January 9, 2012

January 2, 2012


And........... THEY DID IT!!!!!!!! This WONDERFUL family did it!!!! I am so happy and proud of them... Really... This last week has flown by, and a MILLION things have happened... I am so happy. 

Alright, I just want you guys to be aware that we have another baptism coming up for this next Saturday! Their names are Jennifer and Karen, the two daughters of a really awesome family. We found them in the same week that we found Mirta and Ramon. Miriam, the mom of the two, she too, wants to get baptized. We were in a lesson with them about a week ago, Monday, actually. They had come to church the day before and she said: I was already baptized in another church a while back but... I want to be baptized again, I´ve decided. WE WERE SO HAPPY WHEN SHE SAID THAT. But, one problem... She´s not married. Her man doesn´t really want to talk to us. We´ve tried a lot to talk to him, but he´s either really shy or doesn´t want to talk because we can´t get him to say one word! Anyway, he doesn´t want to listen in this moment, so we´re going to baptize Jennifer and Karen so they always have contact with the church and the missionaries. Blessings... :) 

Now I´m going to tell you right now. The Lord knows how to direct His work. On Tuesday morning we went with Mirta and Ramon to do all of the wedding arrangements. They needed to get their blood examined, buy seals at the bank, get the birth certificate and a bunch of other stuff. Now, mind you... To get your blood examined, we were talking to a member that had recently gotten married, and she said that the results usually come back in about a week!!! A WEEK??! We needed to schedule the wedding that same day!! Long story short, Mirta and Ramon got up really early to do all this stuff. We were praying and fasting for WEEKS for all of this stuff to happen. And by 9:00 in the morning... Everything was done. Just like that. Easy. I was shocked. I didn´t understand it. But then I realized... It was the prayers, it was the fasting, it was the diligence... It was an answer. Heavenly Father blessed us, blessed this family... And things that usually take weeks to do, they did it in 2 hours. A Miracle. The miracle of a New Years Eve!!! It was awesome! 

On Thursday, they got married. It was awesome, but it didn´t quite give me the satisfaction I thought it would. The marriage was just another step towards the ultimate goal, the baptism.  The baptism was AWESOME. The members LOVE this family, and they helped with everything. A really wonderful couple named Alberto and Evelina Di Stefano did all the decorations for the wedding reception that we had right after the baptism, and the cake, dances that they danced to and everything was... Wonderful. It was very emotional to finally watch this incredible family make it through the door... Baptism. :) I want you guys to know that the Lord loves his Children. That He KNOWS their desires, and that he answers prayers. I was so worried that Tuesday morning for the papers and everything that was going on, but I shouldn´t have... It all went more fluidly than I could even imagine. I love my Savior. 

It´s been extremely hot this week. In the 90´s and 100´s. I have realized that I really don´t like the heat in a shirt and tie... Not even going to talk about the pants... Oh! By the way, I went on divisions with another Elder, and I decided to take us on a "shortcut" to a neighborhood. We had to climb a fence, and I... Ripped the butt seam of my favorite slacks. a HUGE hole. It was terrible. I had to work for the rest of the day with a very big breeze going through my pants. Haha! Anyways, for New Years Eve, we spent it with the Flia. De la Torre, a really good member family that has been having some very hard trials lately. But we spent it with them, had a ton of Asado and deliciousness... Then went to bed at 11:30 and slept through the New Year. Yes, mom, I have lots of goals. :) I want this new year to be incredible. And it WILL be incredible. I´m just getting warmed up as a missionary. There´s still the curve and the straight-away to run. :) I want you all to know that I love you. I want you to know that the house is GORGEOUS!!! BIEN HECHO!! Props there, Mom and Dad! I miss you guys so much. Seeing those wonderful pictures and reading about the Christmas stuff you did... Aw man. I love you guys. Have a wonderful week, I´ll be back next week with pictures of the next baptism!! 

Love, 
E. Cuthbert 

December 19, 2011


I GET TO CALL YOU GUYS IN LESS THAN A WEEEEEEK!!!!!!
It sounds like things back home are awesome. People are coming back home from their missions, you´re having parties left and right, and Buppi is... Not doing well... :( Tell him from me to rest it up and not do anything stupid! Since he can´t drive now, he might as well give up the keys to the RS6. It´s only fair. ;) Haha.
 
Haven´t received any Christmas packages yet, we haven´t even received the pouch mail from the mission home for 2 weeks. It´s probably all there in the mission home, they just need to send it! But I´m grateful for anything I get, thank you so much.
 
Well, the situation with the Birth Certificate. It should have been made today and sent by bus from Buenos Aires to get here tomorrow or Wednesday. I am praying so hard, and we have been fasting every single weekend for the past month for that birth certificate to get here and that the wedding and baptism can go through on Friday and Saturday. We REALLY want a White Christmas, and if I can´t have snow... It HAS TO BE  A BAPTISM!!! Gosh Dang it!! It´s been too long without a baptism, and this family deserves and wants it! We were with Mirta and Ramón yesterday night and she said, "Gosh, I just want to get BAPTIZED already! I am willing to do whatever it takes, follow whatever commandment and do... whatever to get baptized!!" We love them, and they´re a family that was always ready. Keep the prayers going, we need them.
 
We had a great time this Saturday with MTC for a Day with all the young men in the Branch. We got up early in the morning to be there at 7: 00 am to study with them and then teach them about being missionaries! After lunch we took them all out to work! It was very fun, they were so tired at the end of it, and it reminded me of my first week in the MTC... Exhausting!
 
Well today was exhausting as well. We got up early and went on an AWESOME hike with a member who works as a guide for rich people here in San Martín. He took us on a hike that was SO STEEP and VERY long. At the end, though... Was a volcano crater with a crystal clear blue lake in the middle... It was gorgeous. The wind was SO strong. Even though it´s summer right now, it was freezing up there. I´ve got some pretty awesome pictures. San Martín really is the most gorgeous place in the Patagonia. I´m so lucky to be spending Christmas and my birthday here... Wow... I love the mission... :) I love you guys so much, Sorry for the short letter, but I have stuff to do! I miss you a ton, and can´t WAIT to talk to you guys at 1:00pm on Sunday, the 25th of December!!! Que tengan una buena semana! Hasta que hablemos!!!
 
E. Cuthbert