Baptism and Mother's Day

Hello All,

It's been another fantastic week here in Guatemala.

First of all, we had some baptisms. We had been teaching some 8-year-old kids whose parents are members. It turns out that they weren't investigators, but one of the kids asked me to baptize him. The other two asked their uncle, Luis, to baptize them. It was a really neat experience, especially being the first time I actually had the opportunity to baptize someone.

Our chapel doesn't have a baptismal font, so we had to go to the stake center to use the font there. While there, we ran into the lawyer who is going to marry a family that we're going to baptize next week. The family was there as well, and they had some questions for her, so they chatted, then we talked to her for a minute, and she casually mentioned that she had just come from Jerusalén, marrying some couples there as well. I asked her a couple of names, and she said that they were who she had just married. I worked with this family for my whole 6 months there, and they were about to get married and baptized when I left. She told me that they had been baptized as well, which was amazing news for me! I was so happy to hear that Jairon and Vilma had chosen to enter the waters of baptism, and start on the path that leads to an eternal family! Apparently, after she marries the couple here in Ciudad Real, she's going to return to Jerusalén the same day to marry yet another couple. How cool is that?

Those were really the biggest events of this past week. Yesterday we had a good, relaxing P-Day, which was a nice change. We've been pretty busy the last few weeks.

The other big news, of course, was the Mother's Day phone call. It was really great to talk to the family, and to tell them everything that's been happening here in Guate.

We also had the chance to have a lesson with a new investigator yesterday. His name is Wilmar, and he's a good friend of one of the families in the ward. He's 16, and he looks pretty rebellious on the outside, but on the inside, he appears to have a good heart, and a true desire to do the right. I'm excited to continue teaching him, and I think he'll be baptized if we take good care of him. We've talked to him a few times before in the street, and he came to church once as well, and really liked it. He seems really cool and I'm stoked to help him come unto Christ.

The family who will be baptized this Sunday is the Hernandez family. They're really, really great. They even invited us to lunch last Saturday. We'll be working hard this week to make sure that the two parents, as well as their 8-year-old daughter, are prepared to be baptized. They also have a 1-year-old son, but he's got to wait about 7 years until he can be baptized! I love the whole family, and I'm really excited to see them make covenants with our Heavenly Father.

In the past few months, I've realized how much I really love this Gospel. First of all, it's true, and second of all, it makes so much sense. It answers all the important questions we may have as to what we need to do here to be able to dwell with God once we leave this world, and how we can become eternal families. I love it because I know it's true. I know there are people here waiting for it, and it's my job to find them. After all, who doesn't want eternal happiness? There's only one way to find it, and that's through the true Gospel of Jesus Christ. Knowing and living the Gospel, and the Commandments of God is the only way we can be happy. Not just after this life, but right now, we can feel peace and security in knowing where we may go, and what we need to do right now. I tell you this because I've found the happiness (i.e. the Gospel). If you haven't found it, or you don't think it makes you that happy, seek it. Once you've found it, seek to understand it better, and I promise you, you will find peace. No matter what mistakes you may have made, you have a Heavenly Father and a Savior waiting to forgive you and help you to be better, and to obtain the happiness, the joy, the peace, and the security that will make you shout for joy!

As Christ told his apostles, "Come unto me, all ye who are labored or heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, for I am meek and lowly of heart, and you will find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."

I testify to you that these things are true. Don't be afraid of God or his will, but remember how much he loves you. He is your father, and he misses you, and wants you to come back home to him. Trust in him, hand him your burdens, and he will help you to overcome, and to do so with a smile on your face!

I love you all. You are amazing. Never forget that you are a child of God, and he loves you more than is possible to describe.

Thank you for your prayers. The results are being seen very strongly here in the mission.

Yours in the Faith,
Elder Nicholas Banks