Well I can tell you that this week my pride was cut down by God

Well I am coming home soon. Its weird to think that only three more missionaries (from our home ward)  come home and then I am there. I love being a missionary but I am excited to go home. I am excited to see you again. It didn't look like Matt cried (a friend of Brian's came home from his mission on Friday.  We sent him pictures.)  Well you will  have to bring the tissues because I am going to cry as I see you. BUT there is still a lot of time left.

Elder Kartchner's HUG

Well this week was actually pretty good. We did another invasion where we found really good people for the elders that live with us. We are working very well and we are seeing the blessing of the fruits from our labors.

His District

We are teaching the dad of the little girl I baptized and he had a baptismal date for September but then he said that he wants to do it sooner. So who am I to impede him. So this next week he will be baptized but now we need to teach a lot of things this week.

Also we had this less active member who went to church this Sunday and his son in 8 and he isn't a member and so its our turn to baptize him. Its awesome. Also the grandma is listening to us.

Well I can tell you that this week my pride was cut down by God. I was contacting with my companion and I wanted to contact a house on the street that was huge and when we contacted it this huge black guy came out and greeted us. He wasn't Latin, He was American and he was from South Carolina. Well he was nice off the bat but I found a problem I couldn't speak very well. I was thinking in Spanish and having to translate it into English. So he started making fun of me. Maybe he didn't mean to but I was ashamed. He asked me ¨How can you forget you native language? Its like riding a bike you never forget¨. That made me feel bad. So then I tried to proselyte and ask a few questions in English but it didn't come out the way it does in Spanish.  So he got a little offended by the question and then he put up his argument on the topic and I wasn't able to answer his questions and defend the truth that I was TRYING to share. It didn't come out. He showed me up. It wasn't because he knew a butt load of scriptures but it was the statements, it was the argument and my argument was written in Spanish and I was translating it into English. I haven't felt as nervous ever since I first got here when I wasn't able to speak Spanish. The guy was not a bad person but I just felt useless. I don't like feeling that way. At the end he shared with me that everyone has trials and that in his moment he was testing me, So I responded and said that God was testing me, then he responded, yes He is testing you through me. I smiled and he smiled I said, huh how weird, I shook his hand and said good bye and left. I took one step and the tear fell down my face. I felt that I had lost the ability to speak English and teach people in my native language. I felt that the Spirit wasn't with me even though I prayed for that guidance in that moment. I was useless. my confidence in myself and also my testimony was being wavered and I think it scared me more than anything.  I feel that my pride was being built up and being built up and boom it was cut down. I am still trying to learn from the experience but I feel that God is trying to teach me. He made his point. 

This week I was able to talk to Miguel Rivelo from Salinas 2 and he shared with me that he has seen miracles and that he had been to the temple. He was so happy. He told me that he was playing soccer the other day and his calf burst and the muscle fell down. He wasn't ale to walk. So he asked for a blessing. The missionaries (my old companion and step son Elder Inuma and my Grandson Elder Turpo).  That night he slept very well and when he woke up he was completely fine. His calf was back into place and he was walking normally. The power of the priesthood and how strong of faith he has in Christ. I admire him so much in how strong he is to God.

Thanks for your prayers. We are going to complete our goals of the month of August as a district. 8 baptisms and 10 rescues. We are going to complete and I feel so happy. I feel useful in my district. I have been working with them and now we are having success. I am not receiving the glory but I like being the instrument so that God can bring to pass his works. Its wonderful.

Thank you for everything. I thank God everyday for my family and for my testimony.

QUE DIOS LOS BENDIGA. (God Bless You)

Lots of love

Elder Luke