Elder Brigham Blake

Dear Family and Friends,

 This week was absolutely killer. I honestly cannot understand just as to how fast time flies by here in the DR. I guess when you're doing something you love with those you love time really lets itself go!! 

I have soooo much to report on that I don't know where to really start, I guess I could say that I still have not heard a single thing about the church policy change here. No one has mentioned it nor known about it until either I or my companion bring it up. 

On Thursday I had to go to Santo Domingo to Renovar mi visa. I went down with Elder Thaler and we left our Greenie comps behind in our areas to go ham! Elder Corder got kicked in the butt with the gift of tounges and was able to answers all questions or doubts that our investigadores had. He is such a stud and has been my best companion by far. On Thursday night we had to stay in Santiago to wake up early and take a bus to Santo Domingo. My CCM comp and buddy Elder Oldroyd who is our mission secretary hooked up Elder Thaler and I and we were able to sleep in his house. The most rewarding part our my trip was being able to leave on intercambios with Oldroyd because we wanted to see just how much we had progressed in the past year. It was a very cool experience teaching with him after such a long time.

On Saturday we had two baptisms: Freddy y Carlos, two brothers who have been investigating the church for the last 5 months. These kids are awesome. When my last comp left I decided to stop teaching the family just to see if Freddy and Carlos would still come to church. They stuck faithfully and have come to church every Sunday on their own since June. All that runs through my head is that these kids are Lincoln's and Noah's ages (9 and 15). It really pulls on my heart strings when I think about the situation that these two young men are in, but I know that they will keep on faithfully in the church. Anyway, their parents haven't ever really progressed. The father is pretty lazy and the mother is very catholic. But Cecilia, the mother was able to come to church for the baptism and after the service our ward mission leader invited her to bear her testimony. Her boys and I started to tear up. It was a very touching experience.

To finish I would like to leave a scripture that I read yesterday in Omni. It's not everyday that someone quotes Omni but I love how he invites us to come unto Christ. It reads 26 And now, my beloved brethren, I would that ye should come unto Christ, who is the Holy One of Israel, and partake of his salvation, and the power of his redemption. Yea, come unto him, and offer your whole souls as an offering unto him, and continue in fasting and praying, and endure to the end; and as the Lord liveth ye will be saved.

I know that coming unto Christ is what truly brings us joy in our lives. It seems soo difficult at times to live the gospel of Christ but the rewards are many. It has hit me just how simple missionary work is and how satisfying it can be if we do it with all the energy our of soul. I know that I have become a better person coming unto Christ. However he requires that we offer our WHOLE souls unto him, not just a part. We are not perfect but through the gifts and merit of the atonement of Christ we can be glorifed. 

We deep fried oreos, pb n js, pop tarts last night btw, it was honestly really gross.