Power of Prayer

Dear Family,                                                                                                                                                                                      


Elder Nelson and Elder Cataldo

My Easter was a good one. There are 4 missionaries in our ward Insurgentes, 2 Americans and 1 Mexican and 1 Chilean. Apparently the other American and I are the only ones who somewhat know how to play the piano and so they invite us to play every week. The other American Elder Hendricks is about as good as I am...which is not saying very much. I played "Cristo ha resucitado"....kinda embarrassing. I only played the top hand and on the last line there is a really hard part finishing...yeah well I just didn`t play that part and left everyone hanging for the last phrase. But there is no one who can play better so I guess they just have to live with what they got. Other than that the meeting was pretty good. The speakers aren`t the most polished down here but that`s not what`s important. The speakers were a family from Zacualpan. That is a little pueblo in the state of Veracruz that is in our area...it is about 3 hours away and they come every other week all the way to Tulancingo to be with the ward. There is a ward extension there and every other week they hold sacrament meeting in their house. We don`t go there because it is too far away that the people don`t have enough money to keep their covenants and travel all the way to Tulancingo. Also Mom, we felt your prayer this week. We found several families this week...although only one of them came to church this week. The whole week we had been praying really hard to find new investigators, we had been praying that the Lord prepare the areas donde we were going to work to prepare the hearts of the people with whom we were going to speak and praying specifically for all the investigators we had. We found new investigators every single day this week and I was so grateful for the mercy God had showed us. I have found that success is not measured in baptisms, although that is our purpose. Success is found in the act of allowing God to direct our paths and take us where He would have us be and talk to the people He would have us teach.


Tulancingo Zone

Tulancingo Zone?

But in the sacrament on Sunday I was wondering why none of our investigators had gotten to church yet except for Marìa de La Paz who had just gotten confirmed. I concluded that my prayers had been all wrong. I was simply praying to find investigators...but we had not prayed specifically for people that were actually willing to go to church. The power and specificity of prayers is something I have been learning a lot about. Right when the sacrament was over however in walked the Marquez Cruz family. We had talked to the sister while contacting in the street...she was carrying a lot of groceries and we offered to help. She declined our help but we presented ourselves anyways and she accepted a visit later in the day. We went back and she was actually there and let us come in. She spoke of how she had a large faith in Christ but had never really participated in a church. She has family members that are members of the church and had heard good things about it and was willing to go to church and Sunday, read and pray about the Book of Mormon and depending on her answer be baptized on the 22nd of April. We came back on Saturday and taught her husband who is a little more reserved, but accepted to read and pray and to come to church on Sunday. They have 3 little girls, 8 and 7 and 5 who loved primary on Sunday. They really liked church on Sunday...it`s going to be a little hard to teach the brother because he is a trucker and only comes home on weekends but we have faith that he will progress also. They were our miracle of the week. Thanks for your prayers.

Maria de La Paz

I sent the picture of the baptism of Marìa de la Paz on Saturday. It was a great service and Elder Cataldo and I sang Nearer My God to Thee as a special musical number. She just is so incredible. She was so elect. She had no problems or trials or issues with anything...accepted everything and was baptized in 3 weeks. The ward is getting involved (we have been working really hard to get the ward involved with us) and her testimony at the end was telling. "I`m sort of new at this, but I feel really good. I hope to continue with you all and continue learning and growing. I will see you all tomorrow." She is going to be a firm convert.

Our Apartment in Tulancingo

I have not gotten my package yet but might get it tomorrow because we have interviews with President tomorrow. As for Easter traditions we saw the viacruz...the representation of Christ and the crucifixion again. They don`t really have Easter egg hunts down here. Tell Kolby that I laughed at him for not counting well the eggs in his basket. There`s a spiritual lesson to be learned in that. Sometimes we spend hours and weeks and months looking for new and improved and special tools and gifts to accomplish the things the Lord has required of us when we had it in us all along all we had to do was recognize our own gifts as what they were.

Melissa HAAPPYY  BIRTHDAY!!!! Joe, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!! You`re one year older and one year wiser too now Heavenly Father expects that much more of you.

On the way to Xicotepec

I sent a couple pictures of the house and one of our area from the bus going to Xicotepec.

Well...it`s that time again but I love you all, I pray or you. Please pray that we find people to teach and that will go to church. I`m happy and learning and trying with all I have to complete what I have been called to do.


Love,

Elder Nelson