Ups and Downs

     This was a very interesting week. It was a good week, and a not so good week. First I'll tell you why this week was good. It was good because we got a promising new investigator. Her name is Elizabeth. She walked into Church last Sunday and found us. She has been in contact with Sister missionaries in temple square for some time. She is very interested in the Church and really wants to know more. She says that she wants to be baptized and ever since her decision she agreed to be baptized good things have been happening. She was an answer to my prayers.
      The Sunday that I met Elizabeth was a very difficult Sunday for me. The Roldans aren't able to come to Church anymore due to their new work schedule. Tony and Kim seem to not want to talk with us anymore, and our other investigator named Claudie went to another Church with her friend... We didn't have anyone at Church. I remember that morning praying that God would have just one person to be at Church. During sacrament it didn't seem like anyone made it, at least no familiar faces. Then after sacrament Elizabeth came up and introduced herself. She was truly an answer to my prayers.
      Now for the bad, Elizabeth's husband is VERY against her meeting with the Church or having any affiliation with Mormons. He is so serious about this that he has threatened to divorce her if she was baptized into the Church. We are not allowed to go over to her home to teach her because of him. Luckily we have the Asper's home to teach her in. We were able to teach her twice over the last week. Both lessons were very very good. She really enjoys meeting with us. On Saturday the night before Church she texted us and said that she doesn't know if she will be able to continue meeting with us due to her husband. She didn't come to Church this weekend, and we don't know if we will be able to see her again.

      I know that God gives us challenges so that we can grow. I know that my mission is going to just get harder, because God knows that I can endure more. I must carry my own cross, and go through my own garden. I must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, looking towards him in all that I do. I must have faith that I will find success in this area, and that we will baptize someone. Sometimes it feels like the well here is dry, but I know it's because I'm not digging deep enough. I don't know what God has in store for me, but I have to have faith that whatever it is, it is for my good. It reminds me of D&C 122: 7 when Joseph Smith was in Liberty Jail, "And if thou shouldst be cast into the pit, or into the hands of murderers, and the sentence of death passed upon thee; if thou be cast into the deep; if the billowing surge conspire against thee; if fierce winds become thine enemy; if the heavens gather blackness, and all the elements combine to hedge up the way; and above all, if the very jaws of hell shall gape open the mouth wide after thee, know thou, my son, that all these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good." I know that my problems are very small in comparisons to Joseph's, but I know that the hard things that I face are for my good.

I love you all so much. I hope that anyone that reads this has a good week. I'd love to here from you.

-Elder Ryan Romero