The Man Who Knew Too Little‏

email dated 8/15/09
Well my dear and avid readers, another week gone and we are 7 days away from the 21st birthday of our hero, Elder Andy Shepherd. They say he looks older, more mature, manlier, and certainly more handsome. Don't forget that all fan mail needs to be sent before Saturday so that our hero can read it on his P-Day.
This week I did divisions twice. I first did them with an Elder named Johnson from Elkridge, UT. He is a really cool guy. He was in a scream-o band before his mission. I really enjoyed talking to him and we found some good new investigators. And then for just an evening I did divisions with a new Elder named Wisnom, who is Elder Jonson's neighbor! What are the odds. We had traveled to Mercedes for the Zone Conference and so those were short divisions but we found a family!! That family is really cool and there are 6 kids. I had most fun talking with the 6 year old Guillermo, or William. He asked so many questions "well who is Jesus? what he do?" He made that lesson so powerful and his Mom really felt it as we explained, literally, the gospel of Jesus Christ as simple as possible so that it be understood by a child. The family really enjoyed the visit and asked us when we were going to come back! That is always good.

Do you all remember Lorena? She is the girl that didn't believe in anything, wasn't anti-God but also didn't believe in God. She said that prayer in the first visit that got the chills all over my body. Well, she accepted to be baptized at the end of this month!!! Elder Clark and I asked her after having had a lesson about keeping the commandments if she believed in God. "Now I do." She replied. "Do you believe Jesus Christ is our Savior and road to salvation?" "Yes." "Do you believe this is the true church of Jesus Christ." "Yes I do." So we challenged her to be baptized again and she accepted. Sweet right!? Not done yet...

She is in med-school. Justito this week she was offered some kind of internship time or hours that she needs for her career and guess what is the one day that she would work per week. Sunday from 11:00 to 4:00. ... I just don't get it. Our Sacrament Meeting is at 11:00. She now needs to make that decision. I know she can get another job. It is a job to further her future career in medicine. That is why it is only 5 hours a week. Pray that she makes the right choice. She has been such a great investigator. I knew from the first lesson that she was special and I wrote you all that story a month or two ago. Pray for my 24 year old medical student Lorena Dacuña.

So I have some fun news. I got a G-Mail from Jessica Zamudio this week! Her little brother Emilio is getting baptized!! Big news? Yes!! He is only 16 and Jessica's dad asked her to wait til she was 18 to get baptized. The cool thing is that Diana, the 8 year old, goes to primary every week too. Jessica was in Mexico teaching English for 4 months and she gets back this week. her little brother was waiting for her to get home for his baptism. I smiled from ear to ear as I read her G-Mail. It could very well be my very favorite letter that I have received in my whole mission. It was all such good news and it was great to hear from an old friend!

Se me acabó the time. It must needs be that I continue on. I love you all very much and I pray that you are well! Be excellent to each other and consider the lilies of the field. God loves us all very much!

Andy