Hola familia,
So I had a ton of changes and a ton of firsts this week. As I am sure you are all wondering my new companions name is Elder Pedraza. He is from Mexico of all places Monterrey to be exact. He is a stud and a work horse. Honestly we have been working so hard and so much and it is showing. Our numbers this week were amazing. We have 13 new investigators and two investigators with baptismal dates. A Hermana and her son. The coolest part of it is that when they get baptized it will complete the family.
But I want to rewind a bit and tell you all the story. So the families name is Gonzales. The dad is an inactive member who was married before and is now living with Patricia. They are not married and have three sons Yaer(18), Pablo Ignacio(12) and Gabriel(4). Pablo was baptized earlier this year but the Hermana has been wanting to be baptized for 12 years now. But they needed the divorce to go through. Finally it will most likely go through the first week of December so we decided to commit her to be baptized the 12 of December because a lot of times if you don't have a goal nothing will happen. Yaer has such a strong knowledge of the Book of Mormon he says it is true but is so scientific he has doubts about the smallest things. So we asked him to pray on Friday if baptism is what he needs but he went to bed at like 1 and admitted to us that he was falling asleep during the prayer. So the next day Saturday we committed him again. Sunday he said he didn't feel anything so we read scriptures. The spirit was strong asked him to go into his room and pray right then and there cause everyone could feel the spirit in the room. While he was in there Elder Pedraza and I sang hymns. Haha kinda weird but in reality it helped the spirit. He came out and again said he felt nothing. Then his dad who is one of the those big macho men who really don't show emotion at all bore one of the most powerful testimonies I have heard. It was amazing. Best part was near the end when he was bearing his testimony of the Book of Mormon and the power he feels when he reads he started to cry. Oh, I can't even describe the power in that testimony. Then my comp bore his testimony equally powerful about how we don't need to have a perfect knowledge before we do things and we need to rely on faith and the inadequacies he felt before his mission. Then he finished, looked at me and I bore testimony of the strength of families and their role in the plan of salvation. How having the knowledge of having an eternal family is such an amazing blessing in my life and how I know all of this is possible through the atonement of Jesus Christ and how personal it is for all of us. When I finished I asked him to look at his family. I asked him if in one year he could picture him and his family all in white at the temple. Him mom started to nod her head and started crying. He nodded his head too. I then went on to tell him how special and lucky he is for having a mother and a father who love him so much and want to be with him forever. I told him everyone talks about how beautiful the temples are, members and non members. How both of them who have been in the temples or have seen pictures will say the inside is even more beautiful than the outside. Then I told him that in reality the covenants we make inside are 10xs more beautiful than both and one of those are eternal families. After I finished my comp and I asked him how he was feeling and he told us he had a strong impression and feeling in his chest. Elder Pedraza asked him if he knew what it was. He nodded his head and said the Holy Ghost. Elder Pedraza then asked if he will be baptized the same day as his mother. When Yaer nodded his head I just felt something hit me in the chest. It was such an amazing and spiritual moment for me. I can honestly say I have not felt the spirit that strong since I went through the temple for myself almost 7 months ago. Just an amazing moment.
But I want to rewind a bit and tell you all the story. So the families name is Gonzales. The dad is an inactive member who was married before and is now living with Patricia. They are not married and have three sons Yaer(18), Pablo Ignacio(12) and Gabriel(4). Pablo was baptized earlier this year but the Hermana has been wanting to be baptized for 12 years now. But they needed the divorce to go through. Finally it will most likely go through the first week of December so we decided to commit her to be baptized the 12 of December because a lot of times if you don't have a goal nothing will happen. Yaer has such a strong knowledge of the Book of Mormon he says it is true but is so scientific he has doubts about the smallest things. So we asked him to pray on Friday if baptism is what he needs but he went to bed at like 1 and admitted to us that he was falling asleep during the prayer. So the next day Saturday we committed him again. Sunday he said he didn't feel anything so we read scriptures. The spirit was strong asked him to go into his room and pray right then and there cause everyone could feel the spirit in the room. While he was in there Elder Pedraza and I sang hymns. Haha kinda weird but in reality it helped the spirit. He came out and again said he felt nothing. Then his dad who is one of the those big macho men who really don't show emotion at all bore one of the most powerful testimonies I have heard. It was amazing. Best part was near the end when he was bearing his testimony of the Book of Mormon and the power he feels when he reads he started to cry. Oh, I can't even describe the power in that testimony. Then my comp bore his testimony equally powerful about how we don't need to have a perfect knowledge before we do things and we need to rely on faith and the inadequacies he felt before his mission. Then he finished, looked at me and I bore testimony of the strength of families and their role in the plan of salvation. How having the knowledge of having an eternal family is such an amazing blessing in my life and how I know all of this is possible through the atonement of Jesus Christ and how personal it is for all of us. When I finished I asked him to look at his family. I asked him if in one year he could picture him and his family all in white at the temple. Him mom started to nod her head and started crying. He nodded his head too. I then went on to tell him how special and lucky he is for having a mother and a father who love him so much and want to be with him forever. I told him everyone talks about how beautiful the temples are, members and non members. How both of them who have been in the temples or have seen pictures will say the inside is even more beautiful than the outside. Then I told him that in reality the covenants we make inside are 10xs more beautiful than both and one of those are eternal families. After I finished my comp and I asked him how he was feeling and he told us he had a strong impression and feeling in his chest. Elder Pedraza asked him if he knew what it was. He nodded his head and said the Holy Ghost. Elder Pedraza then asked if he will be baptized the same day as his mother. When Yaer nodded his head I just felt something hit me in the chest. It was such an amazing and spiritual moment for me. I can honestly say I have not felt the spirit that strong since I went through the temple for myself almost 7 months ago. Just an amazing moment.
Ok well I need to hurry and write about the rest of my week. Like I said we have been working a ton and another first I had was I blessed my first home! It was crazy. I was scared out of my mind but I did it. It was really cool to do.
My Spanish is sooo much better like a ton. I pretty much understand everything. I am just slow to respond cause I am still translating everything in my head and I am talking a ton more too. So I am really happy where I am at and glad it is all starting to come faster too. It's funny cause as I am typing this and I am thinking of what I want to say certain words I am starting to think in Spanish and have to correct myself.
To answer your questions, Threesomes were better. Still got ignored a little but not as much. It was easier cause it was pday and I could just sleep or something. But it was one Latino and one American. Ya, I have met Elder Kenison. I know his face have not really talked to him. To be honest I have only seen him a couple times. Transfers are in Maipu at the mission office. Everyone who has transfers go there and they put up lists and then you find your comp and go to your sector. We have zone conference every other change. I think in my zone there are 6 districts but for zone conference it is bigger. I don't know why they call it just zone conference but in zone conference we have the Peñaflor zone, San Antonio zone, Melipilla zone, and Maipu zone.
To finish up telling you about Elder Pedraza. He has been in the field for 14 months. He is 192 days older than I. It's weird I guess Mexico is the only country who get to go out when they are 18. He loves soccer haha. Obviously has a big family but only him and his parents are members but really he is crazy legit love the guy. Only thing is he is a little to rule Nazi. Like I am all for following the rules and what not but he is kinda to the extreme. Like he was getting all up on me because I was stretching on Sunday. I was like "what?" Obviously we don't workout on Sunday but I was stretching cause I was sore. Then he was getting all weird about music on Sunday and that I had a wrinkle on my sleeve and wanted me to iron it out. But I will take him over a comp who just does nothing and breaks all the rules any day. I love the guy. I am excited cause he is excited we are about to bust some huge miracles here in Malloco and we already have! We are going to try and get another fecha this week!
My Spanish is sooo much better like a ton. I pretty much understand everything. I am just slow to respond cause I am still translating everything in my head and I am talking a ton more too. So I am really happy where I am at and glad it is all starting to come faster too. It's funny cause as I am typing this and I am thinking of what I want to say certain words I am starting to think in Spanish and have to correct myself.
To answer your questions, Threesomes were better. Still got ignored a little but not as much. It was easier cause it was pday and I could just sleep or something. But it was one Latino and one American. Ya, I have met Elder Kenison. I know his face have not really talked to him. To be honest I have only seen him a couple times. Transfers are in Maipu at the mission office. Everyone who has transfers go there and they put up lists and then you find your comp and go to your sector. We have zone conference every other change. I think in my zone there are 6 districts but for zone conference it is bigger. I don't know why they call it just zone conference but in zone conference we have the Peñaflor zone, San Antonio zone, Melipilla zone, and Maipu zone.
To finish up telling you about Elder Pedraza. He has been in the field for 14 months. He is 192 days older than I. It's weird I guess Mexico is the only country who get to go out when they are 18. He loves soccer haha. Obviously has a big family but only him and his parents are members but really he is crazy legit love the guy. Only thing is he is a little to rule Nazi. Like I am all for following the rules and what not but he is kinda to the extreme. Like he was getting all up on me because I was stretching on Sunday. I was like "what?" Obviously we don't workout on Sunday but I was stretching cause I was sore. Then he was getting all weird about music on Sunday and that I had a wrinkle on my sleeve and wanted me to iron it out. But I will take him over a comp who just does nothing and breaks all the rules any day. I love the guy. I am excited cause he is excited we are about to bust some huge miracles here in Malloco and we already have! We are going to try and get another fecha this week!
I love you guys and I will talk to you next week!
Love,
Elder Alex Leavitt
p.s. so another first some guy tried selling us weed the other day walking home it was weird.
Hey Lisa (and Fred), Just finally took the time to read a bunch of Alex' letters. He sounds like he is tearin it up!! He is a hard working missionary! You must be so proud. Thanks for sharing this blog...I am excited to follow his mission!
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