October 3, 2011

Well hello my wonderful family!! :) Man, today has been a good day! And SOOO much has happened!! 

First of all... WE HAD A BAPTISM!!! HAHAHA!!! I bet you weren`t expecting that one! Ha, I feel really bad for leaving it out of my emails, I completely forgot! We had been teaching a 19 yr. old kid named Alfredo for about 3 weeks, and he entered the waters of baptism between Conference sessions on Saturday!! We were so happy!! I got pictures of his face all soaking wet, but there was a huge smile on his face, and we all knew that he felt the Spirit. It was an incredible experience. It is going to help his family a lot, because his mom is 6 years in-active, and seeing her boy get baptized, she began crying, saying to the members that she was so happy for what we had done for him because it´s given him more purpose in life! Great, great day. Oh... And about the pictures... Something´s wrong with my SD card in my camera that has about 4 months of pictures on it, and I´m a little worried that they´ve all been deleted... I´m praying I can save them! So forgive me for not having the pictures of the baptism, or our wonderful Pday adventures... :( 

The Colque family... I LOVE THEM!!!! What happened with the Sister Missionaries??! They´re so ready! Cecilia is always so excited, and if ever we leave the house without giving her and the family homework, something to read, stuff like that... She teasingly scolds us! Hahaha, we have some incredible blessings here in Argentina, Esquel! On Wednesday, we went to their house that night and Franco, the husband who has always stayed away from us, made us and the family Empanadas from Salta, Arg. (Way up north). They were the most INCREDIBLE things I´d ever eaten!!!! While he was making them, we threw on the Restoration movie, and he almost forgot about the empanadas, he was so focused on watching the Joseph Smith story! I have a picture of him trying to roll out dough while his eyes are plastered to the screen. We had an incredible time with them. On Friday, we invited them to a dance that the two branches were putting on... They came, and had a blast with all the members! We are inviting Cecilia, and the rest of the family to be baptized this next Saturday tonight. I pray that they will have the courage to do what they know they feel is right. It is especially hard for Franco, because his entire family is Catholic, and they would reject him. I´m hoping for one of the miracle stories that happens when missionaries have A LOT of faith that their investigators can receive their answer, and take a leap of faith... Because it would be super hard to be rejected by your entire family!! But, I am so grateful for that family, and I know they will be baptized. 

General Conference was such a spiritual FEAST!!!! I loved it! My favorite talks were by Pres. Uchtdorf about knowing that we ALWAYS have our Dear Heavenly Father with us... That he NEVER abandons us, and even in our darkest hours, He will always be there to be our Light. I have such a testimony of His presence in my life. I know that He loves me, and that He watches over and cares for every one of us. He is our loving Heavenly Father... Our FATHER. My other favorite talk was in the Sunday morning session by Elder Callister about the Bible and the Book of Mormon. I have become the biggest fan of the Book of Mormon in my mission, I know it´s from God, and I know that no one could have made it up. The Book of Mormon has a Spirit about it. It´s words touch the soul in the way a normal man talking could never do. I HAVE A TESTIMONY IN THAT BOOK. I KNOW it´s true. I challenge every one that is reading this email, to try the promise written in Moroni 10:4-5. It is true. Joseph Smith did not write it. He translated it from divine power from Heaven. I encourage all to read that book, meditate and PONDER the message, and pray to Heavenly Father to know if it is true. I know that He answers. Always. 100%. Wow... Look at Jordy... He´s turned into a missionary... ;) HAHA! The mission really changes people. I know it´s going to be the best thing for my entire life. I´m learning things that are invaluable. Jared... Don´t do ANYTHING that will prohibit you from going. As your big brother, I EXHORT you... Be a good boy. I love you, and care for you as the little brother that you are to me. You are my only brother, and I want the best for you. It is through the scriptures, church and a mission. Plan on a mission. You will never regret it. Yes, it´s brutally hard. But through the Refiner´s Fire... We come out as Gold. I´m not saying I´m gold, I never will be... But I do know that Heavenly Father has the power to shape us into the people that He wants us to become. The Sons of God. Through the tribulations... We become stronger. It´s like a muscle. If you want it to grow and become stronger, you need to work it out, and tear it up. Through this process, it repairs itself, and comes back even stronger than before. I love you, Bud. You are such a driving force for me in my mission. Keep up the good work. 

E. Rojas left very urgently for a medical emergency. We as a district have been together, the 5 of us, since Saturday. We have had a ton of fun, including going to Los Alerces, a national park with a lake, and gorgeous views!!! We went there today, it was such a blast. I have a few pictures from it... 

Well, I love you all! The work is INCREDIBLE!!! I LOVE being a missionary!! WOOHOO!! Bring it on! It´s incredible that I´m already past the 6 month mark. The last month has gone by SO FAST!!! I want you all to know that I´m happy, healthy... And I´ve got an incredibly terrible farmers tan on my neck and arms from my white shirts... Oh well... ;) It´s getting hotter every day, but we´re only in Spring! We´ve long since left the suit coats at the apt, and go in just white shirts and ties. Esquel is as gorgeous as ever... And we might go paintballing for Pday next week... ;) ;) ;) 

AMOR PARA TODOS!!!

E. Cuthbert