He Did It ... Baptized!

Well this week was wonderful! We had interviews with our mission president, zone conference, stake conference, and Pepe's baptism!  

During our zone conference one of our leaders, Elder Morgan, was giving a training and asking me about wrestling as part of it. Well during it I had this sort of baby revelation hit me, an epiphany if you will. In wrestling many times a new wrestler, or even experienced wrestler, will go out onto the mat terrified. He's trained and he has his coach in the corner, parents at his back, a team cheering all around him and a stadium roaring for or against him. He feels the pressure of a team score, personal glory, expectations from coaches/family/city and a school riding on him. He knows many are watching and many want to beat him, but most of all when he steps out onto the mat he knows one thing .., no coach, no mom, no teammate can help him now.  It comes down to him and his adversary. This can feel quite daunting and often make or break a wrestler.

Now for missionaries and investigators it can feel a lot like this too. People are writing you at home, parents, coaches, friends, the mission president, your companion, all have expectations for you. The pressure might feel like its mounting like in a championship match. You're all in but here's where the difference comes in. In wrestling when you shake hands and that whistle is blown you are all on your own to get the job done. Sure you get those "letters from home" but it's you and your opponent. But when you go out as a missionary or as an investigator looking to be baptized ("looking to win") you aren't alone; you step out with a companion at your side, with the best three coaches you could ever have (God our Father, His son Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit) on the mat with you, and with prayers from all over giving you a little bit more strength to put the odds in your favor. 

But the best part about this fight is that it's already decided. The winner is the home team, the Lord's team. Unlike wrestling, with three grueling rounds on the mat, maybe even more, the battle here is only to step out onto the mat - after that, you get your hand raised. That step onto the mat is your step of faith. A step saying to your coach (God) that although you don't know what will happen for sure you know it's going to be alright and you want to win! You want to be that champion now and forever, on God's team.

So the question is: if the fight is already won, what's stopping you from taking that next step? From joining the winning team? For Pepe, his opponent (Satan) told him if he stepped out onto the mat he was going to lose and not only was he going to lose, but it was going to cost him his family too. Well this week Pepe had that faith, that courage to strap-up and step out onto the mat to shake hands and say I am going to win. And he did! Pepe has changed from an unhappy, struggling man to a champion! I've never seen a change like this before and now he is happier than I've ever seen him! (I know he isn't smiling in the photo what can you do?) 

So be a champion this week and trust in the Lord I love you all.