June 14th, 2011

Well, we had a meeting with the Stake Presidency on Sunday, us and a few of the Yajalon members. They said that if we can have more than 5 of our Priesthood holding members show up for two more Sundays (and we have more than five that will come), then we will be able to b a Branch in no time. So, we are hoping that we can become a Branch here in Yajalon very soon, and that will be our focus in these next weeks to help build the foundation for the investigators that are continuing to learn and progress. It is a fascinating experience to be able to be a small part in the formation of one of the units of the restored church of Jesus Christ! But that is the cause of much of our excitement.

I am slowly learning how to communicate my ideas better with the members, and trying to gain their respect--even though sometimes I feel really really young compared to all of them. Some of the members become discouraged really easily, others are easily distracted, and others (of our 3 active families) get annoyed easily, but they all have the right desires. And they all have plenty of strengths as well. They want the gospel of Jesus Christ to go forward in Yajalon, along with the establishment of the Branch. This Wednesday, we talked with some of the adults from the family, and there was a really sweet spirit there...helping to gain more and more excitement as a group. We are finally starting to work alongside these members, in the place of through them or on the other side.

In just a few weeks, we will get a new mission president, so that will be interesting to see what happens there.

In the photo attached of the truck...well, imagine about ten or more people stuffed in the part under the canvas and about 6 men holding on back with their feet on the bumper. It is pretty intense, but ironically now normal. In total, I once counted more than thirty people in a truck a little bigger than that. We have to take one of those about twice a week for half of the way to Ocosingo.

Teresa this week told us of how much she really wanted to go to Ocosingo, but her husband wouldn´t give her the money to do it and was really opposed. She said, with tears, how much of a difference she has felt in her life in these weeks recently. I feel the spirit very strong, and feel my testimony reconfirmed in moments like that: seeing the seed of the gospel take root in others, and seeing it grow.

Another photo attached is of my companion making some french toast to Luis and Yadira (Luis is a less active member , and yadira has desires to get baptized). My companion is great, I learn a lot from being with him.

I want to share my testimony that even though there are so many things we don´t...can´t...understand in this life, there are some things that I know we can always understand and put in our trust. I know that we can always trust that there is a God and that he loves us. We can trust that we have a Savior. And we can trust in the fact that their gospel is restored in the only true and living church on the earth today. I love being able to tell people that we meet, with all the confidence we can muster, that we don´t want them to believe our words. That God will surely answer in these important truths. I don´t know that these things are true because anyone has told me, but because I have felt simple feelings of such deep joy and peace while I have asked if they are true.

Much love and lots of ganas,

Elder Palmer