Mawwaige Is What Bwings Us Togeva today

So much to say and not much time or capacity to say it. Had a surprise mission devotional/"P-day" today, so we drove all the way to McAllen to meet with all the other missionaries. The big awesome news is that in the month of July, we baptized 150 children of God. As my mission president likes to say in his Venezuelan English, "unbelievable Elders."

Now for my favorite piece of news and the reason for the email title today: our friend Alaila finally got married and was able to be baptized!

It was seriously a struggle the entire way, but her desire to get married and baptized overcame it all, and she made it. Satan was trying everything to stop her, but if there's one thing I've learned, it’s that God always triumphs when we turn to Him and let Him fight our battles.

To try and sum it up: We struggled to get their marriage license, then we had a tough time finding someone who could marry them in time, as our bishop and stake president were out of town for the weekend of the wedding and baptism. By a miracle, we were able to have our bishop marry them on Friday before he left. Alaila and her fiancé Marcos (who's a member) finally agreed to get legally married on Friday and then do their own ceremony on Sunday. The biggest obstacle of marriage was finally overcome! Mawwaige. Wuv. Twue wuv.

Through all of this, Alaila began to be very sick and in a lot of pain, to the point that she didn’t know if she could get baptized. Sunday morning, we went by her house with two other elders and gave her a priesthood blessing of healing. In this blessing, we felt to promise that she would be healed enough to be baptized and find relief from her pain. As we finished, we felt impressed to dedicate their house, and so we proceeded to do so. The peace and assurance that was felt as we left is indescribable. When the time came for the baptism, she was completely different, and it was difficult to tell that she had even been sick earlier.

Due to the situation, she had requested that the baptism be done an hour sooner than originally planned. This meant it was at the same time as four other people from other wards and branches in the area. This was a challenge because she was nervous to have a lot of people, but Heavenly Father helped give her the courage.

The very last obstacle was that the baptismal suit we had planned on using was being used by one of the other people being baptized, and so we had to scramble to find something white that fit her that she could get baptized in. We finally found a white dress that was somehow the perfect size and worked perfectly for the baptism.

God truly had a part in every piece of this story, and I saw miracles of many sizes and varieties. The road is often long and bumpy, but I know that it leads back to our Father in Heaven and is worth it.

Wish I could say more, but for now, I'll leave it at that.

As always, thank you for your prayers; they truly do bring miracles.

-Elder Teeples

Last week's email:
"Oh no, I'm not brave enough for politics."
Movie:
Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith – Obi-Wan says this to Anakin after Anakin suggests that he come with him to talk to the politicians about the rescue of the Chancellor, citing Anakin as the primary hero and reason for their success.

Pics:

Alaila's baptism
At her wedding
Dope San Benito greyhounds shirts that a member gave us
Bloomin cactus
Resaca shore
Star Wars Oreos
Homies at mission P-day










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