How`s it going with everyone? All I`ve heard about this week is how amazing Uruguay is doing in the World Cup and how they are going to win it all and how ¨unfortunate¨ it is that USA is out of the running. Wow, I`ve never seen a group of people so devoted to a sport... They all take work off so they can watch the game and the whole family is together to watch the game, which is the perfect situation for teaching the people here... but no one answers the door and absolutely nobody is in the streets during these hours. When Uruguay scores a goal or wins a game, WE KNOW it instantly!!! There are gunshots, yelling, cheering, and everyone runs out into the streets with their Uruguay flags as capes, singing their team's song for about 1 minute and then everyone is back inside glued to the television.
It`s getting pretty cold here and it rains a whole lot more now that we are in the middle of winter. I bought some rain boots to help keep my feet dry and safe. I`m over my sore throat and feel great.
Sadly there were no baptisms this week, and we had an all time low attendence at church of only 30 members and our one faithful investigator, Carlos who only is 13 years old but comes to church every week rain or shine. He is going to be baptized this Saturday. The rain scared away all of the members here in Bella Italia from church and so I had to play the piano and talk in church for 15 minutes with no notice before entering the doors to the chapel. I felt the spirit very strongly in my talk and ended up talking for nearly 20 minutes on the importance of missionary work and how the members can help in the work as well. The members all congratulated me and said that they were very surprised to hear such a great message from someone so new in the mission. I even cried while bearing my testimony in Spanish... that was a first. I love my area here and Elder Jimenez and I are praying for a miracle that we can stay together for another transfer, but we both know that it is very likely that one of us (we don`t know who it will be) will be transfered to a different area on the 13th of July.
We are both very happy and have seen some great miracles here in our area... for example, this week we were doing contacts in a street that we had never before contacted in our time here, and clapped a door (because you can`t knock the doors here due to the gates and dogs) and a woman came out and when we asked her if we could share a message about the restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ she smiled and said yes you can and thanks for coming. I know that this is a sign that you came to my door this morning, because God sent you to me because I`m going through a hard time and I prayed that God would help me and you were the first ones I ran into after this. Thanks. We are very excited to work hard this week and see at least one more baptism in these next few weeks before we are separated.
I love you all and want you to know that the Book of Mormon is true, and that really it is another testament of Jesus Christ. I know that God loves each of His children individually and personally, and that He really does answer prayers. He is a God of miracles and never will cease to do miracles in the lives of those who have faith in Jesus Christ. I know that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God and that Thomas S. Monson is a prophet of God today. I have really learned of the power and importance of prayer this week and hope that you all remember to pray this evening because He is listening and will answer your prayers.
Love,
Elder Gardner
No comments:
Post a Comment