Week of Work

It gets tiring, but you learn to keep going. It's one of the things I've learned on the mission, it is nice to relax, but if that's all you do you haven't achieved anything. So we work.

It seemed the day would never come, the baptism of Brando and Lorenzo. When it finally came, I felt odd baptizing someone who, to me, was already a member. For lack of members in such a small branch, we had to find and baptize our most important leader. Having that said, Brando is our Branch Mission Leader. So, he'll really be able to have some progress. His mother still has her doubts, but that is because she is still accustomed to her own ways. She doesn't tend to like reading anything we leave her, and although we read it with her afterwards as punishment, it just doesn't have the same effect as if she were able to come to that conclusion by herself.

Abril, the sister of Brando, was in Campeche taking exams for college, so, although she did not get baptized last Saturday, she will be getting baptized in two weeks by Brando himself! I think that will be even more special to see than his own baptism.

Brando is so big that it turned out we didn't have any clothes big enough to fit him. But, we figured that out early, so we had time to look, but it turns out the Zone didn't have any either, or the mission offices, and so we were given permission to baptize him in his khaki pants. Brando asked me to baptize him although I still wonder if he did that just because I am the biggest one here. But, the fact that the river was high up helped to get him under rather easily. The first baptism of Elder Segura as well. Its good to help Elders get their first baptisms. Although they don't know how to help much when it comes down to the details.

During the baptism, I felt different. I felt outside of myself, watching the world around me go on. I saw the future of the Church inside these new missionaries that surround me as well as the new members we had just baptized.

It was odd to think that just one year ago I could not walk, and to see all that has happened since. I will ever be grateful for the actions of all around me to help me stay in the mission. Had I not, the Lord would not have been able to bless Brando and countless others as He has. Don't let your actions bind the Lord, but give of yourself daily.

That is the only way to give all of yourself and be content at the end of the day.

Consecrate yourself.

Elder Andrews

Elder Andrews presumably wearing Brando's pants.

Enjoying a coconut drink.

Elder Andrews, Brando, Lorenzo, and Elder Segura at Brando and Lorenzo's baptism.