Up to our eyeballs

Well, we’ve had a tiring week running from place to place, still struggling to balance all the aspects of mission life. Sometimes I don’t know if I can do it all, but I guess I just have to do my best right? It’s been a great week anyhow and we have two baptisms this coming weekend! Luis and Erika, I think I’ve already told you about them. Their whole family got to go and see the temple this week with another family from the ward. They were so struck at what it was like and how simply beautiful it was. They talked about it all week. It was so wonderful. I could feel the spirit they brought home from that little visit permeating in their home. As I’ve said before, I love the temple. They are so excited to go after a year and seal their family together.

We found some other really great families this week that want to get baptized as soon as possible. They have a few things they need to do to prepare, but we’ve put dates with them and goals to accomplish so they can. Honestly, we have so much work to do; it’s like the ¨busy season¨ of the mission! I’m feeling a little unable at times, but when I do, I always feel the support of the Lord and know He is there sustaining me in this HIS work. I guess that’s the benefit. It’s not my work, it’s His. Therefore, it will get done. It’s my choice to help or not.

It sounds like all is quite at home again, although all is busy. Ahhhh.... I remember those days I spent with you two old people! Ha-ha! I’m glad you’re keeping busy. That’s always the cure for feeling down. Work really is a universal remedy, especially in the Gospel of Christ. Working and moving forward, if only we all had that attitude. I think I’ve found out more and more that life is SO much more rewarding when you have to not only work, but work HARD. I know I have to find this out even more.

I’ve been reading the Acts this week, about Paul and his missionary journeys. He went all over the place! I love the authority with which he taught and the power of his testimony even in the face of opposition. Sometimes (you know me) I get a little scared and don’t want to offend people to the point where I don’t go for it. However, though we don’t want to get in people’s faces and shout, when I just let the spirit work, I feel the power of the spirit flowing through me like I’m a power cable. I start loving the people and the work even more, and everything just falls into place. I love this work. It has taught me so much.

This past week, we had a Zone Conference with the President about this. He asked us if we are scared to invite people to be baptized. Sometimes we get so scared and we don’t tell the people why we are there, and they lose excitement of their spirit all because we were too shy to tell them why we were there. We have had a goal now to just tell people why we are here. To invite all to come unto Christ through faith, repentance, baptism, receiving the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end. It’s really helped us and we hope that we can continue to find more and more people. Even though we have investigators "up to our eyeballs".

Faith and Miracles

It’s been a really awesome week and we are so happy it’s Pday. We are in the bus terminal with a couple of other missionaries, all the other trainers, because the oros (greenies) had to do their doctor paperwork. So, it’s been a really relaxing day so far. Just talking and reminiscing and getting excited. Oh by the way, we have two more baptisms planned and two more dates to put with people so we are looking at four at least. It’s been a pretty tough but very rewarding week. I love this work, even if sometimes I get a little discouraged. The Lord is always there to help us and make us strong.The two people getting baptized are Luis and Erika. Luis is the husband of the woman we baptized about a month ago and her daughter is Erika, 10 years old. They are such a great family, and it’s been a miracle to see how the gospel has truly affected their family in many ways. Luis has quit smoking, and all three of them have had very powerful conversion experiences. More or less, miracles... I love that we still see miracles today. Like it says in Ether 12. If we do not see miracles, it’s because we do not have the faith. Sometimes we don’t have the faith to see them. But the Lord works through small and simple things to bring to pass His mighty purposes.

Other than that, you know... the normal tasks of mission life I guess. Getting up, studying, teaching, WALKING, and bearing our testimonies. I love this work, and every day it’s interesting to find the ideas to make it even more fun. Just talking to everyone, talking about the Book of Mormon in every contact, asking for service, etc...

Well, it’s been raining a lot here. Seriously, a lot! The other day we were doing service in someone’s yard and we were walking back to the house to change, and it DUMPED. I couldn’t see more than a block ahead of us! Luckily we were wearing normal clothes, but the rain continued and let’s just say that I got a little wet. Jacket and all. But it’s been really fun and quite an adventure. It’s been a very tropical summer here, and everyone has been freaking out saying its global warming this or 2012 that. I’m so sick of people quoting Revelations and saying that the end is near. I’m so glad that no matter how hard the earth shakes, the gospel of Christ will stand. Heleman 5:12. If we are built on the rock of Christ, no matter what happens to us, we don’t have to worry. I think that’s also a huge part of what we tell the world as missionaries.

A New Companion

Well, this week was definitely filled with all sorts of new challenges, both for me and my companion Elder Delbar. He’s from California too. We’ve both been getting to know each other better and he’s been getting his first few blisters and sore feet. Oh how I remember those first few days as well. So much anxiety, but lots of fun. It’s been such a great experience and I’ve already learned a whole lot. I know that this is what the Lord wants and I will do the best I can.

Work continues to chug along here in Libia. We found a young woman who will soon be baptized. Her husband is an inactive member, but she started listening to the testimonies of her family and started reading the Book of Mormon. She has felt very strongly the spirit of the Lord, and wants to be baptized as soon as possible... WHEW! Well I guess that goes to show you that really we just go out and find the people that are already ready. As long as their hearts are really open the spirit will come and testify. I’m glad for my companion too. His first week, and already we have lots of people interested in the gospel!

The Toe Incident

Well, let me start off by saying that this week has been one of MANY surprises. It seems like the Lord always wants to keep me on my toes. Well, I don’t know where to start first, but I guess I’ll start with the toe incident.The other week I noticed that my toenail was looking a little bad. It came to my attention, and to the attention of my companion that it was a slight ingrown toe nail. I called the Hermana Da Silva, she told me to call the mission doctor. He told me not to worry, but to go and see the doctor as soon as possible. He was busy, so we had to set up an appointment another day. We came back. He looked at it, and told me that it looked pretty bad and that if it didn’t improve soon, they were going to cut off half my toenail for good and that if this were so, I would have to stay off work for three months. But he wasn’t sure, so he referred me to a foot doctor. Needless to say, I was pretty frustrated and freaking out a little. However, we talked with the Hermana and she was surprised to hear what the doctor had told us. She said her son had the same problem and it was taken care of without much trouble. I tried the remedy the doctor gave me, and the next day, Hermana Da Silva called us and told us that a missionary the other day who had the same problem just went to a local hospital and had a slight operation in which they cut the nail slightly so it could heal. Sorry for all the details... I went ANOTHER day to a hospital, they looked at it, said not to worry, sent me to a surgeon, in another hospital. I was in the emergency room, with an ingrown toenail. It was kind of awkward. As I laid there on the table, I could hear all the other people who had more serious problems. And there I was, with just a little toe nail problem! Oh well, anyways... the doctor came back, LOADED my toe with anesthetic, cut the nail just a tiny bit (he said it was practically nothing) and sewed up the other muck... well... yeah, I guess I’ll just have to tell you the details another time, but DON¨T WORRY. It was nothing, kind of humorous, and now it’s healing just fine. You almost can’t tell now. So that’s the incident of my finding myself in the ER over an ingrown toenail. Other than that, this week went on as usual, minus the time we lost at the doctors. Oh well, health is important right? But we continue to move on anyway.

We had changes of course today. And this next part is as much of a surprise to you as it is to me. I’m now training in my area, as well as Elder Gonzales in another area. I have a companion fresh from the MTC in Argentina, from California, Elder Delbar. He’s studied Spanish for the majority of his life so he probably already speaks better than me. I’m not going to lie, I’m kind of scared and unsure of what’s going to happen, but I kind of knew that something new was coming. Never a dull moment in the mission.... I look forward to learning a lot this change, but more than that, helping my new companion start to find "That Something". I REALLY need to read that story again.

A Sweet Baptism

Well, this week was another one of those where we were tested pretty hard. It was kind of hard to get people to talk to us, and it was, as all of you know who have served missions, frustrating. But, despite our frustrations and discouragement, we took heart in the fact that Raquel was going to be baptized. She is such a sweet woman. She has already read the new Liahona (Ensign Magazine) 3 times! She has learned so much the past few weeks and keeps hungering for more. Her baptism was so sweet. My companion had the honors of baptizing her, and I had the opportunity to do the confirmation. It was really special. She has been such a great example for her family, and I know she will go to the temple one day. I can’t wait to hear all about it! Well, despite the daily trials, the week was still good! We really have found lots of people who are interested, even though it may be hard to get in touch with them at times. The ward is getting more excited too. They have been helping us out more and are starting to volunteer to go out teaching with us. I love this ward! I feel so well taken care of here.

Changes are next week. I hope I stay here, but who knows. I could be off to who knows where. But I at least know that wherever it is, it’s where I’ll be needed. I’m going to miss my companion. He reminds me of Tyler. We have the same sense of humor. Seriously. Sometimes I think we might have too much fun. He has such a pure and kind heart and a strong testimony. But, he’s really bad at Uno. I almost always win...

The Present

It’s hard to believe that today I complete 7 months in the mission. Time really has been flying by. I really have been taking to heart what Pres. Monson has said. Learn from the past, live in the present, and prepare for the future. I feel like as I look back on these first few experiences I have had on my mission, I take heart that I have learned so much about myself and others and about my Heavenly Father and His Son Jesus Christ. I look forward to learning even more!

I love the quote from that wise old turtle from Kung Fu Panda. ¨The past is history. The future is uncertain. But the present is a gift. That’s why it’s called the present.¨

Well, things have been going pretty good here in our ward in Montevideo. Barrio Libia is doing very well, and the members continue to love and support us. We have a baptism this weekend. The first of what we hope will be three in this wonderful family. Her name is Raquel, and she was so ready and prepared to hear the gospel. Seriously, all she had to do was see us pass by. She is such a sweet woman and I’m so happy for her and hope that the rest of her family will continue to follow her wonderful example. The members are getting all excited. It’s going to be such a sweet and wonderful baptism.

A Happy Birthday and A Happy New Year

Well, it was kind of a slow week here in Montevideo. The New Years Eve Fireworks display was even bigger than Christmas. Seriously I was scared that one was going to ignite our house or tree on fire! It was CRAZY! It’s like being in a war zone.The people here REALLY like to party for New Years and needless to say, the day afterwards was pretty much DEAD. There was no one in the streets. Everyone was at the beaches, or too hungover from the night before to answer the door. It was kind of tough, but oh well. Gotta work right? It was ok anyways. Although I still get frustrated from time to time, I feel like my patience has improved a whole lot out here.

My Birthday was...well... very special... and different. Though I of course missed seeing you all (one of the blessings of having my birthday right after Christmas) it was a very special day. I sure do miss you all, and it gets tough from time to time, but I just have to remember why I’m here and these feelings leave. Luckily I have friends here who have begun to be my family. We had lunch with a family called Echeveria. They cooked us gnochis and this stuffed meat that was so good. My companion told them it was my birthday and they went out later and brought us cake. The members here are so sweet and kind and have such great testimonies even though the Church is relatively new here. Almost all the members are converts to the Church, even if they’ve been in the Church for most of their lives. They sang happy birthday to me in of course, Spanish, English, Italian, and Vasco (an archaic language that almost doesn’t exist anymore). It was a great day. So know that even though I wasn’t home for my birthday, I still felt close to you all, and the wonderful brothers and sisters of this area are taking good care of us.

I finally get to go to the Temple this week! I’m so excited! I haven’t been since I was in the MTC. It will be wonderful to go in. I’ve had many questions and thoughts on my mind lately. I really need a little bit of time sometimes to just sit and ponder. I know I can’t be perfect. I can just do the best I can. I love all the lessons I’ve learned out here. I hope I can remember them all!

Everyone remember to keep looking for those opportunities to share the gospel. It really is the best gift we can give to someone.