Wherein Seth is Moving to Albequerque

 September 28, 2020

Hey Mom.

     Thanks for the quote. This week was definitely amazing. We were able to get out of quarantine a little early because my companion got COVID tested so that opened things up for us a little. We were able to go visit lots of members and share little lessons with them. On Sunday we went around to seven different families in the branch and shared messages with them so that was a good day. 

      This week we will be moving apartments which will take up a little time so that's fun. Luckily the work goes on and God always loves us and has a plan for us. 

I'll give you a better update next week. It's gonna be good. 

Love you tons. 

Elder Bailey

Wherein Seth Sees A Miracle in His Companion

September 22, 2020

       Hey Mom. Thanks for the email, that's sad about Julia. It's nice that she can be with Bob again though. That's also good that Landen doesn't have the Rona. She's no fun. I also definitely forgot to mention that today is p-day instead of yesterday. Whoops. 

      But yeah, we're just chilling down here. This last week was crazy! We struggled through quarantine a little, saw some cool little miracles, (you can probably attach that story I sent through messenger here if you want), and actually, on Saturday we got a referral from a member out of the blue, and that like never happens so we both were super excited about that. 

      This week Elder Villanueva is having a big mission tour and we have like a TON of Zoom meetings with him so we have that to look forward to. other than that we are seeing a lot of little blessings from being missionaries in the Lord's vineyard and I am super grateful for all I have been given.

Love you lots mom,

Elder Bailey

Messenger message from Seth:

       So my comp has been missing his family a ton lately cause he's never really been away from home before so that's been a super hard struggle for him. (keep him in your prayers plz) but anyway, after Thursday and Friday not being great, I looked forward to today with high expectations cause we had service planned from 7am til 6pm so it was just gonna be a straight grind and hopefully enough work to keep his mind off of home. Those plans were kinda foiled this morning when I remembered that I was supposed to join a zoom training meeting for the district leaders from 8-10. So Elder Jensen just got to sit with his thoughts for two hours which didn't help with anything. Afterward, we went for a drive and then our second service project canceled so .

Then we went to help bro Leyva with his trailer and helped him sheetrock for like 2 or so hours which was good. then we went up to Albuquerque to help the sisters with service for one of their investigators, Ken. We painted his door for him and helped with some other stuff then the sisters had to go but we stayed behind to help a little longer. We got a really good discussion going about the church and prophets and really all sorts of stuff. Ken is a very logical thinker and wants things proven with facts. Not wanting to just start Bible-bashing we just started giving Ken one testimony after another and the spirit was super strong and Elder Jensen bore his testimony with all the conviction you could imagine and Ken just sat there amazed and the Holy Ghost was just a super strong and really awesome experience. Wish I could give it justice in writing but that's simply not possible.

Anyway, the miracle is after the fact when we got in the car to drive home Elder Jensen was a changed person. He was no longer homesick as before, he no longer doubted his testimony or whether or not he should be a missionary, he had testified by the power of the Holy Ghost and had seen its power worked upon someone else. He got his appetite back (he hadn't really eaten since getting here) and life just seemed so much brighter.
So that was a novel, whoops.
But no, same apartment same area. Just new comp.
What's up with Landen? Rona?

Wherein Seth Appreciates The Power of Family

September 14, 2020

Hey Mom!!!

    So this week was awesome. We got transfer news yesterday so that was exciting. Not a whole ton is changing but just enough to spice life up a little. I'm staying in the same area and my comp is leaving.

       Also, fun miracle story for this week. We went to this family's house on Thursday to help them with a little service project and we picked weeds for like an hour then helped tear out the ceiling of a trailer home, but afterward they invited us to try a Cuban meal that they had prepared. (sidenote: they're from Cuba) and so we went and ate and it was delicious and one thing led to another and we ended up teaching this old couple about how the church of Jesus Christ has been restored to the earth and we had a wonderful discussion.

         But that's kinda just the story side, my thought for the week comes from a little fact about this old Cuban couple. While we were talking they mentioned that they got divorced thirty years ago but they still live together. Weird, huh? So what happened is that like ten years ago they both moved up here to NM to live closer to their son. (they live like next door, BTW)... 

     What I thought was cool is that their family was important enough to them that they could put all differences aside, forgive and move on. I don't know what their story is or why they got divorced but a divorce is something very hard. So the fact that they could move on from that and make amends with one another and live with respect and appreciation in their home is really incredible. All to be closer to their family - to the basic unit of society that ties everyone together.

      I think that this entire world is losing sight of the true importance of the family. The mere power that family has is incredible. Broken bridges are mended, true love is nurished, and real joy is found. I love my family so much and am super glad to be sealed to them for an eternity. 

Anyway, I love you all so much and hope you know how important you are to me.

Love, 

Elder Bailey

Wherein Seth Tells Us About Juan Pablo's Coffee.

 September 7, 2020

Hey familia.

     Today was fun. We hung out with the missionaries in Belen today which was a blast. I don't have a lot of recollection of the events that have passed this week but I do remember a little faith building story about our friend Juan Pablo.

     So he's a recent convert that my comp baptized down in Colombia and we've been teaching him over the phone for the past long little while. He has had a coffee addiction his entire life so we have been helping him get over that. A couple of weeks ago he was drinking like 15 cups a day, so we worked with him and got it down to zero for like a week then he went back to like 2/day. So a big improvement nonetheless.

       Long story short this week he ended up in the hospital and his doctor told him that coffee was killing him and that if he had kept up the 15 cups/day things wouldnt be so good ☠️. So now he has stopped drinking coffee completely. (maybe out of fear for his life) but out of it a great lesson was learned. Prophets really do speak to God. There is a reason for all the commandments and great blessings that come with each of them. 

     Sometimes it is hard to see why God would command some things but the nice thing is that we will be blessed for keeping them exactly. There is no easier way to live than by keeping the commandments.

Anyway, I love you all and hope you have a blessed week. 

You're always in my prayers.

With love, 

Elder Bailey