Week 36

bubbles

Monday, September 13, 2010 4:55 PM

Hey family,

Well I`m currently in Maldonado as we came here for pday today and then we`re staying for the district meeting tomorrow. We were going to go to the beach again and check it out, but it starting raining, and spoiled a big one on our plans. Fail. So yeah, life is good other than that.

First of all, the baptisms. Yep last Saturday was definitely one of the best if not the best day of my mission so far. Four awesome baptisms. Two cool and young families. The Spirit was definitively strong and pretty much everybody got at least a little bit emotional. We had as many people there as we usually do in sacrament meeting. I`m attaching a picture of the baptism. [Editor's note, picture is the first picture you see at the beginning of the Blog.] My comp and I are in suits. The man in the very back is the hermano who baptized our family. He has a little missionary nametag because he and his wife are service missionaries here in Uruguay. His wife is in front...not in white obviously. Our investigator is standing in front of the Hermano Casas and his wife is in the middle in front. The other two Elder Pike and Elder Lopez are in the 2nd row from the bottom with the white ties on. Their family is on the far left, front two rows. But yeah, awesome day. The two husbands shared their testimonies at the end of the service and it`s amazing to see how the gospel changes their lives.

Other than that, the work is going well. We have some people who potentially might get baptized. Good stuff. This area is full of people being prepared by the Lord so we just have to find them. Thankfully, the members are really awesome and help us bunches.

So I don`t know if you guys have seen the new ensign...which I assume has a cover talking about senior missions. The more I think about it, the more I come to decide that it would be awesome if you guys (obviously meaning you parents) went on a mission later in life. That is my story the end. :)

Um, so ok,I got the cool package thing with socks and fruit snacks. Word to your mother. Thanks so bunchingly much. :D Made my day. Also got letters 32 and 33 and a card from Dad, the card with the SD card (which has a little bit of an error problem, but I thin`k it`ll still work) and a couple of letters from Grandma. I also sent out a package this last Tuesday with my camelback bladder, a Uruguayan flag souvenir for me when I get home, four alfajores, and most of my letters. There is a little paper that explains everything, but the alfajores are for you guys. and I`m sending home the letters just because I don`t really have room to store them all, not because I don`t appreciate them. People love me so much that letters are abundant. :)

Ooh, before I forget, I am going to a training conference next week (because evidently I appear to have leadership capabilities in the future according to my zone leaders) and so I will be going to this conference thing on Monday and Tuesday. Our pday next week will be on WEDNESDAY so do not freak out when a little friendly email from yours truly does not reach your inbox on Monday. You can expect one by Wednesday. However, I would caution you about waiting to write until Tuesday because plans might change and pday might stay on Monday. Moral of the story is write on Sunday like always, but don`t expect a response until Wednesday. :) My advice.

Let me explain this second pic really quick. The Guayans have a habit of completely demoralizing trees every year. That is to say that at the end of every summer, all the trees are completely cut (to use as firewood) except for the trunk. as such, there are many trees like this one that have very aged trunks and little tiny young branches.

I´m sorry to hear about Brother Hardy but you`re right, there is so much comfort in the gospel. And also say hi and thanks to Grandpa.

Ooh funny story! Ok, so we were in the house of a really cool family the other night and this family speaks Portuguese. So at the end of the lesson, I asked her to say a prayer in Portuguese to listen. Afterwards, she wanted me to say a prayer in English, so I obliged, although I thought it would be kind of weird. Turns out, I have lost ALL ability to pray in English. It was the most awkward, weird, bizarre prayer I`ve ever said and I was basically praying in Spanish in my head and then translating that to English. You guys are in for a real treat in 16 months when I come back after saying Spanish prayers for 2 years. Woo!

Thanks for the note from Cy.

I don`t remember what I told you about my comp Elder Sosa, but his family had bought a used car that had had problems before. Turns out his Stepdad and Mom were assassinated while sitting in the car at a stoplight or something. A car pulled up from behind thinking the owners were somebody else and opened fire with machine guns or something. So yeah...pretty sad. but within the week from that event, 2 sister missionaries knocked on the door and the whole 11 person family was baptized. Good stuff.

Well, that`s all I`ve got (ps, the second pic attachment just failed...it`ll come next week sorry). Thanks so much for all you do. I realize more and more every day how amazing you are.. Thanks for everything. stay strong and peace to the out.

Love always,

DJ