May 3, 2010

Hey family, this was a fantastic week :) Angel got baptized on Friday, and we have 3 more for this weekend (1 Saturday Pedro-8) (2 Sunday Juan-18 and Marselo-37) Marselo made the most incredible improvement this week! I can't remember if I told you he was a drunk on the street when he called us over and told us he wanted to change, so we went over and taught him how to get over his drunkenness and he followed the plan perfect and the other day when we went over he had completely cleaned his whole house, he was making juice, and he said his wife and kids were beginning to talk to him again! He is a completely different man and he just cries and cries saying thank you, thank you thank you!! Its sooooo incredible to see the difference!!!!!
Juan is only 18, but as soon as he's baptized I think its likely he'll get a pretty high calling at least into Elders Quorum prez., pretty soon into the Bishopric I imagine. He is the most spiritually powerful person I know thats not like a general authority. I get chills when he bears his testimony. He's spent a long time preparing for baptism, and now we're finally hoping everything goes well. He's going to be baptized (if he can, its a long story why he may not, Pres. Peterson is talking to Salt Lake right now) on Sunday after Stake Conference, and then the following Sunday he'll be confirmed, and then the bishop wants to give him the Melchizedek Priesthood right away.
Obelisco has turned around a TON! There were always a buttload of baptisms, but all of them were poor women and children, mostly who wanted handouts, and almost all are now inactive. This change we've been working hard with heads of families, and we have a number of whole families and Melch priesthood holders. The Stake Prez. is super stoked too, he came to sacrament meeting for this last testimony meeting, and ward membership was at a record, Sacrament room was COMPLETELY filled. The whole stake presidency and bishopric bore testimony of mission work and every testimony was directed towards our converts and investigators. It was so so so so wonderful. Next week are changes and I'm sure I'll stay another change. As long as we're constantly seeing progress, I think the Lord and President will keep me here for a bit longer, at least until I can train someone in this area (we don't have a map or anything).
The mission offices changed, so now the direction is:
Uruguay Montevideo West Mission
1175 Enrìque Martìnez
Montevideo, Uruguay
C.P. 11.600
Anything you've sent they'll still get for a couple months since they've registered the new direction with the postal service, but I guarantee stuff will be lost, so from now on for sure send stuff to the new one!
On Sunday, the hour you guys can call me will be at 5pm my time. I have mission correlation with the ward at 4, so if I'm a minute late, calm down hahaha my phone number in Salto is xxxxxxxx. Like last time, I really have no idea exactly that time where you are, nor how to call Uruguay, so I pray you can figure it all out haha.
Last pday we went to a museum and it was closed but we got the guy to open it and give us a private tour! He even let me play the 1855 full grand they had, with original ivory keys. It was worth many many millions of dollars and sounded so beautiful, especially in the huge echoy room!
Today we are going to the oldest mansion in Salto. Its in our area and we pass by it every day, so this last week we walked up to it and asked the dude if we could see his house. He said it is now a hostel, which is sorta like a hotel and its only 250 pesos a night which is a ton here, but in US dollars thats only like $12.50 per room per night like less than a 1-star hotel in the US haha so if you guys can pick me up were totally staying there! I guess it was once a whore house until there were a bunch of murders and stuff, so we're really hoping its super haunted. It looks so freaky I can't wait to go inside and get the full tour in a couple hours!
Well, that's all the exciting news over here! My convert Nico turns 12 on Wednesday and is going to receive the priesthood and pass the sacrament in 2 Sundays since this one is stake conference. Those things are even better than baptisms, is when they get the priesthood and get callings and such cause they are still going strong. Everyone in Sayago I hear is still going super strong with all their callings and still all have FHE together every Wednesday :) Here, they are doing amazing too, some super strong members and future leaders!
Thats all folks, can't wait to chat it up on Sunday! Have a fantastic week and work hard and HAVE FUN!
Kayli, have fun at prom, and behave!
Grats Levi!
Colton, dont steal!
Grats Aunt Liz, with great power comes great responsibility ;-)
Zachary is little Charles :) haha GRATS!!!!
Melis, I'm praying for August 10, you WILL disappoint me if its a minute sooner or later. haha just kidding, sorta...
Yep dad, the mission is flying by too quick, but nope my comp isn't trunky at all, he's doing REALLY good :) The young ladies always try to give besos. The kids are way cute sometimes, won't go away until you give em one. Its alright to give besos to the kids though. Just not the women haha
LOVE YOU ALL, BE SAFE AND HEALTHY:)
Elder Magnusson