December 20, 2010
Dear family and friends,
Last week was amazing as I was able to see the Lords hand in my life even more. I told you about my new Companion Elder White, well we are getting along great. My Spanish is coming along really well as I'm having to take charge and get a lot of things set up. The baptism for Godofredo was awesome and everything came together perfectly. He was confirmed a member of the Church of Jesus Christ yesterday by his friend Mario Papa and given the gift of the Holy Ghost. He is the man and I’m so glad that he has decided to make this decision to follow Christ further more. He showed up to church yesterday in a Jean jacket, jean pantsuit, it was tight! Anyway, it has been really good getting to know Godofredo and his family and I will be sure to send you some pictures soon! I told you about Charlie, an investigator that has been listening to the missionaries for 2 years; well he is getting baptized this Saturday on Christmas day! Chyeah! He has been through a long journey to get to this point, he had to quit smoking, get married, and other things but he is finally ready to enter into the covenant of baptism.
A pretty cool miracle happened this week. We decided to go see this former investigator named Amancio but I didn't know where he lived. All I knew is that he lived next to Don Pedro’s Mexican restaurant. So we are driving down the road looking for Amancio's home and my companion pulls over into a random neighborhood and is like, “We should find out where we are going instead of driving around and wasting miles." And then I was like naw it’s all good, drive down this road and take a left. I had no idea where we were going but I just thought it was a good idea. So we finally got to the exit of the neighborhood, guess where we where? Right next to Don Pedro’s!!!!!!!!! I was like dang man, that's crazy!!!! I knew it wasn't luck because that just doesn't happen. Anyway, we then went to go talk to him and he told us that he wants to be baptized. We set a date for the 28th of January for him to be baptized and it was an awesome lesson. He is like a 68 year old guy, and he always wears shades even if it’s dark outside. We have been stopping by daily to teach him and I will let you know how things go with that. But isn't that like a miracle, that doesn't just happen G.
The Christmas party was awesome last Friday! It wasn’t like any Christmas party I’ve ever been to before, there was a piñata and music and dancing and what not. Not only that but the Play went awesome. Everyone said their lines and it came together really well. Not to mention everyone in the Branch that participated in the play had like the best costumes. My costume consisted of a blanket I found in our apartment, and I cut a hole in the middle so I could stick my head through. I then put on that llama scarf I got and rapped a tie around my head. My costume looked pretty good and I got some sweet pictures with the people in the Branch that I will have to send to you! When the Piñata came down everyone was going nuts, especially the kids. They would all go and run for the candy even if someone was still swinging the stick at it ha-ha. Anyway the party was tight and we had quite a few investigators show up! One of the members filmed the whole play so I will try to get a copy and send it home!
We had the opportunity to go to the Portland Mormon Choir and Orchestra in Vancouver on Saturday! It was really awesome and they are truly amazing. The music was great and I also got to talk to my BOY Elder Hardy! He wasn’t at the Choir thing, but one of the Elders I met at the MTC knew Hardy and I called him from that guy’s cell. I got to talk to my Boy Hardy for a little bit and I told him I loved him. He told me that he has been having a lot of success in Vancouver from being obedient and doing the Lords will. It was good to hear my fellow brother and I told him to go and do the Lords work. It’s weird to think that I won’t be able to see him for a long time but we are both engaged in the same work! All I know is its funny to think that me and Hardy back in the day in primary were two little crazy kids with ADHD and no one would have thought that we would be serving a mission for the Lord right now ha-ha. But we are and we are doing our best!
Last night we ate with my boy Hermano Ramirez and his family. He is the man and I always love eating at his house with his family. We are also going over there for New Years Eve. Anyway Javier Ramirez's daughter just flew here last week from Mexico to stay with them. She isn't a member and I think she is interested in learning more about the Church. Anyway I have a good feeling about it so I’ll let you know how that goes!
I’m glad to hear that the families doing well! It’s weird being away from the family for this Christmas but I’m sure I will be treated well. I met Sister Robinson’s sister and she is the best. I also met the Goesch family and they are tight. They are the family of Alan Goesch, a friend of Nathan Hardy and mine that we met a BYU. They have invited us to have New Years Eve with them and I know that will be tight!
Anyway, I’ll write back later because I’ve got to go to a missionary Christmas party, peace out!
Nathan
