¡¡ greetings !! fam and friends
I have so much to tell you!!!!! I probably won't get it all in.... but here goes nothing....
first off... (exerpt from my letter to President):
I am more aware of the Lord's hand in my life and in this work this week than ever before. My faith and testimony of His work and His ways have skyrocketed as I have been a witness of so many miracles here in Consti.
We had a baptismal date for the Vergara Family for this past Saturday, but the parents, Luis and Loreto, still had not received an answer as to whether they should really go through with it, and commit themselves to something that they weren't going to follow through with. The son, Roberto, who is 10 years old, was more than ecstatic about joining the church, following Christ and being baptized, but lacked the support of his parents. After an interview with the Elders last week, and other spiritual lessons, we visited them on Thursday to see where they were at. At this point, Luis had been really busy with work and had not had a lot of time to focus in on his scripture study or in getting an answer and did not feel prepared to get baptized, Roberto did. We proceeded by arranging things for Roberto to get baptized, and scheduled a "follow-up" interview with the Elders for the following day, Friday, for the both of them. After Luis' conversation on Friday with the Elder, we were surprised and yet thrilled to hear that he was going to be baptized the next day with his son!!!!! He had had a big change in comparison to the last time we saw him, but after hearing his experience, we knew it was the Lord, once again guiding His children to His gospel and blessings.
Luis' experience:
Thursday night Luis had a dream, in the which he was driving down a road, smoothly, slowly and calmly, with a undistiguishable woman in the passenger seat. Suddenly the road became really bad, so horrible in fact that he couldn't keep going, he had to stop. The lady sitting next to him said, "This wouldn't have happened if you had an eternal family." From there the dream cut to him driving down the same road, until he came to a wheelbarrow in the middle of the road, filled with thorns. It spilled over, but now the lady that had been sitting next to him was outside of the car and was putting daisies, one by one, on top of the thorns so that the pathway was drivable and smooth. From there Luis was able maneuver the car along the path without trouble.
He woke up sobbing. Recognized that this was his answer, and that he needed to be baptized. This being 1 of maybe 3 other dreams that he even remembered in his whole life, and feeling like he truly lived it, he was committed to following through with it. Even though he still had questions about the church, he knew it was what God wanted him to do. He recognized that this gospel, that if accepted, will bring immediate and eternal blessings for his entire family. The spirit was incredibly strong while he was telling us his dream, and there was no doubt it was a witness of divine intervention.
The Lord is so aware of us in this work, and even with his weak servants he is able to bring his work to pass. What an incredible blessing it is to be here at this time!!
SO INTENSE!!! seems so surreal. We were like floating on clouds as we walked home from their house after we found out he was getting baptized! Probably the happiest moment I've had in my life or something. It was such a spiritual high!!!
Needless to say, the next day we were running around like crazy to get everything set for the baptism. The other sisters in Consti were baptizing the cutest couple as well that day, so clothing and the program and everything was every which way!! After teaching the law of tithing to the family (don't worry, it was just like a tiny 2 hour lesson the day of the baptism with the family who had recently hit pretty rock bottom financially and had already decided they were going to be baptized), finding out the water heater for the font was broken (after they had mentioned 22 or more times that the water HAD to be hot if they were to be baptized :), sprinting to buy a new battery, wading out a power outage at the church, waiting for people to show up to their own baptism, yaddah yaddah....it happened!! They received a remission of their sins and felt closer to their Savior more than ever before in their entire lives.
So amazing.
Also, here's some news. Today is transfers...and I'M LEAVING CONSTI!! My mind is going in a million directions and I don't really know what to think, it's such a mixture of emotions!!! I'm headed to a town called Hualqui....right outside of Concepcion, like 1/2 an hour. I'll pack up and say goodbye today, then I'll head down tomorrow to my new sector. Hna. Sieverts will travel with me, the 6hr bus ride, since she is going to pick up a new greenie! She'll be training!! Rumor has it that my new companion is Hna Cortez, and she is from Panama - no english - she's hilarious, and she's got one transfer left before she finishes. Here goes nothing! I have LOVED it here in Consti, the beach, the way of life, the hills, the members, the bishop, the house and area, the familliarity of it all now....not to mention the people that I've taught, met and been able to be such an involved part of their lives. I'll be really sad to not see these people for who knows how long. On the other hand, I'm excited to get a new start and everything fresh. Plus, I'll be living with Hna. Young!! She's been there since the start and has an Argentine for a companion...us 4 in the house should be really great. We'll see :)
Anyway, I'll keep you updated on everything!! I haven't met an Elder Elder...maybe I will soon. Go ahead and forward my emails to anyone that wants to read this jumbled mess. I know that what has happened this week is a result of everyone's prayers. And I know that this is the true church of Christ. Soak up the sun in LP. Think of me freezing in Hualqui...but flea-less.
I love you all so so much!
Hermana Child
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