Support the priesthood to gain the blessings of the gospel

Well we kept the work level high this week and taught a lot of lessons again but we had a rude awakening. We have been trying to motivate the members to come to church and to get active again but some of them have been offended by the local branch President and this week we had several of the members say "Maybe it would be better if you stopped visiting us if your going to support the President." hahah Okay yeah, we were sent here to build up the church of God and because your all in the freaking apostasy we should all go after the local president and kick him out of the calling that the Lord has given him....nope. It's the thing I have seen in every single one of the areas on my mission and I'm sure is the greatest problem in the church, members that fight with members and disagreements in the church that cause people to fall away.

It's amazing how many of the less active members have a testimony in the church, have no major sins holding them back, and still deny themselves the blessings of the gospel because of some stupid comment. And the thing that really makes life hard is when they get angry at us for supporting things in the church that are done in the way THE LORD wants and not in the way they want. The local president actually works really hard with us, and although he has his faults to be honest he is working a lot harder than the rest of the members.

 3 And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow;

 4 And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up:

 5 Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth:and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth:

 6 And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away.

 7 And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them:

 8 But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixty fold, some thirty fold.

18 ¶Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower.

 19 When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side.

 20 But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it;

 21 Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended.

 22 He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.

 23 But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit,and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.

All we can do is our best. 

On the bright side Hmo F. is progressing really well. We had a very low attendance this week but he showed up before the majority of the members and is trying so hard to learn how to read so he can read the Book of Mormon and sing the hymns. IT'S AWESOME!!! Here in Mexico there is a day to get married for free (Valentines day) so he is going to get married to his girlfriend (of 25 years) next month! She also is listening to us more but still doesn't want to drop her catholic beliefs. 

We also had a conference with the area seventy Elder De Hoyos. He spent his whole time talking about the importance of missionaries and members working together to bring people to the gospel. 

It was a good week to be honest. Échele ganas.(Meaning: Give it your all)

Elder Roberts