July 14, 2010
Happy Birthday Mckay! You are so old!! I hope that you don't feel as old as you really are. Take it easy. The body is going to start hurting soon. I hope that you had a great day yesterday with your test and I hope that you have an amazing birthday! Your last birthday in before you begin your job. That's so crazy! I hope you have a good one Bro. I love you so much and I hope that everything is going well! Lemme know how it goes!
How was this week for everybody? Sounds like you all had a great week and I was really excited to hear that! I hope that Mckay's test and birthday goes well. It sounds like Trent is going to have a blast at EFY! That's cool that he and Shelby get to go together! Maybe they'll get put in the same group! That's also really cool that Trent had his first high school home run! That's something that I have still yet to do. I did hit one in PE! I think? But that was on the softball field . . . and well it was PE. Things are a little different now it sounds like! But way to go slugger! You rock!
It sounds like the summer is moving along nicely. All of the stores here are stocked, stocked, stocked up with their back to school supplies. School starts here in the first part of August so the kids are all busy living up the last few weeks of summer that they have left. Its weird to think that school will be starting again. I know its still a while for all of you back home but I hope that everyone is having a great summer! From what I have heard, it sounds like it!
This week went well. I was battling a cold all week and I am finally starting to feel better. Its weird for me to think that people still get colds especially in the middle of the Caribbean. It wasn't too bad this week. I was still able to work without problems. I know it was because of the strength and the blessing that I received from all of your prayers. So thank you so much for all that you guys do for me, all of your prayers and support. I'm not sure you know how much it means to me but it means so much to me, so thank you!
The work went well this week. We weren't able to get by Janet until yesterday. We passed by and she was painting her fence. We tried to help her but people never let us help when we are in our proselyting clothes. I don't get why I really wanted to paint. We had trouble getting a hold of her but it turns out that her sister is here from New York and so things slowed down a ton, We were kind of discouraged by that but I still know that she has a ton of potential and we are really excited to get back to working with her, so keep us in your prayers. We are going to need all the help we can get!
We continued to work with Angel and his wife this past week. We began to talk about the plan of salvation and a bunch of questions came up. They studied for a few years with the Jehovah's Witnesses and so they were really confused about some stuff. We started to talk about the Kingdoms of Glory and Mary talked about how she thought that she wasn't going to be one of the 144,000 to live with God. All of this thought came to my mind, if only 144,000 get to live with God then why did Jesus Christ suffer for your sins, your pains and your afflictions? Why did he suffer for all of that for all of us? If what we need in order to live with God is to become perfect, and the only way to become perfect is through Jesus Christ, why didn't he just suffer for the 144,000 thousand who were going to live with God?
Anyways, I was a little perplexed by what I had just said and we all kind of thought about it for a second. I knew that the thoughts and the vocalization of the answer did not come from me because I had never had this thought in my life. But the more and more I have thought about that this week the more and more I have come to appreciate the Savior's atonement. He did all that for us. For each and every one of us so that we could return to live in God's Kingdom. And he did it so that we could return and live as families, not just by ourselves separated, but together forever. It was a really precious experience and I know you don't get the whole feeling of it through the email, but it was awesome to see the way that we were all taught that afternoon.
We talked a little bit more and both Mary and Angel were so excited about the things that they had learned about the plan of salvation. They loved that we know that in the spirit world everyone will have the chance to hear the plan, to hear about the Savior, and that is how everyone will have an equal chance. It was a really neat lesson and one that added a ton to my testimony. I love my Heavenly Father and I love His plan. I can't imagine heaven without my family because it wouldn't be heaven if we weren't all there together. Ahhh, I love the plan of salvation. It's so perfect!
I hope it doesn't seem like I am trying to bash on the Jehovah's Witnesses because I am not. I have all the respect in the world for them and what they stand for. But I am just sharing the experience I had. It was really neat and I wanted to share it with you guys today! I hope none of you are offended or rubbed wrong by what I said. If you are, I apologize. But what I said is true. The plan is perfect. How blessed we are to know about it.
We had a cool referral visit this week. We have a convert in our ward who was confirmed my first Sunday here. She had been baptized the day before Elder Lopez left to the islands. Anyways, her husband is a member and they are so awesome! Her husband has a few kids that live with their mom on the other part of the island. This week his 19 year-old son moved to Vega Baja to live with his dad. His dad told us to come teach his son the lessons now too! As soon as I walked into their house I saw this kid and I knew in my heart that someday he was going to be a missionary. His name is Luis and he's an absolute stud. Just a great, humble, down to earth kid who honestly wants to know the truth. We were teaching them the first lesson and talking about the importance of families and it was really neat to see the way that he and his dad were being brought together.
He has some reading problems, but they read every night as a family and he is becoming more and more familiar with the Book of Mormon and is really starting to enjoy the message. Monday we talked about the plan of salvation and he absolutely loved it. It was his first plan of salvation lesson and it couldn't have gone any better! We taught him on Sunday night too and I had actually lost my voice. It was hard not to talk because you all know how much I love to talk. Anyways we had planned before to watch the restoration movie with him and it worked out so perfectly! He came to church and Sunday and he loved it. We are really looking forward to where this young man is going to go!
We had another lesson with Rafeal on Saturday. While we were teaching we smelt smoke and then his brother screamed out his name. We ran inside and the hospital like room that his parents live in was covered in smoke. They got his parents out of there quick and after they got all of it figured out he said, "lets go, satan is trying to keep me from hearing the rest of the plan of salvation. I know this was his work and I am not going to let him him. Let's go finish." He too had some doubts about what I talked about earlier and once again the same thought came up! He loved the plan of salvation too and is beginning once again to grow a love for the Book of Mormon! He's on the path back to the truth and it has been amazing to be able to be a part of it with him. He still has a ways to go but already I have seen an incredible change in him and we are really excited for what he has left.
Well I better get going. Elder De Leon is looking really bored and I am sure you are all sick of hearing me babble. No, I'm just kidding. I love you guys and I hope that everything is going well back at home.
Oh, one more quick story. We were toking doors on Sunday night around 5 o' clock and at the same time all of the houses screamed. We knew the world cup was on but had no idea what happened. It was really funny. Every one at the same time! YAHHHHHh. They were all rooting for Spain. Sounds like it was a good one. I'll have to look it up when I get back.
Anywho, Hope you all have great week.
I know summer is a busy time so thank you for still putting the effort to keep in touch. I hope that all is going well for all of you guys and I hope to hear from you soon!
Have a great Birthday Mckay!
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