Dios Os Dará Conocimiento Por Medio De Su Santo Espíritu

Mi Familia,

Thanks for all the letters, this week was full of miracles. I am so happy to be here.

First, I had a great experience on Thursday. We went to teach one of our investigators. She hasn't progressed very much and I know she has a lot of problems, but she hadn't told us what and she didn't want to. She told us that our church wasn't going to solve her problems. As we talked to her I prayed and asked for the Lord's help to help me know what she was dealing with. I had a strong impression to ask her about the family. She told me it did have to do with her family but nothing else. I knew in that moment that it was with her husband. I reluctantly asked hoping not to offend her. She started to cry and told us everything. She is having a really hard time and doesn't know what to do. Her kids are struggling a lot. I was able to show her a picture of our family and of the temple. I bore testimony of the sealing ordinances and promised her she would live with her family without pain someday. It was an amazing experience with prayer because I really had no idea what was going on with her before.

The baptism of Arely and Rocío

We had 2 baptisms this week. Arely and Rocío, a mom and daughter we found knocking on doors. It is amazing to see how much they have progressed. The other woman in the picture is also starting to listen to us. It is the sister of Rocío and daughter of Arely. They have a lot of family members that have told us they are amazed because Arely has always drunk alcohol, and stopped when she started talking to us. That is why Rocío started listening to us and I hope her other children and grandchildren follow in their footsteps.

We had the conference with Elder Tenorio on Saturday. It was so good, and I learned so much from him. He has so much faith and is an amazing servant of the Lord. He talked to us about prayer and tithing. Also a lot about marriage now that I think about it. I got to see a bunch of old Elder friends and we had a great time catching up, but we didn't get mail. Until next transfer!

The baptism of the sister missionaries

Yesterday we received a referral from our Bishop, from a member from another stake. We visited them last night and it is a whole family. One of the sons just started in his drug addiction again and the family is taking it really hard. They completely opened up to us and I already love them so much. We taught them about the atonement and the temple, and I am not sure if I have felt the spirit stronger in a lesson in my life. The mom was crying almost the whole time. She wants us to visit her soon in rehab so we are going to ask for permission to visit him, because his family can't. The mom told us we were angels and she knew we were sent from God. She kept thanking us for being there. They even offered us a coffee and a ride home. We only accepted the ride home.

I am so happy. I know this is Christ's church and He loves us, this is His work.

Con Amor,

Elder Riley Stevenson

Bienaventurados Los Que No Vieron Y Creyeron

Mi Familia,

This week was a good one. Very fast, I can't believe how fast time is going.

We were teaching a family of 4 that moved back to their little town in Siltepec. The father, Ubén, has cancer and that is why they were living here in Tuxtla. His wife and 2 kids are so sweet. But they moved back to their town where there are no missionaries nor churches. They we going to get baptized Sunday but they weren't going to get confirmed so we couldn't do it. It makes me so sad but they said they are going to go to church in Tapachula, a city 4 hours away and take the discussions there at the house of a family member. I love them and it was so hard to say bye. Ubén is very sick so I hope he and his family make it to be baptized.

Another investigator, Noé, or Noah, went to church last Sunday and participated in the ward's talent show on Saturday. He is so shy but got up in front of everyone and danced and played in an air band. He is so awesome and so ready for the gospel. I love to see people changing. He is going to get baptized the 5th of November.

It is getting cooler here and not raining. I am so happy and things are just great. This Saturday we are going to have a conference with a member of the 70, I forgot his name but he is Mexican and has glasses, from Veracruz. His last name starts with a T (editor's note: he is Octaviano Tenorio, and was a former president of the Tuxtla Gutierrez mission). But I am so excited and will see some Elders that are in Tuxtla but haven't seen for a while.

Also I have a quote of the week. "It is like Thomas said: I have to see before I believe."

I love you and miss you. I need to pay more attention to the hour because I have to go! Until next week!

Con Amor,

Elder Riley Stevenson

El Obrero Es Digno de Su Salario

Mi Familia,

This week was a great one. Haha - we had 110 people at church this week! The ward is really going strong. When I got here we were having 55-65 every week. It is a real miracle to see the progress of the ward. The bishopric is really excited and we are going to keep working.

Definitely Monsoon Season

This week was special because the sisters baptized the niece of Itzelt. A lot of her family come every week to church and I think more are going to get baptized soon. Also another kid I was teaching moved but got baptized in the other ward. It makes me so happy to see that my work has helped more people accept the gospel. Also, Itzelt wants the Temple work done for her father.

Tuxtla Gutierrez

Blanca Estela got baptized this week. She is a very special woman. We met her because we were contacting and found a less active member, we visited him and his family, and they gave us the referral. The members come every week now, and Blanca Estela's life has really changed. She has such a sweet testimony of this gospel and has changed more than any other convert I have seen. She is so much happier now and is very grateful for the the blessings in her life. Her daughters also want to be baptized but work on Sunday, and one lives with her boyfriend. We are going to see what we can do with them.

Blanca Estela's baptism

Ha - oh man the pictures took a while this week, but I am so happy and will write more next week. Hope everyone is good there, I love you all! I know this is Christ's Church.

Con Amor,

Elder Riley Stevenson

Él Prueba Su Paciencia y Su Fe

Mi Familia,

Thanks for all of your emails! I feel so loved. I miss you guys a lot.

This week was a great one. Sunday was the best Sunday of my mission. We had 23 nonmembers there (between us and the sisters) and 15 of my converts/less actives that I have reactivated in my time here. It was such a blessing - 83 people were there in total. The members realized how much we are working and virtually every testimony had to do with missionary work. It made me so happy to see that I have helped build the Lord's Kingdom here on the earth.

This week we had some great experiences. We are finding a lot of people that are interested and the area is moving along. I have been trying so hard to have more faith. I read a letter/talk that Elder Haynie gave me before the mission and it talked a lot about faith (written by a mission president.) I know that faith is so important. I know that if we believe that we are going to be able to do something, and it is the Lord's will, it will happen. Elder Nay got sick and we didn’t work on Monday night, and Wednesday every single plan fell through haha. We contacted from 3-9 pm, didn't have one lesson, and didn't sit down once. I was so tired but tried not to let it affect my faith. The rest of the week was full of miracles. Sometimes the Lord tries our faith like that, but when we feel like we can’t do it anymore, that is when the Lord lifts and blesses us. Yesterday we went to the house of one of the families that we contacted Wednesday. They said they couldn't talk because they were doing laundry. We were persistent and the Mom said we could come in if we only talked about the bible, and only for 10 minutes. I felt like President Eyring at that graduation (don’t remember what session). We agreed and I thought we could just talk about the Plan of Salvation using scriptures from the bible. I felt like I could prove it too, and convince them it was true just using the Bible. After we said the prayer I felt a distinct impression from the Holy Spirit that we needed to teach the Restoration. We taught it and I testified of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon and that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God. It took about an hour and I had used scriptures from the Book of Mormon. I felt bad that I had lied but felt good that I fulfilled my purpose as a missionary. They said we could come back this Wednesday.

We have so many people to teach and not enough time. I don’t know if I have ever had so many investigators. Things are so good and I am so happy. I am so happy Kenny is getting ready to go on a mission. Missionary work is the Lord's work, and He needs more missionaries.

I love you and miss you.

Con Amor,

Elder Riley Stevenson

Ambos Son Edificados Y Se Regocijan Juntamente

Mi Familia,

This week was great, and I loved General Conference. It was so good. I got to see every session, the first in Spanish because we brought investigators so we sat with them. But I saw the other 4 in English. First, I am so happy that there is going to be another temple in Provo! The day that the Provo Tabernacle burnt was the day I left BYU to come on the mission, which was a sad day for me. But now P-Town will have a 2 temples right there. ¡Viva Provo! I love the temple and know it is the house of the Lord. I also loved the talk that Elder Holland gave in the Priesthood session. It was my favorite. He put into words a lot of things that I have been feeling here in the mission. I testify that the Lord needs more missionaries, and more worthy missionaries. I also loved the talk by Elder Callister about the Book of Mormon. I know the Book of Mormon is the word of God, because I too have read every page of it, in English and Spanish.

Transfers came and... I am staying! It is my 6th transfer in La Salle. I am so happy to be able to serve here. Some members and converts expressed a lot of love and a few tears were shed this weekend, because they advise us Sunday nights so we still didn’t know during the conference. But I am glad I can stay. Elder Nay is staying with me too which is awesome.

This week was really good. Itzelt's niece announced to us that she is going to get baptized. It made me so happy. The sister missionaries are teaching her, and she will be baptized this Saturday. Her brother in law also had a dream that he got baptized in the church and he wants to start coming with his wife and 9 year old son, who always tells me he wants to be a missionary. I gave him an HLJ ring and am teaching him English. Itzelt also told me she wants me to do the temple work for her father that passed away. It meant a lot to me and I am going to see if I can do it while I am here, if not I sure hope I can return!

Our investigators that came to conference are people we found knocking on doors. The mother, Arely let us in. Two of her daughters (that are already adults with kids) started listening to us because they were so surprised that their mom was listening to us. Supposedly she never listens to missionaries and when she started listening she stopped drinking, something she has done for many, many years. We hadn't even taught the Word of Wisdom but we taught it and she accepted it. They are awesome and I will keep you updated on them over the next few weeks.

Things are really good here, and I love being a missionary. I love being here, and haven't been more happy here. I love this work and rarely think about home. I can't believe how fast time is going and pray for it to slow down. Well thanks for your support and prayers. I love you so much! I testify that Thomas S. Monson is a prophet and the leaders of the church are men chosen by God.

Con Amor,

Elder Riley Stevenson