Helaman's Mighty Men . . .: Weddings, Comps and a whole lot of work!

Good Morning Family Crump! Your happy son checking in from downtown Chalchuapa! Haha. I hope everything went well for you guys this week and were able to see the many blessings in your lives that God is always giving us. My companion and I were extremely blessed this week so I’ll have to tell you all about a few of them!

First of all my comp is Elder Chavez from La Paz, El Salvador!! He has like 13 months in the mission and is a tad rebellious at times but he’s changed a lot so far in the mission and I know we are gonna have success together! It’s funny because he was the companion of Elder Treglown before (Dad, thought you’d be interested in that)! But ya, he is a funny dude and we get along just fine so I’m excited for the new change here in Buena Vista!

This week we had a ton of crazy things happen but for the time I think I’ll only be able to talk about two of them…so the first thing was the wedding and baptism of Angel!

So Saturday we were able to marry Angel and Claudia, which was insane, and then afterwards Angel was baptized. We were really hoping to be able to baptize Claudia as well but she just isn’t ready yet. But anyway, it was one awesome day. I’ve never planned a wedding before obviously, but wow is it one heck of a job! Like the whole morning Saturday we spent planning, buying, moving, decorating and all sorts of stuff so that the day would be a successful one! Luckily a few members of the Relief Society helped us out a bit so it all turned out sweet. Obviously, with just two missionaries alone it isn’t gonna turn out too well, haha. But the wedding was great. Our president of the branch just became a lawyer so it was cool because he was able to marry them. Claudia was crying like the whole time. After we had the baptism of Angel, which was sweet too. It was hard because we started over an hour late because we had to wait for family that had to travel here, but the whole service, wedding and baptism, was over in like less than 2 hours, so that was a huge miracle! Angel gave his testimony about how he had come to know the Church was true and it’s just the coolest thing to hear testimonies of converts. The best thing of all is that his testimony is based upon the feelings he has felt while in church and praying, because of the Holy Ghost, and also because he’s been reading the Book of Mormon. That’s the best kind of testimony there is. A lot of people get baptized for different reasons; a lot of times for social reasons, so that’s why it’s the most motivating and happy thing in the world when someone has a true conversion through the Holy Ghost!!

Also this week we were able to have another miracle in the fact that we had 97 people in church! It was the most amazing thing for the lil’ rama of Buena Vista. The usual is a max of 85 and while I have been here it’s almost always like 75, but yesterday a ton of less active families we have been visiting came to church, so it was sick! Carlos and his wife came again and are progressing a ton now. They are way more happy as a fam and I know if they continue things as they are they will be able to go to the temple soon. Also, a family that hadn’t been to church in like 11 months also went, the five of them. Plus Alfredo went, who now has a meta to be baptized the 11th of July. Overall it was one heck of a sacrament meeting and just made me super happy to see a little of the fruits of our labors here. To see a whole family in the church again is just one of the most rewarding things ever.

So that’s about all for the week. I sent a ton of pics of the wedding and stuff. We also ate awesome tacos at Carlos Perez house when my comp left and the other pic is of the few priesthood holders here in the branch. I don’t have any more time but have a fun week, love each other, and have patience. Remember to read and pray as a fam and everything will go just great! Hopefully Gpa will stay on the up end of things as well! Love you all so, so much!

Elder Crump