August 29, 2011

Another great week!! Everyone is super sick except us with th H1N1 virus, in bed for weeks, pray for us that we don't catch anything!!!
The Fernandez family (the ones from Chile), another nephew of Rocìo, and Juliana Benitez were baptized on Saturday. Everything went smooth and it was super powerful!!! Luis Alberto (Rocìo's abusive ex-husband) now lives in Sister Eyring (yep, the apostle's grand-daughter) and Sister Arzola's area and started going to church there. He quit smoking and drinking and Saturday after our baptismal service we all went flying to the other church for his baptism. It's been super hard for me to even be in the same room as him, after seeing and hearing what he did to his family, aside from all the terrible things he said to us... and he asked me to baptize him. It was a big trial for me, because I knew he had never asked me, and much less Rocìo and his children forgiveness, but I bit my tongue and stood aside and let those with the authority do the interviews and he passed everything, they feel he's sincere, so everything went through. It was a strange trial for me, something I never thought to experience. I'll talk about details some other time.
On Wednsday to celebrate the big storm Santa Rosa, we're going to have a Tortas Fritas cook-off all evening. Its going to be a BLAST!!! Also, the Sanchez's sons will be baptized. The Sanchez family was baptized 2 years ago by my old companion Elder Enciso that passed away a few months ago. They live about an hours walk out in the middle of nowhere, but got in contact with us and asked us to come help them reactivate so their 2 9-yr-old sons could be baptized. The whole big family has returned and they are super excited to start again in the path towards being an eternal family! We set goals to go to the temple and all, and I think they'll make it soon. The mom of the family was the only member for many years, and was already endowed, but had gone inactive. Now we have high hopes that the whole family will stay strong.
Thursday I have my last zl council in montevideo. We've made all of our goals 4 months in a row now, and the stake is progressing a LOT! The Lord has blessed us with so many trials and learning opportunities, that I feel really humbled, and really exhausted, and very satisfied (se dice asì en ingles?).
I'm sorry I can't think of much to say. Every day passes in the blink of an eye, and it feels like life is on fast forward, theres so much happening but it comes and goes in an instant and I can't remember it all.
I'm working harder than ever and I hope you all are too, don't be trunky :) God is a fourth-watch God, the greatest trials and blessings are always at the last moment. I love you all and pray for you daily. Be patient, show love, and go to the temple. Sed prudentes, que mas puedo decir?
Cristo vive y nos ama muchisimo y su deseo es que seamos felices. Hay que esperar milagros, y les aseguro que se veran.
Con mucho amor,
Elder Magnusson