Hola Familia,
I had an incredible week that I will NEVER forget! I'm sure you are all thinking, "well that's what he says every week" but hey I am extremely happy and so very excited to let you all in on what miracle we saw this last week!
So last week, I told you all about how a teenage girl from an inactive family with whom we had been working with told us in sacrament meeting that she wanted to be baptized. Well, this last week Elder Méndez and I had the opportunity to go to the house of this less active family to teach and instruct the family along with Anahi who was so excited to be baptized. However, every time we passed by, the father was super rough and didn't really want to talk to us about the baptism. I don't remember if I told you in the last letter but he has a look that kills and it appears to warn you if you say something a little out of place in his opinion you'll receive a fist in the face. When we would pass by and would say anything about baptism he would yell from another room "you're not getting baptized." The mother would just roll her eyes and tell us that everything was ok and Anahi would yell something back like you already told me that I could do it.
The day before the baptism (I, having been in other areas of my district helping them out, finally had the chance to be in my own area) we passed by to talk to the father and figure everything out. We started the lesson with the idea to start talking about the program and see where things got us. We started the lesson and invited the father to join us this time. The room, the moment he sat down, got so tense and the mother had a look of pure terror as to what his response would be. After about 10 seconds of silence and not knowing what to do exactly, I felt the need to say with courage, that came from not from me but from the Spirit, "Brother Iraseo, why exactly do you not what your daughter to be baptized?" He then began to tell us that it was just flat out not going to happen. A little lost as to how to react we felt the need to describe the experience that we had the past week with praying for a miracle, passing by with Anahi, and that she received an answer from God saying that she needed to be baptized. He then said "well, she can get baptized because it is something that Anahi and my wife want to do but I will NOT be going." Elder Méndez then shared with all of us an experience he had in which he was baptized secretly so that his dad wouldn't know and how sad he was to this day that his father wasn't there. The Spirit filled the room so strongly and I was praying that everything would work out. Anahi began bawling like crazy and out of nowhere Elder Méndez says, "Anahi hug your dad." She got up without hesitation and sat on her dad's lap and cried begging him to come to her baptism. He then began crying, shook his head yes, and left so that we would not see him crying. I could not believe it!!
Flash forward to the next day and we entered the chapel to find out that there was absolutely no light in the church and none in the colony around it. We also found out that someone, thinking they were going to help us out, turned the cold water on full blast and upon arriving at the stake center, the maintenance people were fuming because the font almost overflowed. Elder Méndez and I were instantly overwhelmed and didn't know what we were going to do. On top of that, the family of Anahi came walking in with the father in the lead. He had absolutely changed to the extreme and was an absolutely different person to us. They began asking us if we could reschedule the baptism. To our delight and sweet surprise, Anahi responded to the complaints and desire for a schedule change saying, "It's the opposition that is doing this and I want to do it with or without light." I then ran with another companion to a store next door to buy candles. That morning I had felt the need to put all the money I had in my wallet and didn't know why I should, but I knew why in this moment. I bought as many candles as I could and we then started the baptism as a candle light service. We were beginning the services when the lights came back on! Everything happened almost flawlessly!!
Everything turned out beautifully and I am so thankful!! I really wish I could give you tons more details but I ran out of time...sorry! I love you all and hope you have a wonderful week!!
Con amor,
Elder Janis
