Llamad, Y Se Os Abrirá

Mi Familia,

This week was very different than other weeks. We were so busy.

Picture of the Tzotziles selling stuff to a woman. It reminds me of the kids in AYSO.

On Tuesday we had our meeting with the district leaders. Wednesday I went to Tuxtla to sign my visa but it was not ready yet (they told us it was but it wasn't!) Then we came back to San Cris and went with the owner of an apartment we were going to rent but she had rented it to another person for 500 pesos more. So, we looked for another house, and found a brand new one for the same price. Then we were in the church for 3 hours, where President interviewed Patricia for her baptism. Then we had a meeting with him and Elder and Sister Utt. It was great.

On thursday we went to Teopisca to move the stuff out of the Elders house, because there can't be missionaries in an area where there is no branch or ward, so they were removed recently. We moved the stuff into the new house here. On Friday Sergio and Patricia got married and after the wedding I went flying to Ocosingo and interviewed 4 people for baptism. Only one passed but that is all right! On Saturday we moved to our new house cleaned the baptismal font and got the white clothing. On Sunday we woke up at 4:30 to fill the baptismal font. And at 9:30 Patricia had her baptism. Sergio couldn't get baptized because he has a few issues with the word of wisdom. His baptism is scheduled for this week. Besides that we still had 16 lessons. Good stuff.

Sergio and Patricia getting married.

We are also getting things ready for this Friday, when Elder Johnson of the 70 is going to be here and I am in charge of everything. We have the food and technology all planned out. Also a special musical number. We are going to sing How Great Thou Art in Spanish, English and Tzotzil (some Elders in the Tzotzil zone).

Just married, With family and friends.

We made the mission goal that every area baptizes in October. We are very happy!

Also it is now prohibited in the mission to knock on doors. We are going to work more with the members. I think Dad said that that's how it was in his mission. I am happy to work more with them. We got another referral from Nicolas. He took us in taxi to visit a sick friend.

Patricia´s Baptism. Sergio will be baptized soon.

I am so happy. Things are going great here. I love this work and know it is true. I love you and miss you all!

Con Amor,

Elder Riley Stevenson

Espera En Jehová; Esfuérzate, Y Él Alentará Tu Corazón

Mi Familia,

This week was very special. It was stressful but great! We are working hard here.

We got to teach the sister of an investigator that came from out of town. She liked the message and went to a Relief Society activity and to church. The investigator is Carmen and her sister is Monica. We are going to see how long she stays to help her get baptized.

I had a great experience this week. We were in the home of the grandpa of the stake president. I think I sent a picture of him and me. He is the one that was 8 or 10 when the first airplane took flight. We were leaving his house and he told us he was going to go with us. I thought he was just going for a stroll and to go in the sun because he gets cold in his room. But we found one of his friends in the street and he presented us to him. He told us that we could visit him another day. Nicolas, the grandpa, told him that we were going to baptize him - haha. He took us to another home and gave us another referral. I was touched by his testimony and his courage to share the gospel.

The missionaries in the Zone are doing great. Everyone is so excited to work. There is a missionary in every companionship that has less than 4 months (except for ours). It is helping us to have more faith and new ideas.

Jannia, the girl that I gave the backpack to, is behaving much better. Her parents are going to get married on Friday and baptized on Saturday. Sergio, the dad, got in an accident at work this week (motorcycle). He is doing better and we have seen that the Lord has protected him for his baptism. Patricia, the mom also had problems a few months ago she had a baby and had some serious health problems. They are both doing great now and are excited for their baptism.

Things are great here. I love this work and know it is true. I hope you have a great week!

Con Amor,

Elder Riley Stevenson

A Toda Nación, Y Tribu, Y Lengua Y Pueblo

Mi Familia,

Thanks for all of the emails. This week was great. We had transfers but Elder Rios and I are staying another transfer together. That means we will leave together next transfer, because we are going to end as senior companions the last transfer. I am excited because we have great people here!

Well this week we started teaching another referral, his name is Javier. He just got separated from his wife. He is awesome. He is searching for God. He went to church yesterday and really liked it.

We are also teaching another girl Emma, her parents are members but they don't live together and have a lot of problems but she wants to get baptized. Right now her dad cannot baptize her so we started teaching her.

We are also teaching another family that we got from some investigators. When we went on Saturday her (less active) member friend, Guadalupe, was there. We invited her to church. We are going to start teaching her daughter as well.

There are a lot of great people we are teaching. We received another 10 referrals this week. We also are going to start teaching the sister in law of one member. She recently had a nervous break down and says that she would like to talk to us. Her name is Esperanza.

I can't remember if I told you about Sergio and Patricia. They are investigators that want to get baptized but aren't married. They are having some strong economic problems. Their daughter Jania, that got baptized about 9 months ago, wanted a new bag for school because hers broke. When we left I left my bag on the clothes line and we left. I felt really happy! The good news is they have all of the papers to be able to get married, and they had about half of them a month ago.

I forgot to mention that last week I did a baptismal interview in Tzotzil! There was a translator there as well. It was good! This week we also got to serve a member family by painting their store. It was great.

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

Con Amor,

Elder Riley Stevenson

El Señor Vuestro Dios Os Levantará A Un Profeta

Mi Familia,

This week was great. First of all General Conference was great. I only saw the Priesthood Session and the Sunday morning session. I did listen to the opening statements of President Monson on lds.org right now, too. We took some investigators and they all loved it. Personally I liked President Uchtdorf's talk in the Priesthood session, and President Eyring's on Sunday morning. President Monson's stories were also so special. He is a servant of God.

We are teaching Ramiro Jr., the son of Ramiro that got baptized. He is 20 and accepted a baptismal date this last week. He went to Priesthood session and saw a baptism on Saturday before the session. He also went to the Sunday morning session. He really liked it. The second councilor in the Bishopric interviewed Ramiro so he that he can get the Priesthood. We are hoping that he can baptize his son.

We went to Tuxtla for the Zone Leader Council. It was great. We talked a lot about obtaining more referrals. We received 13 for the area this week and found some great people because of it. We also had some great lessons this week. We had a lesson with Merieli. We taught her about true intent because she does not want to change churches even though she has a testimony of Joseph Smith, the Book of Mormon and the church. She told us that she was praying and she felt darkness and she felt like it was God telling her not to change churches. I felt like we should give her the Joseph Smith pamphlet. She read it and said that she felt exactly what happened to Joseph in the sacred grove. She felt like she understood better what was going on. I read her Doctrine and Covenants 9:9 and explained how God answers "no." It was a great lesson.

Another sister from another church went to conference and told us that she had dreamed about the stake center before. She is Juanita - the one we found in the store and contacted her about the atonement (I think I wrote about her before!) We also talked to the husband of Carmen who does not want to get married  (Carmen wants to get baptized.) We have a great relationship with him. He drove us home after the Family Night we had together. Oh yeah it was an FHE. Their member friend from Tuxtla came and organized it all.

We were looking for a contact last night and couldn't find the street. I felt inspired to knock on a door of a house that was hard to get to. It was 8:15. She talked to us. Her mother in law died a week ago and her husband is drinking a lot. I am happy we found them.

I have to go. I am so happy and things are going so good. I hope you all have a great week!

Con Amor,

Elder Riley Stevenson

Les Enseñaréis A Amarse Mutuamente Y A Servirse El Uno Al Otro

Mi Familia,

Hey! This week was a good one. We went on Friday to help Ramiro and Asunción get married and everything turned out well! They were so happy. On Sunday they were baptized and confirmed. It was a great service and a very special spirit was there. I am so happy for them and Many members are getting to know them so I feel like they will be taken care of when I leave which is great. On Sunday after the baptism we ate mole at their house. We bought yogurt and cookies on Saturday for dessert. They invited a few of their new member friends.

Ramiro and his wife Asunción - they got married on
Friday, and were baptized and confirmed on Sunday

Besides the baptism we went to Ocosingo for a baptismal interview. Almost all of the areas in the zone baptized this month. Only one area didn't but they almost did. Their investigator didn't pass the interview and the District Leader couldn't get a hold of President. We almost broke the all time record in the zone, and we did get the highest number of baptisms of 2012. We are happy. Tomorrow we have the zone leader council in Tuxtla.

Last night when we were walking home this drunk guy wanted to talk to me. His name was Daniel and had no idea where he was. We called one of his friends and told her what was going on. Then we took him to the city park and left him with her. He is 19 and was crying almost the whole time we were walking with him. When we left he hugged us. We got his phone number and we are going to call him and send the missionaries to his house. It felt good to help him out.

Baptisms at Stake Conference

Well things are great here. I am really happy about everything that is going on here. I wish I had more time left in the mission but I am happy that I will be home soon. I don't think about it too much which is great. I know this work is the most important in all of the church and that what we teach is the fullness of the gospel. I am sure that this is the truth. I did have a testimony before the mission but study and prayer has strengthened it. I know that this is the true church.

Con Amor,

Elder Riley Stevenson