July 18, 2011

Wow, sure took me for a surprise when you said Karl's engaged!!! Ask him why he couldn't just wait a week more for our campout? heh, that's okay. Tell him to send me a letter with the details of how it all happened, what his plans are now and all! Dang, we're all growing up I guess :)
This week was amazing. All week we did service for a number of member families and investigators, spent many many hours cutting wood, house fixes, etc... The Lord also provided many opportunities to give blessings and serve people with the weather (huge, cold rain storms). Today all morning we spent doing service in our own house haha the big wall behind our beds has progressively darkened these last couple weeks with the humidity, and I took it to battle with a tub of bleach this morning. It smelled so bad haha but it all looks good now. They say that prevents more from growing, as well.
The Villagran family is progressing realy well, they came to church again the entire family and are excited for their baptism the 30th. Miguel is doing great, still in the job search, but he's helpìng us in a lot of service opportunities we've had. Getting investigators to serve other people teaches them a LOT! Sabrina is also doing great. Her husband got his job back, and he's excited to use his priesthood authority thats laid "dormant" for the last 20 years of inactivity and baptize his wife. They are so firm and he's working really hard to share the gospel with others. The wards together in Fray Bentos are going to throw a big wedding for them and another couple getting married the same day.
This last Sunday was one of the most powerful days of my life. After years of struggling, in the last 3 months, attendance in the branch has officialy tripled!!!!!!! We finally broke our goal of 100 people in attendance with 101. The Stake President came to the branch and congratulated the members for their hard work in bringing back people and giving us references. The branch is so excited! They all thought it would be shut down, and now there are hopes of becoming a ward! We are the only branch in the Stake, all the rest are wards, and now we have higher attendance than any of them. I am so lucky to be here at this important time here. I am so proud of the members here and the huge sacrifices in time they've made to help missionary work and do their visits and such. Every area has its difficulties and such, but the way things are going now, I couldn't think of the slightest complaint. There are so many great people to visit, and the Lord is providing so many miracles. The organizations are almost all done being made and all.
The Durès are giving talks next week. Elder Torres gave a great talk this last Sunday about taking responsibility for your children and the difference between giving them their agency and being indifferent to their bad decisions. It was GREAT. The Stake President spoke directly to our investigators and challenged every one present to reaffirm their testimony that Joseph Smith saw God the Father and Jesus Christ, and spoke about how if the First Vision realy occurred, everything is true. It was exactly what we have been focusing on so much lately in the mission, is the converting power of the Book of Mormon.
Every doubt everyone has goes back to that one question: is the Book of Mormon true or not? If it's true, EVERYTHING that we've learned from the prophets of this dispensation is true also. I love the Book of Mormon and know that it's true. In reality, to know that God has provided physical evidence for us shows he knows that our faith is weak, but loves us and wants us to have instruction. I am so grateful for the guidance of a living prophet!
This next week is the prepation for Evelyn Pereira's baptism, and next week will be even crazier, so keep me in your prayers.
Rocio is my hero. She waited so long to be baptized and sacrificed everything to get there, and this last week I understood even a little more. On Sunday we had to count the tithes with the Pres. and there were 2 envelopes with her name on the outside. We opened them up and inside each were just a few pesos and the tithing slips, one with the name of her daughter of 5 years and one from her son of 3 years. That was a HUGE example to me of teaching your children principles of the gospel. I think some people that have just recently received the gospel understand it a thousand times better than me. There's always a lot to learn!
I love you all so much and am grateful I was born to goodly parents. Be grateful for your triumphs and trials alike. They are many for a reason!!!
Keep working hard and smiling, and enjoying the summer storms.
Elder Magnusson