All you need is a Mustard Seed: Exact Obedience

Hello once again from good ol' Texas! This week has been pretty good. My companion, Hna. Hunstman, and I have literally been doing all we can to have success. We have met so many people lately and are really striving to be EXACTLY obedient to receive blessings.

We went to Hno. Chavez's house this week to tell him that he HAS to come to church to be baptized. He agreed but his brain doesn't connect with the fact that the Sabbath day is not his day, it's God's day! He always tells us that he has a "salida" (outing} with his family and that he can't attend church. It finally got to the point where we told him firmly that he wasn't obeying the commandments. That caught him by surprise and he finally committed. We literally sat on his porch for an hour making sure he didn't leave and when we went back to knock, he was there! He came to church! My first investigator at church and it was awesome! We're planning on having his baptism in two weeks! I'll keep you all updated. He's amazing.

Hector, our other investigator, is a whole different story. He has been taught by the elders for two years now! We are currently teaching him and he knows the Gospel is all true. The problem is that he never commits. We tell him, "Hector, will you be at church on Sunday?" and he says, "Voy a hacer todo posible" (I will do everything possible) COME ON! It's so frustrating! We prayed a lot, and fasted for him to come. His baptism was scheduled for Nov. 2, but we felt like he needed to be baptized on Oct 25, yesterday! We fasted from sleep and woke up at 5:30 a.m. and we even fasted from letters and negative thoughts! It was so hard, but we did it to show Heavenly Father that we're here to do His will. Sunday comes around and Hector's friend calls us telling us they were on their way to the church. Sacrament starts and we are still wondering where he is! He ended up going to a buffet on the way to church and then they didn't come. We were absolutely devastated that they really didn't show up the one time we were positive they would. It was a horrible feeling because we know his potential, but he doesn't see it. Looking back now, I know it was a trial of our faith. We needed to realize that Hector still needs to be taught more. It's not a happy ending story, but we needed this experience to realize that there is more we could be teaching him, and that we need to continue to have faith.

I was reading in Moroni 6 about the requirements we need for baptism. Not just anyone can enter into the waters of baptism. It has to be those people who have sincerely repented, have a broken heart and contrite spirit, are willing to endure to the end and take upon themselves the name of Jesus Christ. If not, they will fall away as soon as they leave the baptism. Hector is not ready yet, but he is being prepared and I can feel it.

We had an amazing miracle this week! We met a woman named Hilda Segovia in a neighborhood where we teach a lot of people. She told us to come and teach her so we did one day. We walked in, and sitting right above her television was a picture of Jesus Christ, like the pictures we use as members! I asked her is she was a member and she said, "Yes ... well no, because I wasn't baptized, but I basically am." BLESSING? Yes. She is so ready to be baptized, AND, she has a granddaughter who is turning 8 in a couple days! She invited us to teach her, too, and help with homework! We love it, and I especially love it because it's what I want to do for my future career! It was an amazing miracle that Heavenly Father blessed us with.

Our other investigator, Salvador, is amazing. I cried during out last lesson because I felt the Spirit so strongly! He told us that he is going to take Sundays off to come to church and we have only taught him twice! It was super cool to see the Spirit work in him and see his actions change. I always imagine these investigators in the temple and it makes me that much more pumped to keep on doing this missionary work!

The Lord has blessed us tremendously and this work it continuing to grow. Yesterday we sang in a fireside as a zone and it was beautiful. We sang a medley of "Called to Serve" and "Army of Helaman." We sang with the Primary kids and it was just so cool to know that I am a part of the Lord's Army. That I am dedicating 18 months to Him, to bring His children back!

Remember, you don't have to be a missionary to do missionary work.

I love this work and I can't wait to see what more is in store. Being exactly obedient has blessed us so much! I love YA'LL! The Church is true. I know it with everything I have.

Hermana Sanchez