A Great Week

I keep asking Will each week to send us some pictures. This week he actually sent two. He didn't say where they were though.

This may be a shot from one of their windows. He's never said anything about a swimming pool.

This must be their bathroom - I had to laugh becaused I have asked him to take pictures of his apartment so I guess he did. They do have a nice place. I guess in a city of one million people there are lots of nice apartments. He said that he is sending 2 CD's full of pictures home in the mail and I can't wait to get them. I hope they get here okay.

January 26, 2009

Hola familia,

It has been a veeery good and veeery fast week. It seems like just yesterday that I was writing to you, but I guess that’s good. We continue to have success finding great people; this really is a super area with wonderful people.

Ha-ha that’s awesome that you guys met a lady from here and from the Terrazas Ward. I am in the Real De Minas Ward but while they are renovating our chapel we go to the Terrazas chapel and I know a bunch of members from that Ward.

Also cool about the food. The hamburgers always have arepa (the white bread stuff) and we eat a lot of yucca too (the really bland kind of potato thing). The food is definitely different here but I’ve gotten used to it.

Today we have had a good P day. This morning we went and I mailed two CD’s with pictures. I wrapped them in newspaper and put them in a box to send to you guys. It will take about 15 to 20 days but it was only 17 mil pesos, (8 dollars). After that we cleaned the house like crazy and now it is all nice and clean.

We had a very good week. There is a member in our ward named Mabel, who had been the only member in her family for quite some time, with no support. This week we baptized her two brothers, Caesar and Alberto (14 and 21). It was a very nice baptism and lots of members came to support them.

It was really a great Sunday because we got to see the ¨fruits of our labors¨. Jose and Pablo, from the family that we baptized last week, received the Aaronic priesthood. Also, Alberto and Caesar, who we baptized this week, received the Aaronic Priesthood. Next week, between the 4 of them, they are going to bless and pass the Sacrament. The entire Sacrament is going to be done by 4 of our converts.

Also, when they gave us the paper that tells us where we have lunches for the week, Marta the wife that we baptized last week, had signed up to give us lunch and now they are talking with the Bishop about preparing for the TEMPLE when they are eligible in a year. I can’t wait to talk further with her.

We have been so blessed in this area to find such great people and it is so rewarding to see them growing in the church. I can’t tell you what joy this brings to us.

Sounds like things are going great with all the nephews and nieces. Tell them all that I am very proud of them. Everyone asks about my family and when they hear that I have 3 siblings and 9 little nieces and nephews, they are amazed that everyone in the family is a member.

You asked me if the people still stare at me in the streets. They still do wherever we go because I am the only gringo missionary here in Bucaramanga, but in the barrios we are familiar with the little kids who always run up to us and ask me how to speak English.

Well not much more news here - everything is great.

Much love and thanks for all the support,
Will