Week 78

Easter Weekend!

A White Easter!

Hola amigos!

What a weekend, huh!? Well, jumping into it, our investigator Beraki is doing fantastic! We had a lesson with him at the church on Tuesday about tithing, and he was like, "I can take out money from CVS and pay tomorrow." We told him, you don't have to follow the law of tithing until you're a member. He is so eager to follow the commandments and see the blessings that come!! Super pumped for his baptism.

Everything is going well here in New Brighton. We have transfers this week, and after a total of 6 months in this area I'm sadly leaving. :( But, the good news is that I'm going to St. Paul and I will be in a Spanish ward for the first time in my entire mission! Loco! I'm super pumped, but also heartbroken to leave all the people I've grown to love here.

Right when we thought it was over, we had a nice fresh snowfall over the weekend right in time for a white Easter, ha! That's a first for me! We were able to have two of our investigators and our recent convert all come to the Saturday morning session of General Conference at the church. It was SO powerful! I got to meet President Nelson (the new prophet of our church) last year when he visited our mission. I got to shake his hand. Just as I knew then, it was reaffirmed to me his weekend that he is truly called of God. We also had a lesson in between sessions with our Vietnamese investigator Tony. Then, priesthood session was fuego!! I've had such an increase in desire to love my neighbor as Christ did, and I hope you feel the same.

On Easter morning we headed over to a member's home for cinnamon rolls, and we watched the Sunday morning session of General Conference with our recent convert Alana. Then for the afternoon session we watched with Beraki in another member's home, and had a linda Easter dinner with them. 

Some talks that stood out to me from general conference: Lynn G Robbins - Growth is making progress from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm. This truly is the repentance process! It isn't the backup plan, it IS the plan. I also loved the new emphasis on ministering as the Savior did. During my studies yesterday, I read this profound statement in the Bible Dictionary:  "The work of the ministry is to do the work of the Lord on the earth--to represent the Lord among the people." God needs us all to be instruments in his hands and be ministers in his vineyard. We are literally living our lives as Christ did! How amazing is that? President Nelson is so inspired.

I love all of you, and I hope you take this wonderful opportunity to put forth a greater effort in your personal ministry (: Thanks for all your prayers!

Have a great semana,

-Elder Bolinder

Elder Bolinder and Elder Strong

Dreaming of a White Easter!