Mi Familia,
This week was very special. We were very busy getting things ready for Manuel's baptism. We were planning on having it Friday, but on Tuesday he fainted 2 times and the family was really worried about him. We went over Wednesday morning to his house and gave him his white clothes. It was traditional white baptismal clothing. Then we decided to have the baptism that same day and the confirmation as well. Before we had gotten there, the family took him back to the hospital (he had left the hospital a couple days earlier), but he said he wouldn't go in until he had been baptized. The family took him back home and he said they could do whatever they wanted after the baptism.
Street in San Cristobal
After we left, one of his granddaughters who is very against the church got there and started yelling at him and the family (who are members). She said that they were making him get baptized and that it was wrong. The members told her to ask him because he was very aware of what he was doing. He told her about the dream and bore his testimony. She left and hasn't said anything since.
Ride from Oxchuc to San Cristobal
We had the baptism at 1:00 pm on Wednesday and also had special permission to confirm him in the service. Elder Utt, Elder Ah Mu, and I baptized him. He is 85 and very fragile. I held down his legs in the water and Elder Ah Mu supported his back and Elder Utt covered his mouth and nose. Everything went well and then the Bishop confirmed him. There were a ton of people there and we had to have the service in the chapel. Afterwards, all of his family passed by one by one and kissed him and told him who they were and congratulated him.
Baptism of Manuel the Lamanite (his daughters are behind)
After the service they took him to the hospital and he has been doing a lot better since. He has been able to open his eyes more and he has not been bleeding from his nose or mouth. The nuns visited him after the baptism and told him that he had not gone through the confession process etc. and he bore his testimony of the church and about his dream. the family said that the Nuns didn't know what to do and told him that they were going to tell the priest to visit him. He told them it wasn't necessary and they didn't go back.
Countryside near San Cristobal
We learned more about him as well. He started the Catholic Church in Oxchuc and also was a catholic missionary in Palenque when he was our age some 65 years ago. Also, in his dream Jesus told him that He had forgiven him and to trust us and that we were His servants. It has helped me understand my calling better.
More scenery
We visited him yesterday and he talked to us in spanish which he hadn't been able to do for a while. We talked a while and he told us he would do the will of the Father, and that he knows that his work is not over yet. When I shook his hand he called me Paul (like the apostle from the bible) and his daughter said that that is how he saw me in the dream. I have no idea what that's supposed to mean! We are very happy for him and the decision he has made. He has been very firm in his testimony.
El centro in San Cristobal
We found some great people this week. We found a mom and son from Texas. The mom, Cynthia, knows a lot about the Book of Mormon because she studies the mayans and uses a book that a member wrote that talks about mayan culture and all of that. She told us she knows it is true and asked us questions about the Brother of Jared and stuff like that. Lance the son is a mason and went to church even though he doesn't speak spanish. We translated the talks for him and then he had to go. He want to become closer to God. We found some other great people. We found a family that is very interested in the church and they are so nice to us. We will see what happens. Two of them accepted a baptismal date (Maité and Lupita).
I am very happy and everything is going very well. I love you and miss you very much.
Con Amor,
Elder Riley Stevenson
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