Week 38

Hello, Family!!!

How are you all? Happy Easter!!!

Well, this week has just been incredible, hasn´t it? Easter is a week long rememberance here, just like it should be, and I LOVED it. From Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday, EVERYONE was interested in talking and hearing about Christ. Super neat. I took the opportunity to read along in Jesus the Christ, following the story of what happened. I had previously read about the Suffering and Death of our Lord, and I followed that with a study on Saturday of Christ´s preaching in the Spirit World, and a study on Sunday of His Glorious Resurrection. My heart and mind were filled with peace and reverence yesterday, as I walked and taught of a Man to whom I felt very close. It´s been a beautiful week. Heavenly Father even gave us a little reminder of what happened with the weather, sending rain and wind that cut out the power on Saturday, and allowing us to arise on Sunday to a crisp, clear Sabbath. This has taken place as my favorite Easter ever.

This morning I continued my study, and learned of Peter, who after the reception of the Holy Ghost, became a changed man. He went from one who cowered when the maid called him out as a friend of Christ´s, to a man who preached with unashamed authority to groups of three and five thousand, and confounded the government officials who imprisioned him with his companion John, telling them that they could not be withheld from preaching of the Christ whom that had seen. The story got me really excited to get out again, and open my mouth, preach of Christ.

Mom, I need a good chocolate chip cookie recipie. The one that the mission has is, um, not very good. :_).

Haha, I´ve got to be honest. This change has been a little bit tough. Elder Gleason and I haven´t seen the baptisms that we´ve expected. But, all credit due to my Heavenly Father, we´ve been blessed to see lives change, and in the end, that´s what really matters.

Elder Gleason came in and brought fire to Santa Rita. His spiritual maturity and excitement to work has helped us to see miracles here. I had huge dreams and visions on what was going to happen with the work here, and we put in the work necessary to bring those dreams and visions to pass. But, God is a God of order, and ordinances like baptism follow that order. Right now we´ve got 6 people who are at the point of being baptized, but cannot, due to differing legal issues. One couple, Amadeu and Sonia, are waiting on a divorce from a previous marriage. The brother and sister of Sonia, Jorge and Miriam, are both under 18, and need written permission from their parent (a parent who lives in another country and visits once a year) to get baptized. And another Couple, Mariela and Diego, are waiting on Diego´s cedula to arrive. They both went to get one 4 months ago, and Mariela´s arrived in 15 days, but Diego´s never got here.

All of them are progressing. All of them are learning. All of them have been changed by the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Maybe they need more time. Maybe they need more preparation. I don´t know. All I know is that this is God´s work, not mine. Things will come to pass when His will allows it. I´ve found peace and comfort in that.

As for now, we do have one baptism that´s set to go through this Saturday! Reinaldo Monzón will be baptized. We´ve got an awesome Noche de Hogar set up with them, and a member family, tonight.

Speaking of the Familia Monzón, I think we´ll be calling home from their house for mothers day. Haha, I was so worried about the call home in December, and I almost forgot about it this time around. :_). We only have one p day in between now and mothers day, the 8^th, so just email me the time, and we´ll have to accept it! Love you!

Elder Stewart