Gabe In Juarez: Baptism!! Lock Down! Storm!

Hey!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This week was so crazy!!!!!!!!! Lots to tell. So first off, the week went by a little slow, but it was good. The first couple nights it had been storming. I loved it. It's so beautiful to see the storms and the valley and all. So one crazy day, which was Thursday, I and my companion were walking to some member's house out by the canal in Caseta, well, the outskirts of it. We were just walkin and talkin and all of a sudden BOOM!! It hit us!!! What was it that hit you, Elder Castleton? Well let me tell ya...get yur thunder wear on cause it was RAIN!!! And then lightning and BOOM BOOM BANG it was thunder and it was tremendous! Did the elders live? Stay tuned to see! No, just kidding. But yea, it was a big storm, like big thunderstorm and rain. We walked into the member's house and watched Finding Faith in Christ and it was awesome.

By the time we left we were walking out and the hermana said stop! She pulled us back in and we saw on the news what appeared to have happened is two police were shot down. We didn’t know exactly was happening but it was like 2 towns away from Caseta, so she said be careful and we left. As we approached Caseta there were TONS AND TONS AND TONS of police and solgers (man, I can't spell it any more - soldados) were in their cars and trucks and Jeeps. I'd say at least 60 cars full of them. Here in Mexico there are different types of police. There's Policia Municipal, Policia Federal, Estatal, Ministeriales, and soldados. Oh, and also, here they don’t carry pistols. They have full out rifles and automatic guns and everything. But all of them came and not just to Caseta. They travelled around all the towns because of the cartel. They shot two minesterales, which is a big deal. So they brought tons of police force. It was insane. It was ugly. We ran to the bishop's house and everybody tried to lock in, but the police took lots of people, innocent and narcos. So we were there and the little girls were just terrified cause it was peace before and now this happened, but I won't say all that happened. But the cries and shouts of the people we heard were just terrible. We heard people being beat up and stuff. But it was just an army here. They took people. Our neighbors are gone, and children and women. It was ugly. They are bustin everybody up. In Caseta, well, our area, and the other towns there is peace. The police normally don’t pass by here. So this time tons of people got busted and caught, and innocent people as well, because of relatives and stuff. But it's ugly, and in every town it happened. We ran home as well and stayed in the the rest of the day hearing everything go on. We're safe as normal, but even now they're still out there. Not all of them, but they do some passes by now and then with the soldiers. We just saw one pass by with like 40 soldiers before leaving Caseta to Juarez, where we are now. It was insane.

So that was a crazy part of the week, but the best part is we still had the baptism of our investigator Cruz!!! He was baptised by an hermano in the ward, and they get a long really well. It was perfect!! The spirit was soooo strong I couldn’t sing after. I just wanted to ball. After he was baptised we went around to help them and he gave me a big hug and said thank you. I couldn’t speak. I just was like uhhh de nada, haha, the spirit was soooooooo soooos osooosooooosooosooosoosoosoooosoooo strong!!!!!! So afterwards we had a party and at the baptism lots of people came. I have a couple fotos for you all! I know if bad things come, there's gonna be a time where there is a good outcome. Idk how to word that in English, but yea, good will always come. There's always a tomorrow, a better day to look forward to. I know that that's true and that baptism is the first step to enter into the kingdom of God. I testify that that's true and I want you guys to know that. Cruz was confirmed a member Sunday as well. It was a grand week!! Crazy! But the outcome. I hope you all have a fantastic week! Remember who you are!

Elder Castleton

Don’t worry, I was slouching so I look even fatter, hehhehehe

Cruz! and his wife and two kids

This is the Hermano who baptised Cruz

And his family

This hermano is a recent convert. His name is Ismael. He's awesome!

My Companion! Elder Hernandez. He is legit, so nice and awesome. He loves horses. They're his favorite animal, haha. We get a long really well, always makin jokes and laughing and having a blast out here!