#33 When You Believe

 What a spectacular week!!

I'm going to start right off with a story! Jorge! Here's his profile:
He's about 50 years old with a mustache. He's been less active in the
church for about as long as I've been alive. He's a shy guy. He's been
drinking and smoking for a long time. Our first visit with Jorge he
didn't have pants on.. it was kind of weird. Well we met with him on
Friday and talked about keeping the commandments. He wasn't very
receptive, but just needed some motivation. I made him repeat after
me.(In Spanish) "I am a son of God! I am strong!" I got him to say it
with confidence! He then Repeated, " I am a son of God, I'm very
strong, and I don't smoke anymore!" He started saying it with
confidence and practically yelling it. I knew it but just had to be
reminded. He was so excited that I told him to grad his cigarettes.
(something he had refused to do 5 minutes earlier) He gave them to me
and we threw them away. We've called him everyday and he hasn't smoked
since Friday!!!

                                                        Baptisms!!
Well I could talk about the baptisms and the people who got baptised
for hours! They are so great and were super ready! Esneda is the one
with the mullet, nose ring and lip piercing, and Robertito is the
young kid. The baptisms were awesome and the Spirit was there. Esneda
had to make some changes in her life, but through her faith she did
and is now a member of the church. It was a great blessing for me to
confirm her as a member of the one and only true church.

It's awesome to see this great progress! There hadn't been a baptism
is Ourense for a little over 2 years. I know that it's not because of
me that this happened, but it's because of God and His love. The
church is true!!

#32 Hermano Jacob

"Pray for Miracles and have faith that the Lord will give them to you
after you do your part" -Elder Holland

This week was fantastic!! We had a great start, and a bomb finish!

As you can imagine the great start was playing soccer! We had 4
investigators there, our main man Jacob and a few less actives! My
comp is super good so it's fum to play with him!

Hermano Jacob!! Jacob is a convert from Cameroon! He was the last
person to get baptised in my area. He got baptised a little over 2
years ago! He's always open to come with us to the visits! I can
barely understand his English even though it's his native language,
and his Spanish is hard to understand too. But his spirit is very easy
to understand and feel! I don't think I've met someone with a stronger
testimony! I'm so grateful for him! He can always put a smile on my
face even though he always asks me for ties! HAHA I love Jacob!

Well this week we are still contacting like animals, but we finally
had a day that was just full of visits and that was great! We have
seen great growth and it feels awesome!! The best news is that we for
sure have 2 baptisms taking place this Saturday!! I'll tell the story
of these people next week, but it's just great that I feel like I have
been able to be a useful instrument in the hands of God and I know
that we Can all feel that when we work!

The church is true!

Love Elder Bailey

pics Me and Jacob!! and our barber!! We look good with our new cuts!

#31 Miracles

Well I told you guys that I'd tell the story of what happened last week.. so here it is!

We came to church an hour early to start filling up the font. I thought that it'd be a good idea! :) But I was quite wrong. During the end of first hour the Branch President pulled me aside and told me that we weren't going to be having a baptism that day. I had been informed the night before that I was leaving plus we had to fight like lions to get Miguel ready for this day. I decided that I would do everything in my power to get it ready for today!! (People had already brought food, his family was there, and Miguel was excited) During all of second hour I had Elder Boone teach Gospel principles, and I started filling buckets!!! I would fill up as much as I could from the sink and then take it in. third hour sacrament meeting started. Once it ended the branch Prez. said that if there is enough water then we'll have a baptism. Him and I walked to the font... there wasn't enough water. Even with all of my effort we weren't even close. He said sorry Elder. Before he could say anything more I run to our pulpit and quoted James 2:16-16. "Show my your faith without works and I'll show you my faith by my works" I was way good friends with all of the branch, so I asked them to help me, and if they helped then God would find a way to let us have a baptism!! EVERYONE moved chairs, grabbed buckets and got to work!! It was the most unity that I had even seen there! WE all worked hard for about an hour! Miguel and I then got dressed and we had a baptism!!!!

Although Satan had kept putting road blocks in our way we were able to be instruments in the hands of God to be part of a Miracle. The very fact that Miguel made crazy changes to be baptised is a miracle. He had to stop drinking, going to parties(Which is all everyone does
here) and start keeping the law of chastity. Meaning leaving a lot of his old life behind. I thank God for the opportunity that I had to play a small role in the conversion of one of His sons!! The church is true, and God is a God of miracles.