Bienaventurados Son Todos Los Que Lloran, Porque Ellos Serán Consolados

Mi Familia,

Thanks for all writing me. I hope that the Bolster family is doing alright, I will be praying for them. I feel kind of bad because Sister Bolster wrote me before Christmas and I haven't been able to write back. She always treated me so nicely (in the SMHS library) and she gave me my first pesos before I came to the mission. I will be praying for her and the family.

 El Sanjo, a small river in Ciudad Hidalgo

This week was good. We had transfers today but I am staying here with Elder Bernal, so I am happy! Because I love it here and the work is going well. Saida got confirmed this week. Also Saturday was one of those days where everything fell through. We had lessons planned for the whole day and every appointment fell through. It was pretty bad and I was so tired. But Elder Bernal said he wanted to contact in a certain street and we found a really good family. It is the mom, Angelina, and her son Romario, and she has other sons as well. I think Romario is going to be a missionary. He is 15 and really funny. I am glad that we could find somebody to teach when the day was going so poorly.

I am sending a picture of a pig in the street. This is a common occurrence and this week I realized that it wouldn't happen in the united states. So I took a picture. Hope you enjoy it.

A pig in the street

I am good, though sad about Sister Bolster. Last week was rather normal so not too much to say. This week will be better. Have a great week! I love you all.

Con Amor,

Elder Riley Stevenson

Dios Ha Creado Todas Las Cosas

Mi Familia,

Mercado en el centro de la ciudad

This week was one of the best in the mission! On friday we went to Tuxtla Gutierrez for the mission conference with Elder Bednar. I couldn't sleep at night - it was worse than Christmas Eve for a kid. Saturday was the conference, and I got to see a lot of Elders that I haven't seen for so long! Then Elder Bednar came and I learned so much! He shook everyone's hand. I tried to make good eye contact and I felt like he could see my soul. He is a little shorter than me. His wife asked me how I was doing and there were a few 70's there, including Elder Johnson.

Tuxtla Gutierrez Temple

First Sister Bednar spoke. She made everyone cry. She talked about her sons, and how all of them (3) had their birthdays this week. She said that we reminded her of her sons. She also said she knew that we were the missionaries that our mothers wanted us to be. She said that if she could she would call all of our moms to talk to them (haha). Then she bore testimony that her husband is an apostle. It was very powerful.

Elder Stevenson and Elder Bernal

Then Elder Bednar talked to us. We had read talks and we discussed them with him. He asked us questions and we could ask him questions too. I loved what he said. We talked mainly about how we need to teach investigators how to fish, and not give them fish. We need to help them search their own answers so that when we leave they will know what they need to do and already have a relationship with God.

Tortuga

He also talked about acting, and not being acted upon. He said that sometimes we ask for God to act upon us, and we don't ask for help to act, or how to act. He talked about Joseph Smith and how he asked what church he should join (action) and also how Nephi asked for power to break the bands when his brothers tied him up. He talked a lot about how in the church and with investigators we play "what am I thinking in my head?" and we don't ask for the opinions of others. When we ask questions with right and wrong answers, we make the learner an object that is acted upon. And that works against their agency.

:P

Also almost the whole conference though they talked about teaching our children. It was really surprising to me, because general conference was based on that too. I could share a bunch more but don't have time. But Elder Bednar was really funny and great. He said that we are a great mission. He gave us an Apostolic Blessing too. He blessed us to be successful according to our obedience and gave powerful testimony of Jesus Christ. I will never forget the experience!

Saida's baptism

We also had a great baptism on Sunday. Saida (12) got baptized. She was excited and had a ton of family members come from Guatemala (like 15). They traveled more than an hour to come. It went really smoothly and a lot of people came. The room was packed. And the youth prepared a special musical number for her. It was great because her grandmother Carolina was a little worried because Saida is young. We asked a young woman to speak in the baptism about the holy ghost and after the baptism (they invited us over to eat), she asked about the youth and how old she was etc. I could see that she felt more confident in her granddaughters choice. She also said she wants Saida to go on a mission!

With part of Saida's family after the baptism

I am so happy. I love this work and know it is true. I love you and miss you all!

Con Amor,

Elder Riley Stevenson

Si No Hubiera Visto Las Cosas De Dios En Una Visión, No Habría Conocido Su Bondad

Mi Familia,

This week was great! We worked hard and saw the fruit of our labor. We focused on helping our investigators understand why it is important to do their compromisos (can't remember what it is called in english). (Editor's note: compromisos=commitments). A lot of our investigators are progressing and that is what missionary work is all about!

We are still teaching Saida and Carolina. They are doing great! We taught them the word of wisdom and I had one of those "what am I doing here?" lessons. Actually this was last week I think. But it was the lesson that she told us that she went to the other church and that the pastor was visiting them too. I felt like I was wasting time because she was also telling us about all of the problems she has had with the WOW (coffee, alcohol, and tobacco). She actually stopped smoking a few months ago. And right now she hasn't dranken, drunk... drunken? And she has been drinking substantially less coffee. We are very happy for her. Saida turned 12 yesterday and went to church anyways. I bought a cake on saturday and they made us lunch after church and we got to talk about the sabbath day. It was so special too because a woman that has been inactive for 5 years went to church yesterday and is one of Carolina's best friends. I had taught her too and never thought she would come back. The sister went to eat with us too and we got to talk with the two of them together and it was really special. Saida is going to get baptized on sunday.

We also met another woman named Ilda. We contacted her outside of her house. President Cárdenas always talks about seeing a house far away that stands out in our head, and that when that happens we need to contact there! That is what happened when we contacted Ilda. She listened to us and told us about her life. She has 10 children and is divorced. She is looking for the true church. She said if she finds it she knows that her children are going to follow her footsteps. I love how the spirit leads us to those who are searching for the truth.

I am so happy and miracles are happening here every day. I know this work is true. I know that Christ lives and loves us.

I miss you and love you all!!!! Have a great week.

Con Amor,


Elder Riley Stevenson

Sólo Para Los Hombres Está Medido El Tiempo

Mi Familia,

This week was really good. We found a bunch of new people and had some great experiences.

We changed to daylight savings last Saturday night (March 31) and the people here have started to ask about the hour change when we tell them when we have the church services or when we are going to have the next appointment. They ask, "God's hour, or the other?" It is pretty annoying and confusing. It makes me laugh though. Didn't the egyptians start using the hour first? Oh and also a person we contacted wanted to contend with us and asked us what hour we used. I told her that time didn't exist for God and it didn't really matter and she said, oh yeah (haha). We had a pretty funny lesson with her. We taught her the Plan of Salvation and she said that we weren't with God before this life and started telling us how God created us and that he breathed in Adam's nose and all that Good stuff. It was funny because in the end she admitted that it was true and that she already knew that. I love when people already know something, then deny it, and then try to defend the false principle and later decide to say that they knew it all along.

We had another experience that was very special. We are teaching a lady named Carolina and her granddaughter, Saida. They are really special and are progressing in the gospel. This week she told us that a pastor of another church arrived to her house and brought them to his church. She asked us if we were mad and we told her that we weren't and told her to pray and bore our testimonies. I felt pretty bad because they were really great and I didn't want to lose them. So we prayed a lot for them. When we got there the next day (Wednesday), she asked us if we believed in dreams. We told her that we did and she explained that she dreamt about us. She said that she saw us and we were teaching her. Then she woke up, and fell back asleep. Then she dreamt that we told her that we wanted her to dress up all in white. Then she said that she agreed to do it and her granddaughter too. She also said that we tried to tell many people but they didn't want to or didn't listen to us. She asked us what it meant and we got to show her some baptismal photos that I have in my scriptures and explain that it was an answer from God. She told us that her dreams always happen or come true(?) - I don't know how to say it. I know that Heavenly Father answered her prayer and our prayers too.

I am happy. I love the mission! There are miracles everyday. We are working hard here and the Lord is helping is too. I love you and miss you all!

Con Amor,

Elder Riley Stevenson

Hay Cuerpos Celestiales, Y Cuerpos Terrestres

Mi Familia,

Hey everyone. This week was real good. I loved conference, but only went on Sunday. But I got to see it in English! That is always special. I can't say that I had a favorite talk but I loved the talk by Elder David F. Evans about sharing the gospel. Maybe because I am an Elder. But every talk was great and I can't wait for next conference.

This week we had a lot of success and I felt the spirit a lot. We had some great lessons. We taught a woman named Araceli that is very catholic but she listens to us. She showed us her 3,000 peso Bible and it is really beautiful. I like teaching her because she has a lot of questions. When we contacted her she was sick and we gave her a blessing. She had salmonella. We gave her a blessing and after 2 months of being sick she got better in a few days. I don´t think she linked the 2 experiences but we will tell her.

We taught another woman, Sarái. She is very active in her christian church and she started asking us about the 12 tribes of israel and the millennium in our contact with her. We taught her the plan of salvation this week and she loved it. She said she had never read about the 3 grades of glory and we explained a little about the 12 tribes and the millennium. She believed that if someone was a descendant of Jacob they would automatically be saved. We read some scriptures and cleared it up. It reminded me of the time when a Jehovah's Witness told me that you have to see to believe because Thomas taught us that. Sometimes I think they just read half of the stories.

Our investigators didn't go to conference because a lot of them aren't legally here, and the migra (immigration) checks the transportation that passes to Tapachula. It was kind of sad but you got to live the laws of the land. They can legally be in Ciudad Hidalgo though.

We are also teaching a man named Gudilberto. He got in a motorcycle accident and has had 2 surgeries on his leg. He is a great guy and he got excited when we gave him the Book of Mormon. The hard part is getting him to church. He lives far away from the chapel but I know we will be able to work something out (He can't walk.)

I can't remember if I told you guys but I ate turtle last week. It was pretty good! I will send pictures in these next few weeks.

Hey did Brother Schroeder sing in the Mormon Tabernacle Choir?

Things are good. I am so happy. I know that our Heavenly Father loves us and knows us. I know that He listens to our prayers. I know that He is the Father of our spirits and that we can become like Him by keeping His commandments.

I love you and miss you all. Boom goes the dynamite.

Con Amor,

Elder Riley Stevenson