July 1, 2013

Dear Mom,

Tears of gratitude fill my eyes as I read your letter, ha-ha it uses up time but it is so worth it. Mom, this week has been celestial. I have never felt so good on the mission and just so light and at peace. This last week was just a big run and bolt for whatever thing we had to do. It was wonderful. We went to the hospital to give a blessing to a friend of the patriarch and temple sealer that is teaching a family with us. It was great to be back in the hospital environment and even better to be able to exercise the priesthood in the Lord’s name.

To shorten things down this week was great. Mom, the Lord answered your prayers and mine, like he always does, and this Sunday was the best Sunday I have had on the mission.

            We got up extra early to leave and get Jonathan and John for their confirmation, and right when we got ready to leave the door, it started raining pretty well. I left my umbrella in one of the member’s homes and we just started running to get to their house. I was in my suit, and my better fancier shoes and we walked down the muddy dirt roads. It was just pouring rain by now, but it was so great, I thought about how crazy it was to be so drenched and a few people looked at me really funny, but I kept thinking how great the worth of a soul is in the eyes of God. Suit or not, I was going to help those kids get to church and receive the Holy Ghost. It was great, we showed up to church right before sacrament meeting started, I was drenched from head to toe, and five minutes later we were up there in front confirming them.

There weren’t many people in church because of the rain. all of the meetings passed, we went and ate lunch in a little shack with an incredible family, and then went back for the evening ward meetings, finished those off and then got ready for Eva's baptism!!! The family that helped her get into the church was at the beach and got caught up in traffic so they weren’t able to come, and the father was supposed to baptize her. I could tell she was a little down about it, Elder Batista and I pulled her aside and handed her the outfit, and told her about how wonderful a decision she is making and how proud we were, She smiled and was pretty happy after that and went and changed, oh and she gave me the honor of baptizing her!!!!!!!! It was such a spiritual baptism, everyone was tearing up and at the end Elder Batista and I sang Abide With Me Tis Eventide to close. It was just great.

This week has been incredible; the Lord has been guiding us in every step that we take. He has placed so many people in our way and it has just been miracles, I have seen the hand of the Lord guiding the ward, the people, and us here. We talked a lot to the family of four in the other ward, and they decided they want to be baptized!!!!!!! We are so excited! They adopted Elder Batista and me and are so loving. We have been so blessed with three baptisms this transfer so far, and we hope to have seven more before the transfer ends! The Lord has blessed us, and blessed be His name. Mom, I never will stop, I just want to scream to everyone to bow down at His feet and come unto him. I love Jesus Christ, I am so grateful for all that He has done for me and for us and for the world! I love this gospel! I love you so much mom! Have a wonderful week!!!