Edwin doesn’t feel ready to make a decision—but his Pathfinder friends keep inviting him to be baptized.

“I am not ready yet,” I told my friend. “I want to learn more about your church before I make a decision.”

My spiritual experience had been growing and thriving ever since I met Pamela, a young lady who had invited me to participate in a Pathfinder club. I was an evangelical Christian already, but I had grown tired of hearing the same old messages week by week. My church seemed to lack the full power of the gospel—but the Pathfinder club had a vibrant spiritual environment. The club leaders welcomed me and made me feel like part of the group right from the beginning. I really liked that, and I began to attend all their activities. They made me feel more comfortable with them every day.

The Pathfinders had a camporee coming up, but before the camp, the club members hosted an evangelistic campaign. At the end of the meetings, 15 people whom the youth had been studying with decided to be baptized. Several of my friends invited me to join the church as well, but I felt unready. A couple of weeks later, at camp, one of my friends again asked me to join the church through baptism. It would be the perfect time, he said, since there would be a baptism at the camporee that Sabbath. That’s when I told him, “I am not ready.”

That same day I had a conversation with the pastor, and he helped me clear up many of the doubts that I had. “Now it’s up to you to make a decision,” he told me. 

I prayed to God and went to bed, but I couldn’t sleep. As I thought of all the Bible studies I had gone through with my friends, God called to my heart. Base your decision on the truths you have learned, He seemed to whisper. 

On Sabbath, when the pastor made a public appeal to accept Jesus and be baptized, I couldn’t take it anymore. Overwhelmed with conviction, I started crying—and I decided to be baptized for God’s honor and glory. My sister joined me, and we were baptized that Sabbath morning, April 8, 2023. To this day, we continue with joy to participate in the programs and activities of the church.

I am so grateful for Pamela and her family, and for the directors of the Pathfinder club, for supporting me through my spiritual journey. I was a drifting sheep, but now I have found the way to follow Jesus. The teachings that I hear in church every Sabbath help me in my walk with Him. I now have purpose in my life and know who I am, where I am going and what I am called to do in this life God has given me. I am very grateful to God to be able to serve as a deacon in the church and also a radio promoter! Now that the radio signal reaches our community, I am excited to tell people about it and I hope many people will listen in. My desire is to continue preparing myself for Jesus’ return and to help other people to know Christ Jesus. I invite other young people to take advantage of the time we have to prepare now!  

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Location
Honduras

Author
Edwin Alonso Martínez is a member of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Las Camelias, Honduras.

How You Can Help
Pray for God to bless Edwin and the other Pathfinders as they grow in their walk with Him and continue reaching out to others!

Give to take the Three Angels’ Messages to the predominately Catholic country of Honduras by sending your donation marked “Honduras” to: 

Mission Projects International
PO Box 151
Inchelium, WA 99138

To give securely online, visit: www.missionspro.org/donate

Thank you. Your gifts sustain a full-time pastor, fund evangelistic meetings and broadcast the Three Angels’ Messages over the radio in Honduras.