Walle Hernandez Aguas is the newest member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints:) He was baptized on Saturday evening and confirmed yesterday at church. It has been an amazing blessing working with him and really seeing the light of Christ illuminate his life and change his entire outlook. Who once was a frightened and quiet awkward boy has now realized he is an important Son of God and that God has a plan for him specifically. I am so grateful I had the chance to be here and watch this transformation, and it was not an easy one for sure.
I first met Walle 3 months ago in August. We met his Dad in a tienda (little store) and when I gave him a pass along card he told me he already had a Book of Mormon and invited us to come to his house to meet his family. We met Walle the first lesson we had and he learned about the Restoration and accepted a Book of Mormon. We were excited to be working with a whole family and helping them together, but over time everyone but Walle drifted off. The Dad started drinking more and would even be drunk when we'd come by for the lessons- no bueno. The Mom started listening to the Jehovah's Witnesses as they fed her lies and slander about the Book of Mormon and the prophet Joseph Smith. The other two children didn't want to listen.
But Walle kept listening and every time we'd come back he would have another chapter read in the Book of Mormon:) He told us that he had started saying prayers and was really feeling like God was listening to him. He started coming to church and made friends with some of the other Young Men and started going to Mutual. He even told us that he used to have nightmares, but since he started reading the book of mormon and listening to us, the nightmares had stopped. It was an AMAZING change as we watched him progress. Eventually it was time for him to get baptized this last week, and since he was only 17 we needed the permission from his parents.
When we came by three days before the baptism with the baptismal record to be signed by his parents his mother very rudely told me that she preferred him to wait until he turned 18 and was an adult (this March) and that she wasn't going to give her permission for something she didnt approve. I testified to her that Walle was ready for baptism and that this is what the Lord wanted for him. She said that she accepted that, but that he could wait 4 more months until he was baptized. She left and we all just started at each other heart broken. Walle kept asking us 'am I dreaming? Is this a dream?' We had talked to his parents before and they had said that they would support him in baptism. This sudden change from his mom was unexpected. We assured him that he WOULD be baptized, but that it was all in the time of the Lord.
Suddenly his Mom came back into the room and said she had talked with his father and had changed her mind! She promised that she would support him since it was a good thing he was choosing to do. She even came to the baptism:)
Walle even shared his baptismal service with another young man, Luis, that Hermana Garcia and I had started teaching:) He was the one that had problems with the law of chastity and same gender attraction but had sincere desires to change his life. We worked so much with him and then 2 weeks ago he moved houses and now lived in the area of the Elders so we had to stop teaching him. They finished the lessons and the baptism 'counts' for their numbers, but I am so grateful that I was able to be at his baptism and support him since the Lord blessed me to be a part of his conversion as well:)
SO MANY MILAGROS!!
I love you all so much:) Thank you for your emails, support, prayers, and love:) I feel it. Have an amazing week and look for the Miracles:)
Also, we accidentally walked into a parade the other day for one of the other Mexican revolution fiesta days and it was cool watching them in the cultural clothes and dancing horses:)
Be prepared for a pic overload...
We found this super large and sketch door the other day, that kinda looks like the entrance to the maze runner, so we took this cool kids pic in front of it. We have this theory about drug lords hiding in the mansions up in the boonies here in Mexico.. its a pretty solid theory;)
And we saw a bunch of adorable puppies this week and I had to take pics with them;)
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