Another day, another baptism.

Howdy familia!

So this email may not be as long seeing as we only have an hour to type today - we had to cut our hair for zone conference this wednesday - so I´d like to start out by saying Happy Father´s Day Dad! I´ll try sending you an email today, but if I can´t for sure next week.

So we had another baptism this week of an 11 year-old girl by the name of Fatima. I had the opportunity to perform the confirmation and apparently, according to Fatima, I was shaking. Which was probably the case. I´m still freaked out by giving blessings and such in Spanish.

Also, Juan Carlos - our other convert - didn´t show up for his priesthood interview (gah!) so we had to plan another one. We taught him about patriarchal blessings and eternal marriage yesterday which went interestingly. His wife understands (she´s a recent convert from March of this year) but he´s not really getting it. We got them commit to push for June of next year to go to the temple. I also reminded them to invite me XD So here´s hoping that they reach that little goal they´ve made.

So this entire mission is having trouble finding and teaching. We´re not getting any new investigators, me and Elder Diaz only had one lesson last week, and everybody´s a bit on edge. For example, the Assistants to the President told our Zone Leaders that they (the Zone Leaders) are ¨mediocre¨. Yeah. The reason is that our zone used to be the highest baptizing in all of the mission but now it´s, well, average. I feel like if the AP´s took a look at our efforts here and what we´re doing they´d have a different opinion, but it is what it isn´t.

In preparing for my talk that we have to prepare in case we have to speak in Zone Conference, I´ve been studying about the power of humility. I started thinking about the most powerful event in history - the Atonement - and, in it´s roots, it´s an act of the most supreme humility. The Son humbling himself before the will of the Father. In an act completely bereft of pride, self-concern, or vanity, the Son took upon himself the sins and pains of infinite worlds. And this was done through the power of humility. The world would have us think that when we humble ourselves we are sacrificing power, influence, and standing for a position of weakness. But, in reality, we are gaining the power of Christ´s atonement. The power to astonish and convert.

So yeah. It was better worded in my journal last night. But that´s basically the theme of my talk. And it may be the answer to all of our problems.

Also, on a lighter note, my speaker broke the other week so I had to buy some new ones for 100 pesos (about 8 bucks). Also, we can apparently watch certain Disney, Pixar, and Dreamworks movies so we´re having a party today before the District meeting where we´re watching Ice Age. A little lightheartedness to brighten the District.

I love ya´ll and wish I could have eaten some of that cheesecake (yum). Be good and helpful to Mom and Dad up yonder at that one place ya´ll are going (I forget the name and it´s too much trouble on this computer to load up the email). Also, good luck as always Masey. We´re having problems too so don´t worry you´re little head. Good luck and keep encouraging Brett to come to Church. That would be awesome if he was baptized.

Love you guys!

-Elder Brayden Decker