Fried Circles And Baptisms

Happy P-Day yall!


This was a great week. Let's jump right in.


Teaching:
Nemesio started coming to church about a month ago because one of our members invited him. We tried every week for a month to corner him after church and set an appointment but he always had some reason he couldn't. He also wouldn't answer our texts or return our calls. In a weekly branch correlation meeting we casually asked a ward missionary named Mauricio Etayo to try with him, but didn't think much of it. That Wednesday Mauricio called us and mentioned that he'd taught Nemesio about the Restoration, Plan of Salvation, and Gospel of Jesus Christ over the phone! Two days later, he tells us he's asked Nemesio to be baptized. Hilarious as it is to have a baptismal date for someone who won't meet with us, we still needed to go over everything with him and make it official. We did that on Thursday and Nemesio will be baptized this coming Friday. Totally nuts.


Thiago continues to be a great friend, he gave us haircuts on Wednesday while we taught him the plan of Salvation. We taught him again on Friday and invited him to be baptized, he's totally down and is praying to know if the Book of Mormon is true before we set a date.


Milena and her family (the branch President's niece) are also progressing like crazy, we teach them more than once a week. We've discussed baptism with them, the 11 year old son Juan Diego is totally down, Milena is willing but wants to take her time, and 6 year old David isn't old enough but will totally go for it when he's 8.


Jesús wants to join the church but doesn't feel like he understands everything when he comes to meetings, and has asked us to take him through the Book of Mormon chapter by chapter, so we send him a summary, key verse, and video link every day.


About a month ago Elder Rasolo and I reached out to less-active member named Juana, but her daughter Cecilia picked up. We ended up visiting them and giving Juana a priesthood blessing. She has cancer and also has a hard time remembering things. Cecilia takes care of her, and it's amazing to see. This week we gave Juana a blessing, along with Cecilia, and arranged to send them the Zoom link for church and bring them the sacrament yesterday. We also taught Cecilia the message of the Restoration, that God speaks to people, gives them his truth, and guides his church. It was amazing, she had very constructive questions and a ton of interest. The Spirit was strong in the room, and we all knew it.


Paulino came back to Talavera! This guy is just our bro. His sister Sandra was visiting him as well, and speaks near-perfect English. They're Columbian, so we made arepas and talked about languages for a while. It was a fun evening, and we gave them each a Book of Mormon and invited them to read it.


This isn't even everyone, but it shows just how much this area is being blessed.


Food:
I've talked about arepas, they're basically fried corn pancakes that both Columbia and and Venezuela claim to have invented and disagree strongly on how to make. On their own they aren't much, but if you put meat or eggs on top or inside they're amazing.


Pupusas are similar but are filled with beans and cheese. (One time a member made them with jalapeños) We actually learned to make them this week, but I only have a picture of my first one. It tasted really good but the shape is all wrong.


Spaniards really like flan, see attached.


Found a woman who sells Guatemalan tamales. 


I love Talavera. The people we're teaching are elect, this branch is on fire, these people feel like my family. Transfers are in a week, so lets hope Elders Sharp and Baird are wrong about them sending me to the office to be a tech Elder. Glasses discrimination is real y'all jajajajaja.


To wrap up on a spiritual note: 
We're teaching a lot of people who are waiting to receive a witness of the Book of Mormon, studying and praying to know if it is true. I believe that God will answer their prayers, but it is important to remember that faith is not to know everything. Many things that are confusing or unknown in this life exist to help us strengthen our faith and belief in God. Alma 32 talks a lot about the nature of faith.


Alma 32:17-18, 21
17 Yea, there are many who do say: If thou wilt show unto us a sign from heaven, then we shall know of a surety; then we shall believe.
18 Now I ask, is this faith? Behold, I say unto you, Nay; for if a man knoweth a thing he hath no cause to believe, for he knoweth it
...
21 And now as I said concerning faith—faith is not to have a perfect knowledge of things; therefore if ye have faith ye hope for things which are not seen, which are true


Faith is not about total security and perfectly sure knowledge. Faith is about holding on to your belief and the understanding that you already have as you strive to learn more. If we place our faith in God there is nothing He can't do for us.


Y'all are awesome. Keep the faith! (and peep the fade. See pictures below, Thiago is an artist)
Elder Curtis


Pictures: (order is still broken)
1. Giant flan
2. Guatemalan tamale
3. Paulino, Sandra, Columbian arepas
4. Venezuelan arepas
5. Fade by Thiago 
6. Just the Columbian arepas
7. Mutant pupusa
8. Zulema's birthday at NDH 







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