November 25, 2009

Dear family,

Today we are going to the summer palace with our district leader and his companion as he was here late last night doing baptismal interviews for Ronnie and his family.
The baptism for Ronnie is this weekend, Saturday at 7 in the afternoon. It has been such a privilege to be apart of this whole experience as this will be my first baptism where I have been with them almost the entire time.

About a month before I came in Elder Carr and his previous companion dropped Ronny, as he wasn´t progressing or putting any effort into anything. He had been found back in April or March, and had been taught every two weeks or so. They dropped him, as they had just taught him, not his family, and when I got here we had a lesson with him and really challenged him to come to church. He agreed, as he had done many times before, but this time he actually came with ALL of his family. This was the start of the journey and they have come a long way. Ronnie has gone from being a boracho(drinker) to not having that be a problem any more. He hasn´t drunk at all for 3 weeks and probably has only drunk 1 in 5 or 6.

His wife Gina, is incredible. She was VERY Catholic, going to mass every week without Ronny, as he didn´t want to go, with all of the children. But she always showed respect to her husband, letting us come over and teach him. He told her he felt good when we were there and then she started listening, felt the same way, prayed, and received her answer one day while reading for the Strength of Youth Pamphlet with her two daughters, Naomi, 12, y Romina, 9. She says that reading the Book of Mormon is hard for her as it is difficult for her to understand, as she isn´t very familiar with it. She has a testimony of the Book and now is almost done reading all of Ether, as that is what we invited her to do. She loves it. She also loves the Strength of Youth pamphlet. She has read it at least two times and says that she loves the way it really is a guide and can help her family be more happy. Her family is the most important thing to her, as it should be. I will send pictures of everything soon. Hopefully today! Or at least tomorrow.

They have another son Ronnie hijo and Elder Carr and I are always surprised at how smart and attentive he is. He is only 10 years old about to turn 11 in a couple of weeks. Elder Taylor, our district leader who did the interviews last night, said that in the interview Ronnie told him that he could see the difference before and after the missionaries started teaching his family. He said that before he didn´t like to listen to his parents, but now he has felt a forgiveness of his sins and is more obedient. HE IS AWESOME!

Elder Carr and I say that he is the reason that this family was found, because we think that the Lord has a lot in store for him. He reads the Book of Mormon almost every night and says his personal prayers every night. When I taught the family the lesson about the seven steps in the Liahona, Ronnie hijo was taking notes and said that he would put the seven points by his bed so that when he would wake up he could remember what he needed to do. They aren´t perfect at the seven, but they are progressing really well, and trying very hard. But Ronnie hijo is impressive and will be fantastic missionary. He actually looks a lot like Mark. He has the same skin type and hair. This family is Ecuadorian and I am excited to see how everything goes this weekend with them. Ronnie, the father, has asked me to baptize him. I would much rather have a member baptize him as that member can be a strength and support for him, but when I asked him if he was sure he said yes. I am very honored and consider it a big privilege to be apart of it. I will be sending fotos very soon.

It really hit me the other day, actually the past couple of days, how short the mission really is. In some ways it seems like I have been here for hardly a week. It is going by way to fast. I want to do so much more while I am here and I am already almost 25 percent done. I can´t even believe it. There are so many things that I am trying to do, such as habits I am trying to develop, skills I want to learn and acquire, as well as a language that still loses me. There are so many blessing that come from serving a mission and there are so many changes that can come to a person, and I just don´t feel like I have ¨changed¨yet.

I really just want to become a new person, have a new heart as Paul received. I also now that this change and new heart will more likely come when I am not worrying about myself and my progress, but more moment to moment action while losing myself in the service of others. I know that as I really focus myself completely, all my thoughts, words, and deeds, in the lives and spiritual welfare of our investigators. I will change or find myself. I will find the person that the Savior and Heavenly Father have prepared me to be.

In the stake monthly letter there was a line that I loved, that said that I was not prepared and sent to fail, but to be a missionary like unto Ammon, Alma, Amulek, and Paul. I really have been prepared to be a excellent missionary like them, and the cool part is, is that it actually is possible. I just need to focus, and make sure that all I am doing, all that I am giving, is for the Lord and the moving forward of His work among the Children of Heavenly Father.

It is such a blessing to be here and to be honest, I wish I could be here for 11 or 13 years like the sons of Mosiah, becuase I have a feeling that pretty soon the Gospel is going to explode here in Spain and in Europe in general. This crisis in the economy is really helping us and we are seeing many miracles every day. With every contact and every person we teach, we see the hand of the Lord in our lives. I feel His love, not only for me but for all His children in this part of the world. It is a special and sacred experience to be here in Aranjuez, Spain, right now.

I love you all and thank you for everything.

I pray for you very much, and my God bless you and seal you His always,

Love,

Rob