A full week of work ending in the new realization that I am at last the of the oldest in the mission. Yesterday we had to leave our services early to drop of one of the missionries [sic] that was serving here in Allende at the bus station in Coatza. By no [sic] he is home to Honduras.
As for Aristeo, another creative and hard week at work. Although his testimony of the truthfulness of the Gospel is ever incresing [sic], his conversion hs [sic] been dwindling in the dumps. This week we had two very direct lessons where he understood very well that he was living in sin and needed to do something about it. I felt a bit like a lawyer presenting a case. One day we taught him all the reasons why he needed to leave his "partner" right now. He knew that he had to stop certain parts of his relationship, but we showed him the effect that the other woman had on his children. It came down to him picking between his children or second wife. He said he couldn't make that decision, which, ironically is choosing to stay the same with the second wife. Still funny to me that sometimes we say we can't decide, but already saying that is your decision! He said he would leave it to God and if God didn't want them to be togther [sic] then the relationship would magically just take its separate way. When he said that, I couldn't help but think of 2 Nephi 2:14 "both things to act and things to be acted upon." When you "decide" not to act, you are really deciding that someone else will decide for you. Do you want to take control of your own life? Man up! We made it somewhat clear to him, but the large desire he has had of staying with his girlfriend has kept him from obeying the commandments.
A few days later we went with him to explain to him that we were not there to make his decisions, but that we would explain to him the doctrine in a way that he would be able to know what is right and how to put his life in order and fulfill the commandments of God. We went and shared a general conference talk given by Russell M. Nelson titled Celestial Marriage that talks about his parable of the shoplifter. We helped him to realize that if he really loved his partner, he would show the proper care to love her correctly and give her all she is worth. We left the talk and he agreed to keep praying about it.
After all that hard work, he skipped English Class (he is our best student) and still has not come to Church! So, not much more we can do for him until he decides to quit condemning himself. But its [sic] okay, the Law of Chastity is always a fun one to teach too. For all of you I would advise this simple proverb: "25 Lust not after her beauty in thine heart; neither let her take thee with her eyelids.
26 For by means of a whorish woman a man is brought to a piece of bread: and the adulteress will hunt for the precious life." Proverbs 6:25-26. Learn from Aristeo and see that it is the ONLY thing standing between him and his eternal salvation.
As for other news, another investigator we have, Serbando (13), has been pretty active with us, but has had little support from the ward. How do we fix that? No one goes to visit him, and he lives right next to the church! So, I got a tie, Elder Hernandez grabbed a white shirt and we got him to go out with us all Saturday to preach with us. We took him to go preach to the members and that turned out well. He will be getting baptized this Saturday. We found him because we said hello to him twice in one day on our way to and from General Conference. So, always be looking for the people placed in your path.
Every member a missionary.
Your decisions will always affect another's.
Elder Andrews
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