Tuesday, December 9, 2014

"He is the Gift"


Hey family!

Sorry I didn't write yesterday, it was a holiday ("Dia de la Virgin" or "The Virgin's day") so we switched p-day to today. I suppose if we celebrate Christ on the 25th of December, there's no reason we can't celebrate Mary on the 8th. Haha.

So this week was once again super busy for us (which is always a good thing). Last Tuesday, we had the consejo de lideres. We got up at 2am and returned at around 1am the next day. I was dead, literally dead. But it was still fun. In the bus back home they gave us dinner ...exactly like an in-flight dinner on a plane. They even had a movie playing from Spain, it was terrible, horrible acting. But hey, at least I've learned to understand what they say. 

The best part of the conference was when Presidente Franco gave me permission to take a quick trip to .....Fontana!!!! My first area!! He told me I could visit one family, so I chose to visit the Junco Family who I had opportunity to teach and baptize!!  I'd heard they're having some struggles right now, so I just wanted to tell 'em I love 'em. It was incredible ...I thought being at their baptisms was a joyful experience, but seeing them again after so much time, oh it was soooo incredible!! It was really nice to see them again; made me really happy. I got to spend around 1 hour with them, we chatted, and as we said our goodbye's I shared a spiritual thought with them. It was a great day for both them and me.

I suspect you guys have heard of the new church program called "He is the Gift".  Wow, love it! Love it, love it, love it. I wanna' know what it's like in the States. Unfortunately, here in Argentina, the only thing we have are little pass-along cards, and I carry a "He is the Gift" video on a USB stick. I think this program was divinely inspired.
 
Christmas is an awesome time of year! Right now, we're trying to get permission from the local government here to put up a stand and have an activity in the central plaza.  But the Goya officials don't want to help us.  We're being persistent though, and will meet with them again in a few days.  Haha.  We'll see...

We found a new investigator this week named Gabriel.  He has already come to church and currently has a baptismal date for the 27th of December.  We found him while sharing the message, "El es la Dádica."  He recently separated from his "wife", and as a result is grieving right now.  He did tell us he had several friends who had invited him to their churches, but he hadn't felt anything prick his heart, and to a large extent the churches just confused him. At one point, he decided to ask God to send someone to him to lead him to the truth. And then we clapped his house. :) 

Gabriel said he was convinced within just the first few moments, not that anyone had told him anything, but that God had told him in his heart and that God sent us to him. At church I made sure all the members greeted him to make him feel welcome. He commented to me afterward that now he was even more convinced. :)  Right now, I don't see any obstaculos that would prevent him from getting baptized, but I would still ask you guys to pray for him so that nothing serious comes up.
 
Also, I'd ask that you pray for Mirta so that her papers go through fast so that she can be married and baptized!

If you haven't seen the "He is the Gift" video, please look it up.  I think it's really powerful and really testifies about the true meaning of Christmas. I know that Christ came to earth as a baby, grew up and learned line-upon-line just like the rest of us, fulfilled his role as teacher and savior, and suffered for all of us on the cross and Calvary.  I cringe to know that the atonement was painful enough to make even a God tremble and cry, and to bleed from every pore, and to beg the Father to not have to do it. But because he loves us, He did do it.  And for that reason, we celebrate Christmas.
 
I know God and his Son Jesus Christ love us, and I'm humbled to know we are members of his true church. And this is our happy message ...that they love us. 

Love the mission!! :D
Love you. :)

Love Elder Clemóns