Letter Home 1-31-11

Hola Familia! y Todos! (and all)

 So I'm doing great! This week was a little rough but I got through it. As you know, I got an hijo (son). Soy papa (I'm a dad), haha. Ya I got a new missionary straight from the MTC. He is Elder Plata. He has only been a member for a year. It is kinda hard being a trainer because this first week I was pretty much teaching and doing everything alone, but he is learning little by little and it is making it easier little by little. We didn't have much success this week but we are working hard and keeping our hopes up and our faith strong. We had two baptisms fall through because the lady isn't married but living with her ¨husband¨ and her daughter doesn't want to be baptized until the mom does, so we are working on that. It is hard because everyone says my husband or my wife when really they aren't married. But I also have had some really cool experiences last change and also in this first week of this change. I am now district leader, well since last change, and so I have had the opportunity to do baptismal interviews for the missianaras in my district when they have people ready for bautism. I have never had experiences with the spirit so strong until I was able to do these interviews. I go to their house and I tell them that I have a message specifically for them and I get to have a lesson one on one with them. I have never been able to teach so well or been guided so much by the spirit. In these interviews, I am really able to feel and follow the spirit to bring out problems or questions that they have and be able to answer and help them. The first interviews I did I could feel it a lot but the one I was able to do this past week was really a great experience and a real testimony builder. I know that my Savior loves me and is there by my side helping me at every moment and I know that Heavenly Father loves His children and through us as missionaries answers prayers and brings true happiness to these people. I feel that as I am obedient, I am truly an instrument in the Lord's hands. I know that as each and every one of us can listen and follow the promptings that we recieve from the Holy Ghost, we will truly be instruments in the hands of the Lord to answer prayers. I also had a very funny and weird experience this past week. We were teaching this really old man and he likes to talk a ton so it was very hard to teach him. But we were able to teach him about the restoration of the gospel and introduce him to the Book of Mormon. Well, when he saw it he wanted it so we said we would give it to him for him to read it. But he wanted to buy it and of course we can't take the money for Book of Mormons so we told him that it was a gift and that we couldn't accept his money. But he was very determined to give us the money and he shoved it in the pocket of my companion. So I was thinking "What are we going to do? We can't take the money." So I asked my comp for the money and as we continued to teach I slipped it into the front of the Book of Mormon and then gave him the book, haha. It was very funny because he wouldn't take no for an answer. But the good thing is that we got the money back to him, haha. But who knows what he will do when he sees that the money is in the front of the book, haha, but will see what happens this week. I love this work that I am able to do. At times it is very hard, but I know that the Lord will never call me to do something that I can't do. He will always provide the way for me to accomplish the work He has put in front of me! I love you all and I am so grateful to have such a great family! Thank you for all your prayers. I know they truly do help me to be able to do the Lord's will. Thanks for all you do for me! Gracias! Love ya lots!

Love,

Elder Despain

Thanks for all your letters. Sorry if I haven't writen back yet but I will do my best to write back next week! love ya