Hola a todos y bienvenidos! I hope each of you are doing well. I wanted to take a few moments to run down how my week has been and to offer some spiritual insight. 

     To start, we still have Jonathan on date and we are trying to put Gisela on date for baptism. Jonathan has been fighting to overcome an addiction to smoking to keep him in your prayers. The work is good! I've stayed here in Frederick so I will most likely be here until September; due to the fact that my companion Elder Arnett will be returning home in July. As far as Spanish areas go, this one is the best. Almost every single door you knock on is Latino which is rare to find in the US. 

     The big news this last week is that I had my 19th birthday! I wasn't as homesick as I thought I would be and the people around me made it a day never to forget. Thank to all who gave birthday wishes as well. We're rounding the corner on 6 months and it had been the fastest 6 months of my entire life. 

     Something fun we've been doing has been called "car contacting." Imagine, if you will, four Elders in a car driving around the city and pulling over to talk to every Latino they see walking on the side of the street. It's been so much fun and it's brought us quite a bit of success. We've actually had some lessons from people we've talked to from our car. 

     We're teaching this old lady named Sandra who is so funny to teach. She is the sweetest lady from El Salvador but she can't hear very well. Anyway, having lessons with her is so much fun because we essentially scream restored doctrine from 3 feet away. 

     Other big news this week is that our Spanish branch will become the first Spanish ward in our entire mission. We are so so excited and I'm blessed to have seen the progression and achievement of this goal. 

     What I wanted to share this week comes from Mosiah. I've read and studied a lot about humility, as it is the foundation of all christlike attributes. Mosiah 4:11 says the following. "And again I say unto you as I have said before, that as ye have come to the knowledge of the glory of God, or if ye have known of his goodness and have tasted of his love, and have received a remission of your sins, which causeth such exceedingly great joy in your souls, even so I would that ye should remember, and always retain in remembrance, the greatness of God, and your own nothingness, and his goodness and long-suffering towards you, unworthy creatures, and humble yourselves even in the depths of humility, calling on the name of the Lord daily, and standing steadfastly in the faith of that which is to come, which was spoken by the mouth of the angel." 

     Something I've come to realize over the last year is that, like Ether 12:27 says, we are given trials to make us humble. We are given weaknesses to make us humble. Regardless of how difficult or big the trial is, if we do not humble ourselves to some extent, the trial has not blessed us to its full capacity. The blessings that come from humility are some of the greatest the Lord has to offer us. I bear testimony that we are truly nothing in comparison with the glory and goodness of God. I know that we cannot and will not achieve the divine potential we have as sons and daughters of a real and loving Heavenly Father in this life if we do not rid ourselves entirely of pride. The easiest way is daily repentance. My invitation for each of you is to, nightly, recognize faults and imperfections and promise to improve tomorrow through the infinite Atonement of Jesus Christ. Daily repentance can and will change hearts, pride, perspective, patience, and will increase your capacity to receive blessings. 

Sweet picture 

Baby Makay [Elder]

Cafe Rio for my birthday 

Jesús