No Clever Ideas Today...

Hello family!

Thanks for all the letters, fotos, packages, and everything else! Grandma and Grandpa, yes I did receive your package on Valentine´s Day, so it was fun to re-live the Christmas excitement. And I also received a sweet package from Conrad, with an Armor of God coin that I now carry with me at all times.

This past week was awesome. We were able to find some really elect people that are really striving to change their lives for good and follow the example of our Savior. We found a lady named Rosario, who told us that she remembered that Elders used to go to her house and play with her when she was 5 years old, and that they would teach her family as well. So we were able to teach her, invite her to be baptized along with her sons, and they went to church with us on Sunday.

We also found an amazing lady named Magdalena, who told us that she has been searching for the truth for a long time. She left her original Church, studied with another religion (hint: they knock doors like us...) but then she didn´t like it either, and she told us she noticed big changes in her aunt when she joined the Church. We went and taught her about the Restoration and how she could come to know for herself which Church is true. We invited her to be baptized on March 13th, and she accepted. She told us at the end of the lesson that she had felt a peace that she hadn´t felt for a very long time, and that for the first time in a very long time she smiled and laughed (well...I like to be myself when I teach, and sometimes that means a few funnies...). She´s golden, and I feel so blessed to be able to teach her the Gospel.

That´s pretty much all the scuttlebutt from my end, I hope you all have a great week, and we´ll see you sooner than you think!

Elder Budge

PS. That last little bit of the letter doesn´t mean I´m going home early. Don´t worry about that...haha.

Another week...another opportunity to BAPTIZE the world.

Yellow family!!!

How are things going?! I'm feeling really good today, the sun is shining, there's a lot of dirt in the street, plenty of people walking around, ready and waiting to receive the message of the Restored Gospel. Who could complain?

This week was a week of some serious improvement for us here in Neza. We've been having some struggles these past few weeks, but we're doing everything we can to follow the counsel of our leaders explicitly and and we're beginning to see the blessings. We're trusting in the Process, and working our hind quarters off to contact, find, teach, bring to Church, baptize, confirm, and everything else!

We've been focusing mainly on just a few investigators we've found in these past few weeks...mainly the only ones that have gone to Church. Firstly, we're working with a brother named Juan Gonzalez and his daughter Monica. We found him when we did splits with the assistants two weeks ago, and he's been really receptive to our teaching. Last week we met his daughter Monica and Karin, but Monica has been the only one of the two that has been keeping her commitments to read, pray, and attend Church. She's definitely the one that's progressing most! She has her baptismal date for the 27th of February, and we're working hard with her to make sure she has everything she needs. Her sister, Karina, was really interested before, and would always ask us a million and a half questions about everything, but later told us, "Nah...I'll just stick with my religion." I'm always reminded of the Parable of the Sower when we meet people like that...that just let other things get in the way of the growth of the seed they plant. But, we're not called to teach them...we're called to teach the Elect, those who "hear [the Lord's] voice and hardenth not [their] heart[s]." And only them!

We've also been working with a 10 year old girl who hasn't been baptized, though her mom has been a member of the Church since she (the mom) was 8 years old. Her daughter, Datia, hasn't been baptized because her dad won't let her be baptized. He says that she only ten years old and doesn't really know what she wants (although she was baptized as a baby...back when she did know what she wanted...?). This sister, Catalina, told us simply that "she's living the consequences of not following the counsel of the Church". That is...marrying outside of the Covenant. The main difficulty is the father though...he says that if she gets baptized, she's not going to have a Dad anymore. Sound rational to you? Nope! Gotta love those awesome, loving fathers...but this girl is totally ready to be baptized. She knows more Articles of Faith than my companion! Hahaha!

At night, I've been reading the Institute manual called "The History of the Church in the Dispensation of the Fulness of Times", and I've read a lot about all the sacrifices the early Saints did as they remained faithful to the Savior and His Church. It really is incredible...of course, you've got a few Apostates here and there sometimes, but it's amazing the way the Lord provided for all who stuck to it with faith like Iron. Sacrifice brings forth the blessings of Heaven, I know it. I've also read a few times Doctrine and Covenants 58, which has been a great help for me as well. I would suggest that you all read it.

Anywho, I love you all. The Gospel is true, and never forget it!

Elder Budge

Sorry about the last two weeks!

Hello Family!

Yes, it is true, I haven't written for the past two weeks. But worry not little flock, I will update all of you so you can know "Que what's up" with the NezaPantitlan Zone. Two weeks ago Elder Coutino had changes, and I received a new Zone Leader, Elder Galvan, from Oxapampa, Peru. I think we're the only companionship in the mission that doesn't have a Mexican! It's been a blast working with him; we already knew each other before, because when I was first assigned as a District Leader in Xicotepec, he was in my district. It's fun that way because we don't have to play the "Get to know you" game.

This past week was pretty intense, we taught a bunch of lessons, and found a bunch of new investigators, but on Sunday only one of them went to Church. I was pretty bummed, and pretty confused, but after reporting to the Assistants last night I have more or less an idea of what we need to do in order to improve. This week should be a pretty good opportunity to figure out things we can do better, because on Wednesday we have our Zone Leaders' Council and on Thursday we have Leadership Training in our Zone.

Anywho, that's really all the news I have! Have a good week and go to the Temple!

Elder Budge