Thank you for all you do, let me say that. I got a bunch of letters this week from people I hadn't heard from, and I was wondering why I hadn't heard from them yet. Turns out that if you send letters to the other mission address we have, the one that says "calle 53", or whatever it is, you get to wait 5 months to get the letter, at least. I got 3 letters last week that were sent from before Christmas...wow...but they were really nice regardless of how long it took. I have written letters back to you, lovely family and you will be receiving them shortly, I promise :) It certainly was funny opening up letters in Christmas envelopes that said things like, "Well, by the time you get this, you will have just gotten to Panamá, how is it??" hahahaha, 5 and a half months later :P
This week has been one that I have really enjoyed, lots of hard work that led to even more benefits. It really goes to show you that through it all, there are people, not dependent on the age of them, that are interested in the restored Gospel and are willing to make and keep covenants with God. I mentioned a few weeks ago about the big group of kids that Edwin, (the guy preparing for a mission), was teaching in the church and then we invited them to church and almost all of them came. Well, our determination was set towards those kids because almost all were of baptism age and above. Since then, they've pretty much been to church every week for like 4 weeks straight. So last week I said that we set the goal of having 7 baptismal fechas, well 4 of those were with kids from ages 9 to 13, really great kids. All of them behave amazingly well in church, no one is out of their seat or tapping me, bugging me, nothing, they just sit there in their seats, and listen as the speakers speak and even sing when we sing the hymns, even though they dont know them. That's one great thing that can be said about Panamanians, even though they sing horrendously and out of tune, (not even in the ballpark), they almost ALWAYS try to sing along, even if they don't know the tune or have never heard the hymn before. If you put an himnario in front of them and teach them how we sing and what order we do the verses, they put in the effort to sing the words and I love that.
But what I'm getting at is that we set their date for Saturday, this past Saturday, and couldn't end up getting to their house with enough time to do it Saturday. But since we moved p-day to today on Tuesday, we had an open Monday and decided to do it then. SO guess what, we had 4 baptisms yesterday, woot! (cue the aplauso) haha, it was great, I love those kids. It was a good service too, took a couple pictures and they had a wonderful experience. Now for this coming Sunday they will receive the gift of the Holy Ghost and be confirmed members of the Church. Should be great, I'm excited. So that was a great spiritual experience at the church this week with baptisms for kids that are super attentive, receptive and respectful.
But on the contrary, I have a story about bad people at the church. For the past few weeks, we've had what they call maliantes, (bad kids), that jump the fence we have around the chapel and always play soccer and leave all their trash and crap around when they leave. They do this all the time, everyday. So finally Bradford and I had had enough of it and we used the guy across the street's cell phone to call the police to get them out of there. Police come and the guys are telling the officers, (while we're there mind you), that we gave them permission to break in and use our cancha. So, lying...to police officers...good. We cleared up that lie to the police and the guys all took off saying that, and I quote, "Eh, les conocemos y donde viven, tengan cuidado fulos", as if to instill some fear in us, servants of the Lord. It's funny, I'm not afraid of like anything at this point in my life; gunshots, Latin threats, etc, because I know that the Lord provides for His called servants. We haven't seen them come back since, but I'm just waiting for the moment when they do it again and we get to call the policia again because he said next time it happens that he's going to take them to prison. I'm definitely not one for confrontation, but when guys like that, and by guys I mean, sketchy guys, that bring knives and stuff and alcohol to play soccer, come to mess with the property of God, that kind of draws the line between good and bad, lo bueno y lo malo.
Good week though for sure, I enjoyed it a lot though. My testimony is in constant growth on the mission, in ways you never thought possible, you are strengthened and fortified. Got to go to the temple today which was amazing as always. It is such a hidden blessing for the Panamanians here, so many of them, and by them, I mean nonmembers, who don't know that there is a temple of God in their very country where sacred ordinances are done and covenants are made. It's such a blessing to have temples all over the place in the States. I invite you all to go to the temple as often as possible. After working there before my mission, and knowing what I do know, when I get home I'm going to go like at least once a week if possible, maybe more, because I love it more that almost anything.
Last week of the change is here, coming down to the wire, and I'm assuming that I'm staying and going to train a guy to the area, because they almost never take out both missionaries from an area. But Bradford will definitely be going, we know that for sure. Who will it be, hmm...?
This week my scriptures for you are as such: read the Jospeh Smith History, all of it. I finished Pearl of Great Price this week and it was so good, love it. Now all I have left that I haven't read on my mission is the Old Testament, so yes I will probably be starting that soon so I can say that I read all of them on my mission :)
I love you all, study the scriptures daily and strive to go to the temple, by yourselves and with your family, even if it may be to just go to the outside together. Have a wonderful week, as always.
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