The Elect

Hey friends and family!

What a pleasure it has been to be a missionary in this place, at this time. Our task as missionaries is to find the elect, and help them come unto Christ. Doctrine and Covenants defines the elect as those that hear the word of God, and harden not their hearts. I always thought that meant that the elect were those that accept everything we teach, keep all their commitments, and are baptized in 2 weeks. I have since learned that that is not at all a good stereotype of an elect child of God. A better stereotype of an elect would be someone who marches onward despite everything that Satan throws their way. 

Take Margarita for example, she left her to-be husband in order to be baptized and receive the Holy Ghost. Her daughter, Liseth, has demonstrated the same kind of incredible faith. Her to-be husband comes from a very Catholic family. They showed her every anti-Mormon video they could find on YouTube and urged her to stop talking with us. She told us that she will not worry about the content of those videos because she knows that she feels the spirit when she reads the Book of Mormon and does not feel the spirit when she watches those videos. 

Liseth's brother, Duban was baptized last Saturday. Liseth, after pleading with her to-be husband many times, has finally convinced him to marry her so that she can be baptized, and so that she can present their baby in sacrament meeting. 

Another miracle for your week is that an investigator named Oswald found his way to church on his own last Sunday. I had never before seen the man, but when I saw him wandering outside the church doors, I invited him to come in. He accepted, but later confided in me that that very morning he was contemplating suicide. He told me that he felt like it was a good decision to go to our church instead. I instantly referred him to the bishop, who talked with him for a while in his office, and gave a priesthood blessing. He told me that he would love it if we could come to his house and teach him more about what we believe in our church. We're hoping to see some positive changes in his life these coming weeks, maybe even a baptism.

I love you all, hope you have a great week!

Elder Stephen Watts

Duban's baptism