Día 104

This week we had exchanges with the district leader, élder Buxton, and élder Johnson. In exchanges the senior companions always go together and the junior companions go together, so I was with élder Johnson in my area. He arrived the transfer after me, so both of us are pretty new here and working on the language. However, we decided we were going to have a good day and we went to work. We changed companions after district meeting right before lunch, and élder Johnson and I went to lunch with the Cisneros family. It was the birthday of hermana Cisneros, and as a result we had an asado. They brought out our plates with a slab of steak and a whole chicken leg each. élder Johnson is vegan... so I ended up eating all of his meat and he just ate salad and potatoes. I was so stuffed afterwards, it was incredible.  At least it was good food. élder Johnson is sure going to struggle being vegan here in the country of the cow.  We eat meat in every meal. Afterwards they brought out 3 kilos of ice-cream. It was pretty funny that we had this kind of a meal, because we don't have it very often and it just happened to be the day when I was with élder Johnson, who is vegan. Oh well. We laughed about it, and élder Johnson was fine with just eating potatoes and salad. We had a really good day, and I was able to see that I can actually communicate pretty well. I was kind of forced to teach the majority of the lessons because I didn't have élder Cruz to rely on and élder Johnson has less time in the mission than I do, but it was a really really good experience.

The Guillermo family is doing well. The only problem is that they want to be baptized together as a family, and Danny and Jessica said they are waiting until next October to get married because it will be 20 years being together. That poses a problem because Danny and Jessica can't be baptized until they are married, and since they want to be baptized as a family, Axel and Bryan can't be baptized until they are married either. However, we've had some fantastic lessons with them this week and they are progressing. We visited them yesterday, accompanied by a member from the ward, and the only person home was Jessica. Talking with Jessica, she told us about how Danny has never believed in God and loved reading scientific books about the creation of the world and everything like that. He hasn't ever had interest in church, and the last time the missionaries visited them a couple months ago he wouldn't listen to them, but something is different this time. This time he wants to listen and find out more. Jessica just tossed out the Book of Mormon that the last missionaries left, but now when she isn't doing anything, she has a desire just to pick up her Book of Mormon or one of the pamphlets we've left and read them. Axel is always reading his Book of Mormon and has an incredible memory, and on Saturday he was telling us all about Lehi's dream about the tree of life. Bryan was more like his father as well, but now he is reading and has this desire to be baptized as well. It seems that Jessica, Bryan, and Axel are ready to be baptized even though they feel like they don't know everything (which isn't even important anyway, it's only important to have faith and repent), and the only problem right now is Danny. However, Danny wants to keep listening and we have faith and have been praying and fasting that his heart will open up. I have a strong testimony that when they pray and receive the answer that the Book of Mormon is true and Joseph Smith was a prophet they will get married and be baptized sooner than next October. As well, we explained that they could be married and baptized now and in a year when they have 20 years together, they could be sealed in the temple for eternity. I shared some pictures of my family and talked about how we have been sealed in the temple and I know we will be together forever. As I talked about my family I started to cry and the Spirit testified to me that what I was saying was true. I'm so grateful for my parents and their desire many years ago to be sealed in the temple.

Indio and his kids aren't progressing at all and aren't attending church, but through them we were able to find his friend/neighbor Alan. Alan is 14 years old and like Joseph Smith, has been trying to find the true church. He has been doing his research and has been reading the Book of Mormon and he says he believes it is true. He has a desire to be baptized and yesterday he was waiting for us outside to pick him up to take him to church, and we were even 10 minutes early. He really enjoyed church, committed to going next week as well, and every week even after he is baptized. I guess you just never know the ways of the Lord. We thought that Indio was put in our path to be baptized, but it appears that now isn't his time, and he was put in our path so we could find Alan. 

I know that as we have faith and are diligent in the work of the Lord, we will be blessed. This is the Lord's work, not ours, and He will accomplish it in His way as we are humble and listen to the Spirit. If it was up to us we would baptize everyone we meet, but everyone has their agency and it isn't everyone's time right now. Sometimes the Lord puts people in our path so they can introduce us to the people who are prepared. The church is true and Joseph Smith saw God the Father and his Son Jesus Christ. The Book of Mormon truly is the word of God. This is His work. I love the Lord. I love this people in this country. It's crazy to think about since I haven't been here a super long time, but I have come to love the members in this ward, and I have really come to love our investigators and I desire their salvation. The church is true.

With much love,

élder John William Garrett