Done With Training!

Well, I'm officially done with training, though I still have a whole lot to learn. I'm only just getting started, but I guess that's the point. The more and more I learn and work, the more I get excited to teach and share the Gospel. When things get hard, I just remember the importance of my message and how it can really change the lives of those I teach. I'm teaching for eternity, that's about all I need to remember. I'm slowing learning the importance of my message, and I now can't imagine heading back and leaving these people. I get moments where I feel that I just HAVE to teach these people, becuase I know what happiness they'll have. And that alone is what drives me to teach and keeps me happy here every day.

One thing I think that marks my progress the most is the fact that I can teach with my own personal spin. Before, I just struggled to say things and didn't really have my own attitude in my limited vocabulary, but now I do. I'm more comfortable with Spanish and teaching itself, so I can express myself and the importance to the Gospel to ME. And not just in simple testimony, but from personal experience and feelings. I think that takes a whole lot of struggle out of my life and purpose right now. I feel less and less like I'm fighting, and more and more like I'm enjoying myself.

We had another baptism this week! David was baptized and confirmed. I'm super excited about him, because he goes to church and keeps his commitments really easily, which shows that he actually wants to follow Christ. Not only that he wants to, but that it's a priority. I felt the Spirit really strong during the baptism, especially as he shared his testimony of the Gospel. I'm super happy that I was able to teach him. And he's a very large testimony to me that the Lord prepares people.

Now Elder Olivares is going to leave and I'll have to teach my new companion the area. That'll be a trip. I've been working super hard to learn where the members and investigators live and where all the roads and such are. It's a big area, so it's pretty hard, but I'll be able to manage. It'll just be weird to be with a different companion for a while.

So my companion had to interview a Psycologist. He said it was probably one of the hardest things he's ever done. She was really analyzing everything he was doing and all the questions and everything, and she wasn't 100% convinced of all the commandments, so he had to use a lot of care in all of the interview. She really didn't mean any harm, but Elder Olivares was super nervous about it all. But in the end, she had confidence in him and wanted him to be the one to baptize here, which is cool.

This next week should be an adventure, though. I'll be running the area for the most part until my companion gets used to it.

Hope all is well!
Elder Seth