Baptisms!!!

Exciting news here in Cofradia....JAZMIN, ROYER, BETO, NORMA, AND JESUS GOT BAPTIZED TODAY!!!!!!

 

(L-R) Pastor Goyo, Royer, Jesus, Beto, Jazmin, Norma

I'm especially excited about Royer and Jazmin. As you know, Jazmin has been wanting to get baptized since Februrary, but her parents would never let her. They told her no this time too, but when I went to get their final answer on Friday, her mom said "Well, let me talk to her dad. He was going to let her but recently he changed his mind. He's busy right now so come tomorrow and I'll talk to him." So, I went on Saturday, and her mom came out to me and Jazmin and said, "Well, it's her decisions." Jazmin of course enthusiastically said "YES!" She has been all smiles and a little speechless about the subject ever since. But today, after the service was over, I asked her how it was, and her response was a slight pause, a big smile, and then quietly said "It was sooo..COOL"

 

Royer's baptism is pretty exciting too. He has been coming to youth group for several years, but it wasn't until last year at camp that the Lord really got a hold of him. However, over the the last year he had sort of disappeared quite a bit. Well, this year he went to camp again, and he came back totally on fire and ready to trust the Lord with his dream to be a youth leader. He has been really consistent ever since. He's a captain this year in EL RETO, and he's doing a great job! Now, he's baptized, and you could tell that he was really excited about that step of faith!

Beto is another young man who is taking huge steps in his faith. He gave his life to Christ a couple of years ago at a Christian concert we all went to in Tepic, but he got really discouraged and sort of set it all aside for quite a while. Well in the last 6 months, something changed in his heart, and he too has been really gung-ho about his growth. He too went to youth camp and came back even more pumped up for the Lord. He has been participating in EL RETO with great enthusiasm, and he is constantly peppering us leaders with questions about different spiritual matters. It's really great to see!

 

Norma has been walking with the Lord for quite a while, but her husband was baptized several months ago. I don't know much of her story, but I'm guessing she felt it was time she followed suit!

 

Jesus (Chuy) wasn't originally signed up to get baptized today, but when the pastor asked if anyone else was interested, he stepped up with the biggest grin on his face. You could tell that he has been wanting to do this and finally just decided to step up and do it! He's a great kid! He went on our missions trip to Oaxaca in April, and he was profoundly changed by that experience. He's a captain in EL RETO for the first time this year too, and although he's struggling a bit, he is not giving up!

 

It was a very exciting day all around, and I just had to let you all know!! Keep these folks in your prayers. As our pastor reminded us all today, when we take steps of obedience, the devil steps up his opposition and difficulties are bound to arrive!