Week 18

Hello everyone and all!! This week here in Belen was a little bit of a struggle. We had some dropped appointments and then I went and got sick. But it was also full of miracles and blessings and I am so thankful for my Heavenly Father and his outpouring love. Last P-day we went to this pizza place called pizza 9. It was pretty much amazing. Definitely rivals Dion's. During P-day sports I managed to win a game of Slaughterball which is nice. I am pretty sure that my arm is going to be permanently damaged after my mission. I just can't stop myself from playing and going 112% all the time! Last Wednesday was a day that I call "Diligence Testers" where the Lord tests to see how hard we really wanna work. Almost all of our appointments fell through that day and it was just tough. But we had an awesome service project with Rio Communities. We helped them with a food drop. It is the 2nd time that I have helped with this and we invited the Spanish Elders to join us. It was so much fun! We get to talk to hundreds of people and smile at them all and give them food! It was great and everyone there was in a good mood. We had a visit of love with the Spanish Elders at the end of that day so that made it all better. Thursday was a polar opposite day though because had a lot of lessons and they all went awesome! We met with C and he is doing really well. He accepted a date to be baptized on the 17th of October! I am so excited for him. We also had a lesson with P. He told us that he didn't want to go to church or get baptized because he already got baptized. BUT he also told us that he has seen the Priesthood work for one of his family members! He told us "He was really sick and the doctors told us he wouldn't make it. Then a couple Mormons came in and put their hands on his head and he walked out the next day! Unexpalinable." It was super cool because we started talking about that authority and he told us that maybe he does need to get baptized. It is amazing to watch the spirit work in people! The church has to be true! On Friday I went on exchanges with the Valencia Elders. I went to Valencia with Elder Lester. He has been on his mission for about 3 months and is an awesome person. He is very diligent and hardworking as well and I enjoyed the time I had with him. Saturday morning I woke up with a sore throat and stuffed nose. I was not happy at all because I never want to take a day off from missionary work. I am here to serve the Lord not to sleep. So I decided to work all day Saturday anyway and when I got up Sunday I regretted it. I managed to go to church but had to call President's wife to ask for the day off after. I needed the rest and was able to work a full day yesterday. The Lord blessed me with not getting a fever and I am grateful for that. Sunday was my 4 month mark! Crazy to think that I have been here that long already. Feels like yesterday that I was in the MTC pretending I knew everything. Yesterday was a good hardworking day and we were blessed to find someone who is awesome! Her name is Cl and she was blessed as a baby but never got baptized. She told us to come by anytime and that she has been looking for the right church! It was a sign to me the we were where the Lord wanted us to be and that He is always preparing people. We got to dig another Dog Grave yesterday. It was an interesting experience. I have dug 2 now for the same people. I can only imagine that I will have more to do before I leave Belen. Anyway I love you all!! Thank you for your support! 

Quotes of the Week:

"Doubt kills more dreams that failure ever will."

"Endure to the end is enjoy to the end."

Spiritual Experience of the Week:

Thursday night I was really struggling to feel the spirit and it was making me feel completely unworthy and inadequate. I prayed that sometime on Friday I would have a really strong spiritual experience so that I would know that I am worthy and doing good things. During district meeting I felt to spirit stronger and longer than I have in a very long time. It was a clear answer to me that Heavenly Father loves us all and will always answer our prayers. 

**NEW** Miracle of the Week:

We have a less active member named S and her Husband Cr is getting baptized next month. They told us to meet them at walmart this morning and so we did. When we got there we saw S with 2 brand new bikes and pumps and locks and everything you need. It was amazing and so nice of them to do that. It was a miracle because we have been looking for bikes for a while now. I am so grateful for them.

Pic: Me and my new bike! I is Sick! AND.....a sign on a door that we knocked on just so I could take a pic of the sign.  Awesome.

Love you all!!

Elder Carruth