Guatemala Retalhuleu Mission -Elder Jensen: Blessings pouring down in Mazate

Baptism of O., she was a miracle and she has such a cool testimony!

Baptism of J.

Dear Family,

Well, nothing quite as exciting as last week with the big climb up Tajumulco but there were still a ton of miracles!

The only body part still suffering from that climb is my lower lip which is still pretty burnt (it has some blisters early in the week) but I think with these mysterious Guatemalan remedies that I am using it should go away soon. In Guatemala it is better not to tell someone that you are sick because they start to offer you a ton of questionable pills and then start suggesting 10 types of medicine to buy. Just a funny culture thing here.

Everyone´s face peeling from our sunburns from Tajumulco(my lip is still pretty burnt)

We also had a fun experience with the rain here in our area. I was on divisions the day it rained super, super hard and me and Elder Weltmer (from California) found ourselves clinging onto houses and pretty much making our way along mission impossible style that way the current of water wouldn´t sweep us away. It was pretty fun and probably entertaining for the people watching as we clinged and climbed on the sides of houses like Spiderman.

As we got closer to Saturday many missionaries in the zone were seeing some challenges with their investigators who were preparing for baptism this Saturday. We all fasted and right after there were miracles right and left. My companion and I spent several days in other areas trying to do all we could so that the Lord could work some miracles in all the areas and it really worked. Afterwards, 2 of the Elders told us that the fast was so powerful for them as they were blessed with a couple of baptisms in their area when it seemed that nobody would get baptized. It was a huge testimony builder!

This week O., an older women that we had found a few months ago doing some surveys, decided to be baptized. She really got a strong testimony of the need to be baptized in water but also by the Spirit. The story of the people who were baptized again in Acts 19 to receive the baptism of the Spirit really helped her. When she came up out of the water in her baptism she began to cry because she was so happy and she even expressed thanks to the Lord for the chance to be baptized. It was a really cool moment!

We were also blessed to help J. get married and baptized this week as well. He really did his part to be able to do all this because he went all the way to Samayac (on the other side of Mazate) to ask permission from his in-laws to be able to get married and helped them come to Mazate to see the marriage. After his baptism he got up with his wife in front of everyone to thank us and thank the Lord for all he had achieved in these past weeks and that was also a really special moment.

I don´t think there´s ever been a time in my life when I get to take a front seat to see the Lord work wonders among his children each day. Us, the missionaries, really we are just his hands, he does all the work! This week as well he has helped us find A. (15 years old) that has come to church with his cousin several times and absolutely loves it! He is preparing to be baptized this coming Saturday!

I am excited to see what other things are to come this next week!

Love,

Elder Jensen