Elder Isaac Blake

Elder Isaac Blake
Email: isaac.blake@myldsmail.net

Friday, August 15, 2014

8/11/2014

Ooooooooowwwweeeeee,

Fam and friends, it's been another dope week up here in Jujuy.

I'll be a bit all over the place, forgive me. Sufficeth to say that it's impossible to ever complain - I feel love and loved. It's the best feeling. 

Tuesday-Friday were good days, but they had me missing last week a bit. It's really tough to top a week like that, but yesterday (Sunday) may have been the best day of my mission, right in time for the big 2 - 0 cumpleaƱos!! So yeah, I'm pumped. 

The work here is picking up speed like Matty Lawrence on a break-away.  Yesterday, we had 7 people at church, and they all got there early. Talk about a tender mercy miracle also. 

We went to walk with Hyd, Nach, Mar., Lu., and Luc. at 8:30 (starts at 9). They live on the opposite end of the area, but we ended up arriving at 9 on the dot. Not sure how I feel, but when they got there, a family visiting the Church for the 1st time, they were the 1st ones there. The only other people there were the Bishop and Primary Pres. Kinda embarrassing for the ward really, and they talked about punctuality in council after church. We got them integrated in primary, young mens and womens, and RS(Relief Society). 

We also had a miraculous appearance of Fab. and Flor. - if you go back to my letter in the 1st or 2nd letter in July, we contacted and taught this young couple at a bus stop - they we're in a tough place. 

Well, Flo. left Fab. with their 6 month old daughter and he's been on his own for a few weeks. We saw him around town, but couldn't find him at home. I lost quite a bit of hope that we could help them. 

However, the Lord is merciful despite my incredulity. 

Last Sunday, we saw them walking with their stroller and just waved, but I noted that Flo. was back. A hope booster right there, but didn't think much of it. 

One or two more times, we saw them this week just walking around - kept telling them we'd stop by, but we were so busy we couldn't. THEN, Saturday night, we saw them AGAIN, just going for a walk. We didn't think much of it, but Fab. said - hey tomorrow there's church right? I then thought - here we go again, they commit and tell us to walk with them, but they're just blowing smoke. However, I wasn't gonna deny them obviously. We set it up to walk together at 9:30. Let's see.

We show up like we said and knocked really loudly - wait 1 or 2 mins. Knock again.... Fab. opens the window and says they'll be right out! Hahaha LETS GOOOOO literally I said. They came out all ready about 10 mins later and we hit the road with their stroller. 

On the way, turns out that Flo.'s mom is a member. Home run! I invited them to be baptized Sept. 13 and they said yes. We got to Church together and went to Gospel Principles. The topic was the Word of Wisdom - hahah love it when people come for the first time and we throw a weird new commandment at them. However, they ate it up and really hit him because drinking was what almost split them up. They made friends with a few members and it was really just a home run all around. 

Hahahah lets goooo we also had an extra bed in the apt that was collecting dust, and they asked us out of the blue if we had a spare bed. This morning, we took it over and then to top it off, they both came to the Church to play soccer. Fab. plays dope and Flo. sat there with their daughter and watched like a champ. LEEEETTTTTSSSSS GOOOOOOOO.  

Contacting them changed my mission, and to see them progressing all of the sudden after thinking it was a fluke is just the best. 

As far as Lean., another CAPO, he was there in Priesthood at 9. He drew me a pic of Jesus and a little lamb for my birthday. Incredible to think that we met him just 2 weeks ago - we've already taught him all the missionary lessons and he's just waiting to go to church one more time so he can be baptized. This kid makes all the work worth it. 

Hy. and her kids love when we go over and I love it too. Friday, we explained the Book of Mormon again and how it will bless their family. I don't really remember much more of the lesson, but I'll never forget how I felt. Hy. is one of the strongest, realest, most sincere people I've met. She's gone through the valley and back, and as a result, she's humble, not bitter. She sees the choices her older children have made, and instead of complain, she just buckles down and says she wants her kids to find a different path. They've found it. Seeing her strength fills me with love. When we left the lesson, I was overcome with pure love, TPLOC (the pure love of Christ). One of the best moments of my life. On top of the world.

To close, I frickin love the Book of Mormon. It speaks to me literally. I've been studying Helaman this week - especially chapter 12. I'm certainly not exempt from pride, and yeah, I've been battling with it a bit this week. Pride stinks - it's the gateway sin to all others. Lack of love, annoyance, hatred, laziness etc. all stem from pride. Let's battle pride, and humble up together.

Thanks for all your prayers! Seriously seeing so many miracles here and I can feel the strength of all of you pulling for us. 

LOVE you,

ELDER Blake

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