email 6/27/09

Another week gone by and still no baptisms. Just kidding. But really, we didn’t have any baptisms this week. But the good news is that this coming Saturday we should have 3 baptisms. The Familia Garcia, composed of Dardo the dad, Graciela the mom, and Santiago who is 14. And the week after that we have a baptism of a lady that we found and taught yesterday named Adriana. She had been an investigator a while back in Fray Bentos, and now lives here in Montevideo. She has been to church a lot of times already and so we just told her that it was time to get baptized. We had a really spiritual lesson with her and talked a lot about prayer and the positive attitude and blessings that we gain from the gospel. The problems never go away but our understanding of our purpose in life changes completely how we react to life’s challenges. She accepted a date for the following Saturday.

We found a great girl named Lorena last night. My companion had contacted her earlier in the week, but we had to set up for last night because she is a pretty 23 year old girl that lives with her college roommate. They are both in medical school. So we got a young member couple that was recently sealed in the temple to accompany us to the visit. Lorena was there alone and we talked mainly about the existence of God. She didn’t have any religious background. She said that she didn’t disbelieve in God, nor did she believe in Him. We talked about how we need to try and know Him, and we read John 17:3. “This is life eternal, that they know thee the one true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent.” She is really smart and a very special person. I have a really good feeling about her. She accepted the invitation to say the prayer before we left. She was nervous because she had never prayed before. We all bowed our heads and she waited probably ten seconds. I was about to tell her she didn’t need to say the prayer today when she said “Padre Celestial…” I got the chills all over my body. She said a short prayer in which she thanked God for her family and friends and for our visit. She accepted the conditional baptismal date, meaning that when she knows these things are true she will be baptized. My companion and I invite people to be baptized in every lesson. Anyway, I found myself immediately loving Lorena. When I asked her about her family and she told us that her parents were divorced but that she saw them every now and then, I sensed a sad and broken heart in her. She is really alone. She is a humble and beautiful person. I hate that it is against mission rules to hug women. I agree 100% with the rule because I understand why, and it really is a necessary rule, but I really wanted to hug Lorena. Didn’t do it, but I sure wanted to. I wanted to assure her that she had friends and family with us. But her praying to God will prove to be even more valuable for her so it is alright. She said she would start praying.

My companion Elder Harmon and I are having a great time. Life is great and I love being a missionary and teaching. I love talking to people. I have grown up more on my mission than you can all imagine. I can’t describe how different I feel now. I feel that I have learned to love people in a way I couldn’t even fathom before I left. And I smile now a lot more. I feel more sincere and happy. I have come a long way since Tacuarembo a year ago.

Take care! I love you all!!
Andy