The Nicaragua Mission has officially been Split and I stay in the South! We said goodbye to President Fraatz and his family after three years of miracles. He has left a legacy here of hard work and diligence. He definitely was a leader inspired of the Lord and with a vision of what Nicaragua could achieve. And he did it! Tuesday morning President Monestel and his family from Costa Rica flew in and they come with a huge desire to serve the Lord. We didn´t have to wait more than one day and the President was already worried about us and called us as a mission to ask about the zone and even asked us for advice! I was somewhat surprised but I felt grateful to know that the President would keep up the good work here in Nicaragua and that he wants to do so in the way that the Lord has directed him. I was shocked that he would be humble enough as a President to ask us the missionaries for advice. That was touching to me. I think we will work well together.
During the week we having been really working harder than ever before and we had so many spiritual experiences for try to put all of our heart, might, mind and strength in the work. With that pace we get very tired and crash at night but it is all worth it if it is for the kingdom of the Lord. At 9 pm one day we hadn´t completed with our goal of 3 baptismal goals with investigators and we felt like the Lord would help us to complete. I mentioned it to my companion and automatically we went to contact a family that was sitting on the right hand side of the street. Being in Las Palmas over 50 years, the church is pretty well known. However, this new couple had never even heard of the church and had been housekeeping for over 6 months there. The Father was injured from a work related accident and was on crutches. They have a small 2 year old boy that is just adorable and 2 week old baby. They were the ideal, humble family that could receive us. We talked about the Gospel of Jesus Christ and put the last 2 baptismal dates at 9:15pm and we felt the assuring witness that the Lord was happy with us for our faith in having completed our goals. That is a good feeling. The best families always come out when it is time to go home.
Along with that miracle comes the second part…the family came to church on Sunday. We had been fasting to have a family in church that could get baptized this month. We had two families come to church with a total of 12 investigators. I think it was the best day of bringing investigators in my mission. I was thrilled! I thanked the Lord That despite the rain, these people showed their faith in coming to church this Sunday.
I find that the Lord really does His part when we do our part. Like I said, it was the week that I think we were most focused in the work and look and see what happened! It was awesome. This work is just so cool! I see miracles every day. But I know when it is all said and done, it isn´t me that does the converting and changing of these people, it is the spirit of the Lord. I feel so grateful that He is using me as an instrument in His hands.
As for the mission split, we had a leaders meeting with the President this morning. We are going to meet with his family in smaller groups for the time being but next month we are going to have a meeting with the whole mission I think. He is very powerful in his lessons. He is a teacher and is just as concerned about who we are as what we do. He says he wants to feel that we are a missionary with only the handshake. I was impacted by that. I received a witness that he is called of God and the President that we need in this time in Nicaragua.
As for this week, I say goodbye from Nicaragua. May His spirit guide you to touch lives.
Elder Grant Russell
As for the package, I will see tomorrow…I don’t know yet.
