Why wouldn't they want us to baptize the whole city of Guayquil?

December 7, 2010


HEY FAM!

So this week has been pretty great! It has absolutely flown by, like crazy fast! I cannot believe i am going to be entering the field in like a week! So crazy to think about not being in the CCM! I am sure this will be a really fast week as well. So this is what I am hoping
for: Spencer is going to be waiting at the airport to pick me up with the president and then on the way to the mission home he will say "oh by the way this is your new companion, Elder Keables" and then we will just wreck Guayaquil and baptize the whole town... Lets just put it this way, ya know the pictures in the back of the Book of Mormon? There will be another one for Me and Elder Keables. I am thoroughly convinced that this is what is going to happen, I mean it makes the most sense, why wouldn't they want us to baptize the whole city of Guayaquil? Anyway I would really like an update on Taylor's progress in the mission papers, has he sent them in? has he got his call and you guys just aren't telling me? WHAT IS THE DEAL??? Proselyting was awesome this week though. We went to a pretty impoverished area, ended up proselyting in somewhat of a business area. I was really worried because my companion was soo nervous about teaching, and he was having a rough time in the practices that we do here in the CCM. So I was really worried because I don't speak Spanish at all! well I do but not enough to handle myself in all situations. So we are on the street and I pointed to someone I thought we should contact. We walked up, introduced ourselves, and my companion did awesome! he really stepped up and it was such a relief! We made so many good contacts, and taught 5 lessons before lunch. We taught one guy who I thought was really receptive. His name was Napoleon, and he was an elderly man, probably late 60s and he owned a fruit stand on the street! So we walked up to him and he wasn't overly excited at first. he was just kinda talking to us to be polite I think. I could definitely read his body language. But we persevered and ended up teaching him the whole first lesson. He wasn't overly excited about it until we started talking about Joseph Smith. We told him the story, and I recited the first vision. When i recited the first vision he sparked right up! It was almost a night and day difference between the man that we started talking to. He started talking about how he was having a really hard time because he lives alone, his kids live in the United States and his wife died. He said that he felt like god had left him alone. I shared with him a scripture in D&C 122:7-9 about trials. He really loved this scripture. We committed him to pray, read the Book of Mormon, and we set up an appointment for the other missionaries to follow up with him. Right when we were leaving he was already starting to read the Book of Mormon. This experience was sooo motivating. So crazy how one street contact can change my whole perspective. I know without a doubt that he is going to pray and know that the Book of Mormon is true, and that Joseph Smith was a prophet. I cannot wait to get out in the field so when I make contacts like this one, I will be able to follow up with them. I also had a pretty rare, but awesome opportunity this Saturday
also. We started talking to this group of guys and all of them spoke perfect English! I was so shocked, I kept talking in Spanish but then realized that they were talking in English. So I taught them a short lesson in English, and when I got done, he told me he was a pastor, and that he was christian, but didn't like the Mormons. So maybe not as successful of a contact, but I just thought it was awesome that I got to speak English lol. After lunch we didn't have too much success though. It seemed like that whole area just kinda shut down. We did
talk to one 23 year old named felipé. He was washing his taxi when we walked up to him, and as soon as he saw us he started smiling. I didn't know whether he was just like "oh shoot here they come again" or if he was happy to see us! But it turns out he was happy to see us.
Apparently some other missionaries had taught him before, but he hadn't gotten baptized, but always really liked the missionaries. We talked to him shortly about the plan of salvation, And he said that he would like to take the missionary discussions again. So we filled out a reference card and he said that he was going to try to read his book of Mormon again. Overall he seemed pretty excited about this week. Overall this week has been awesome, I absolutely loved proselyting on Saturday, and it was just awesome all around! I love my companion, he is like a little brother to me. he is always Happy it seems like. such an inspiration to me because he is always positive. Even though I don't know Spanish that well I am always keeping him entertained somehow. And the good part is he is going to my mission! so I will get to see him more and more! which will be awesome! cannot wait, you have no idea how anxious I am to enter the field! ahhhh it seems so close but soooo far! Well I am going to go get ready for the temple. Love you  guys and I miss you soooooooo much, you have no idea. The thought of  you guys watching Christmas vacation together makes me sooo happy.  alright peace out for now.

Love you
       Elder Storm