One Who Understands‏

email dated 9/12/09
I had a very strange trunky moment today. The intercom in the offices rang and the voice "Elder Shepherd line 2, line 2". I went and sat at the secretaries desk and was about to pick up the phone when I saw a certificate with my name on it. "Dear Elder Andrew Wade Shepherd, you are hereby released as a full time missionary...signed Steven K Peterson". It made my stomach turn over. I think that it goes in the packet they send to the stake President. I wasn't supposed to see that. It didn't actually make me trunky. But it was weird to see and thus I call it a trunky moment.

Elder Clark and I have the idea of baptizing 6 people before I go home. We have the people found and challenged. Now the trick will be progressing and going to church. We will continue to find during these weeks as well. We are determined and we will succeed.

Lorena is doing well, her new job still didn't help and she realizes that she wants to work without having to work Sunday. She really wants to be baptized. A girl who when I first met her said she didn't really believe or disbelieve in God, said this week "I have felt the spirit and I know what I felt. I know I need to be baptized."!! Your prayers have helped her. Keep praying for her.

Elisa is good. The bishop knows her a little better and she has accepted a date to be baptized in September. She has already been to church the required 3 times and so she is good to go. We could do it today if we wanted to. I think we will give her another week or two to prepare.

We found a full family yesterday!! Father, mother, two sons. Jose Luis, the dad, says he would like it for his kids to have faith. He said in their home they haven't talked much about God, although they believe. And that with the death of the grandparents the kids could use an idea what there is beyond all this life. The problem is again that he works a TON, 65 hours a week, and Sunday is rarely free. The Devil is winning WAY too many points on the Sabbath Day. I gotta say that after what I have seen on the mission I am convinced that Sabbath Worship can make or break the attitude of a society. The Uruguayan truly believes "I am ALWAYS working. I am NEVER home." They say it in a way I never heard busy people in the States mean it or say it. They don't say it as an excuse. They truly and honestly believe it. And for some people it is true, but all say it. But when you have the Sabbath you always know that there is a day to be with your family. As I look back on life Sunday is my favorite day of the week. I love going to church and coming home and having the whole afternoon where I have already decided I wont do homework on that special day, so I read, watch movies with family, eat chicken and mashed potatoes or yakisoba or whatever it is...I love Sunday. And I will keep the Sabbath Holy the rest of my life. The Lord blesses those that keep His commandments. Those blessings are real and too often go unnoticed. But I know they are there.

Anyway, I gotta go. I hope that everyone is doing just dandy. Take care. I love all y'all!

Andy