Hello there familia! AH! What a great update from home! I love my family so much! Sounds like you all are having so much fun and living up the high life of Middlefork! I love it! First off, I think it needs to be said, CONGRATS Curty for finishing up the big 12 years of school! So awesome that you even graduated from Seminary (did you have to do any make up work? ;) and good job in soccer! That really is awesome! Mitch- okay, wow, ET? How's that? I can imagine that I'd be pretty bummed to have to leave Conti without being able to say goodbye to anyone here....you get to love everyone pretty quickly. Especially your investigators and converts because you invest so much into the relationship. Hope the adjustment's going alright for ya. Keep breakin' it down widdat beat :) You are so great! Keep smiling! Jed, you stayin in shape too? better stop worrying about a moto and get goin on a bike :) j-k. Clint/Rach team- way2go IDAHO! tell the gang hello for me. And maybe eat a few extra cupcakes for me so I don't feel like the family blob when I get back :) haha haha j-k I'm takin care of myself...as much as I can at least..
As for this week...me and Hna Sieverts are still ALIVE! WOOOOooooOO! Haha I think the worst part of change is the anticipation of the worst happening. Even though change really reveals the worst and best of us, it is really where we can evaluate where we're at and move forward from there. We just put the pedal to the metal and it came out alright for us! We're trying really hard to read the minds of our investigators and pace them right (not having them get sick of us, but having them regularly feel the spirit) and having them work towards baptism. Like wise ol' E. Child says, our job is to bring them to Christ, and the way to do that is by bringing them to the waters of baptism.
We have been sharing with a young man named Nicolas, who is a son and brother of menos activos, and thirteen years old. We happened upon this family by accident, but after sharing once, and inviting the family, Nicolas went to church the first week. This motivated the mother, and after years and years of being inactive she went back to church, and is now attending regularly with her other older son as well. She told us she did not want her son to be pressured into baptism, so we have tried to respect that. He has attended church several times, but he has yet to show great interest in our message, even though we have tried to make it exciting and relevant to his life. However, this week Elder Zapeda and Elder Valderruten, our leaders, came to Conti and had a really good, spiritual lesson about the importance of baptism and how he can know if he should be baptized. (bringing in the big guns) We left him with the promise that if he read and prayed about the Book of Mormon that he would know if he should be baptized by this Saturday. Sadly, he became really sick that night, and was unable to go to church this week. We will be doing our best to make daily contact with him this week, and make sure that he is praying and reading.
Also, we're still sharing with the amazing family of Cristobal. They are incredible. Really love us. Like really. Rough translation of a few things they've told us:
The mom says: It's like you bring Christ into our home, with the things you share and the feelings you leave us, it's like you're here in His place.
I'm a coffee addict and I really like to sleep in on Sundays. But this Sunday I woke up at 8 and I was awake, and it really surprised me. Maybe that's how it'll be if I try to stop drinking coffee, right? God will help me? (uh...yeah)
Or, what will happen if I don't stop drinking coffee? (to which the son replied you'll just be a Pecadora Mormona - Mormon Sinner!) hahaha
The dad says: We feel more united as a couple than we've ever felt. Instead of talking about her soap operas we talk about the scriptures.
Robert, the 10-yr-old: I really like the church, it's like a family. I want to be baptized, I just want to know a little more. I've learned that Christ is important and that faith is like a little seed.
I'm so grateful for the Lord's help in every aspect of our lives and I am so grateful that He knows me, and feels in the gaps with these people we're teaching that I leave. He is definitely aware of me and aware of His work!
I got to meet Hna. Hardy's dad and he had nothing but good things to say about mom...and thank YOU, SO MUCH for the package! YAY everything is perfect! I am so excited about it all!! I've given Hna. Hardy orders to go visit you all in Utah (at least this fall when she's there for BYU) to tell you everything about CONTI and about being a missionary in Chile. I really don't feel like I can do this place or this work justice in a weekly email. Hopefully you know that I'm learning what it means to be a missionary, and I'm learning more and more the importance of our message and purpose. It's incredible what this gospel can do!! Dad, I love you and am so grateful for your support!
THIS CHURCH IS SO TRUE! I LOVE YOU ALL!!
Hermana Kelli
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