Week 36 - Gettin the Heck 'Outta Dodge

Yooooooooooooo everyone. Well, its true, I got the heck outta dodge. Finally left my first area, Ciudad España, after being there for almost 8 months, WOW. Whew it was not even close to easy, but I feel like I left it better than I found it when I arrived, and we had 2 baptisms on Saturday so I'm super happy.

It was super sad saying goodbye to all the members and investigators that I have gotten to know from my time there. I will maybe see a few of those people again in my lifetime, but the truth is for most of them it was a final goodbye. I look at my time there as successful, not because we had a bunch of baptisms or because I am anything more than an average missionary, but because through all the rejection and trials, I loved the people. That is why I'm here, to be a representative of Jesus Christ, to love the people, and to invite others to come unto Christ to feel the same love that I have in my life through my Savior and Redeemer. Its a good feeling la verdad.

Well on Saturday we had 2 Baptisms, one a 28 year old guy named Andy. This guy cracks me up and puts a smile on my face. He is completely normal, but a few years back he had an accident and has problems with his memory, but has such a good heart. Well I've known this guy in the street since forever. Had been asking him to come to church for months, and it took like 4 months for him to come because he would literally just forget. For that reason, whenever I would see him in the street, I would always yell at him asking "What time on Sunday??" just'to make sure he remembered. We helped him stop smoking for 3 weeks by buying him gum and a coke everyday, and told us when ever he feels the urge to buy a cigarette he buys gum instead because "it tastes better" lol. Well he actually changed his ways and repented,and was baptized. So cool. The other baptism was a kid with 14 years that was friends with a bunch of members and his friend baptized him, and helped us teach all the lessons so that was cool.

Repentance is always looked at as a negative connotation, when in reality, its such a wonderful gift. When I ask people if the know what Christ did, they always say he died on the cross for us. Its true. But we miss the point of why he died for us, what the significance was. He literally suffered for every one of our sins. Every one, and he was the only one able to do it. We can be forgiven because hes already paid for it. Its like a paycheck, literally all we have to do is go act and pick it up. Its not direct deposit, we have to recognize that we are in wrong, ask for forgiveness, and change our ways, and god promises not to remember them again. Its simple. If we love Christ, and I'm sure you all do, show your appreciation by accepting his sacrifice for you. You are all Children of God my friends.

My new area is dope, Siguatepeque. Definitely a change of pace, but Its really cool here. My area is huge, so ill be walking a ton, which is good cause it will keep me from getting fat. First year of college was rough, but shout out to all the bros who never said a word and to my dad who told me that I had gotten chubby , I've lost like 27 pounds here. My suit pants are big on me lol, I haven't weighed as much as I do since I was 16 so its pretty cool. Its because they don't have Chick-fil-A or Whataburger here smh.

Well love y'all, him me up with messages now! I'm online on Mondays. Sorry that there aren't pics right now, I cant connect my camera but it will be good. Peace dudes.

Elder Butler