday and confirmed yesterday.  I am so grateful to be fortunate enough to be the person he chose to perform the baptismal ordinance. (Secretly, I wanted to do it soo bad, but we thought for sure he was gonna choose one of the members to do it.)  It was my first time, and honestly I was more than a little nervous!  I've practiced saying the baptismal prayer in Spanish with his name like 10 times every single morning in the shower ever since we taught him the first lesson and I felt like he would be the one.  Haha.  Before the baptism, he expressed concern to me how his wife wasn't very excited about him getting baptized and making this step in his life.  We prayed that everything would go smoothly and be ok, and that his wife would be able to feel the Spirit. The whole service went amazing.  Then, when I baptized him, I completely spaced, and couldn't remember his middle name or where to stress the accent on his last name! I stood there with my arm at the square for what seemed like minutes... And then somehow i just started talking... "J---...habiendo sido comisionado por Jesucristo, yo te bautizo en el nombre del Padre y del Hijo y del Espiritu Santo, Amen."  Then, I dunked him.  It turns out our ward mission leader didn't quite fill up the font with enough water, and I had to go waaay down, and then struggle to lift him back up using only my back (haha), but it was smooth, and it all was good, and it counted.

When we were changing, I asked him how he felt, and he just took a huge deep breath and said "tranquilo" in the calmest, most relaxed voice I've ever heard.  Aaah, I can't even describe how good it feels.  Elder Griffin and I somehow actually did it.  Then, after the service, the members busted out a whole meal of refreshments and treats, which was completely unplanned (perks of a Spanish branch) and then Elder Griffin and I got the chance to talk to his wife afterward. She said that when he was submerged under the water, she felt something really strong in her chest, and she really enjoyed the entire experience.  The members of the branch did such a good job at fellowshipping her and making her feel welcomed, and they really created a great family atmosphere for their three children too.  As we were talking with their kids about church and baptism, but still trying to be cool (and acting like we know a ton about soccer), the youngest of their kids who is 8 was asking questions like "So I can do the same thing my dad just did in the water too?"  We are really excited and hope that this will be the start of their entire family coming to church and being baptized, as well. His wife is a woman with a ton of faith and already has the great standards of the Church established in her life. But in her husband's words, she is "Catholic to the bones," but I think this could really be the turning point.  It was the best day ever, and words can't even describe how happy we are. Love it.

On Wednesday, I had the great opportunity of serving with Elder Reese for a day in Isla Vista on exchanges. What a great example he is to me. The day was full of miracles, and we were able to teach a guy name R---.  He is actually the guy I met on exchanges with Elder Robison a few weeks ago.  When we first found him on the street, we had an amazing declare that ended with him crying and accepting baptism.  Now, like 5-6 weeks later he has completely changed his life, quit drinking, and is ready to be baptized here in a couple weeks.  We taught the Plan of Salvation, and I can't even believe how much he understands.  Thanks to Elder Reese asking some amazing inspired questions, he was able to basically figure everything out on his own, and we really didn't have to teach him much.  I am excited for zone conference tomorrow!

 Love,
Elder Parrish

Another great week!

We have been focusing on trying to have daily contact with our investigator Julio.  It is amazing to see the difference in him after just one week of contact. On our first lesson, he had so many doubts and questions about the Mormons, and now he is totally into it, with an incredible desire to find pure truth. He accepted baptism for Sunday the 17th of October.  He attended church yesterday for the 2nd time, and said he definitely felt "something" during the testimonies that were shared during Sacrament Meeting. He said it felt like his chest basically melted and dispursed outward. Haha, obviously it was the Spirit! We are really excited for him, as well as his wife and family.  They haven't acted on their faith yet and attended church with him, but they definitely like what they are learning and totally support Julio in his decision of what he feels is right.

 

We spent a lot of time knocking doors this week and contacting people.  The Spirit directed us to a lot of people that were open to our message, and we set up some promising return appointments for this week. I sometimes can't even believe how many miracles we see daily...with our Spanish and with the people. The ward council is starting to really step up and everyone in the ward council is involved with our investigators. I think that is one of the biggest things that has made the difference with Julio. He has gotten the chance to see how the gospel has blessed so many regular people just like him.  It has become a sort of hunger to be a part of it.  I am so happy when I think about Julio, and I pray like crazy for him all day every day.

We are struggling with Marisol, one of our investigators.  She wants to be baptized, but not without her husband, and her husband won't even give us a chance.   We are setting up a carne asada night, where we can invite her and her husband in a members home.

I am so excited to see my Spanish improving.  Elder Griffin and I are doing our best, and the Lord is absolutely covering the rest and making up where we lack.

 

On Halloween, we had to be in our apartment by 7, but we were able to go to the Santa Barbara trunk-or-treat for a little bit with Julio's kids and another investigator. The Santa Barbara trunk-or-treat is a little different than the Brigham City 14th Ward trunk-or-treat.  There are Jaguars, BMW's, all fancy cars with bowls full of one dollar bills instead of candy.  So needless to say, all the poor people and kids from our Spanish branch love it, and all this week the poorer kids just walk around the street trying to sell their Halloween candy.  It is so crazy to see the class difference between the rich people on the hill and the families stacked in 1-room apartments.

 

I saw the big black guy from the "Longest Yard" on State Street! He is the guy that sells McDonald's in jail and is crazy ripped and dunks.  Cheeseburger Eddy, I think is his name. I shook his hand (which was monstrous) and declared to him and he was way cool, but all he wanted to talk about was the World Series and BYU and Steve Young, and he was drinking, but it was still sweet!

 

Love, 

Elder Parrish