Hellllloooooo Everybody!!
That’s dandy, I’m glad to hear that:) That’s sweet that the Argentine won the US open. That’s my boy. That’s how we do it down here haha. I like his nick name too, it’s rad. The Argentina fútbol team hasn’t been doing that well on the other hand, kind of disappointing, it’s ok they will still win the world cup. How is everyone doing? Anyways.....My week has been way good. The end of last week was pretty tough, we couldn’t seem to find or even teach anyone. We contacted a lot of people in the streets and buses but we need to get in the house and teach!! lol. My talk on Sunday was all right, I doubt they understood me, though, well at least parts of it, but its ok they know I’m still learning so they were nice about it. It was on missionary work, and I tied in how the members need to help but I only had like 6 minutes so it wasn’t way hard. We were also supposed to have 2 baptisms this week but neither are going to, yet. One is 14 and one is 12 and their families are members but less-active, so it’s hard when they don’t have examples. The 14 year old smokes and gets in arguments with his mom a lot and he knows the gospel is true but just doesn’t want to get baptized right now. The other one has a date for the following week, but he is soooo busy. He goes to school in the city, which is like an hour away, has tons of hw and also plays fútbol, so it’s hard to find time to teach him. So hopefully that goes as planed for next week. We have a lot of investigators, though most of them just need to get married. The past 2 days here have been awesome! We have found 5 new investigators. A new investigator is when you are at their house, pray with them and teach them, not just someone who gives us their directions. We have taught a lot of lessons with members too. So the past 2 days have been really good! I contacted a guy in the bus a week or more ago, and he seemed really interested, so we’ve gone to his house a lot but he’s never there, but...... yesterday he was there. His name is Walter, and he used to play fútbol. I think for a minors type of team, but was way good. He is like 35 now. He was way nice and awesome and really liked us. We didn’t have much time to talk but we talked about the Book of Mormon. And he said he has his church (he’s catholic) but he said he would read the whole book and pray about it. He was really receptive. He was just a stud. And he has 3 children and a wife, so I hope he feels that it’s true! We also have a little girl who is 10 who can get baptized next week. Her mom is a member but has been less active, but they go to church every week now and the girl loves it. She reminds me of Alexis, just always happy and really nice. Her dad is against her getting baptized and wants her to wait ‘til she’s older. He really likes us though, and loves talking to us, but he’s not home a lot because he works. He’s warming up to it though so we are going to set a baptism date with her. This week we are going to tell him straight up she needs to get baptized because it will be too late and too hard when she’s older. So that’s about it for new news.
I want to share this with you though. A teacher in the MTC gave this to me. He was visiting a ward somewhere and was sitting by this old guy who had a lot of notes in his scriptures. They started talking and he gave the MTC teacher this passage from a book written by Lutius Gratino. It’s called ¨´Hope of Zion¨ printed in Basel Switzerland, in the year 1739...it says....
¨The old true gospel and gifts thereof are lost. A false doctrine prevails in every church and in every land. All we need to do is exhort the people to be just, to fear God and shun evil and pray, pray, pray. Prayer and purity may cause an angel to visit a deep and depressed soul; but I tell you that God, in a hundred years will have spoken, and he will restore the church again. I see a little band of people led by a prophet and faithful elders. They are persecuted, burned out, and murdered, but in a valley that lies on the shores of a great lake, they will grow and make a beautiful land and have a temple of magnificent splendor, and also posses the old priesthood with apostles, prophets, teachers and then will God the Almighty speak to the disobedient nations with thunder, lightning, and destruction such has never been heard before in history.¨
Now this book is in the University Library in Basel, Switzerland. I get the chills every time I read this. I found it in my notebook the other day and forgot I had it. This was written almost one hundred years before the restoration of the church. We are translating this to Spanish so we can share it with the members, to strengthen them. My testimony has grown so much here, seems like it does everyday. Like I said before, I am having so many experiences and I feel the spirit testify to me the truth of this gospel. I feel like I’m the same person, well I am, but I have grown so much spiritually. It’s a privilege to be here and serve . . . . . . I also hope you know that I usually don’t like to give up on anything, and when I have rules and leaders or coaches who tell me to do things, I do it, whether I like it or not. I’m having so many amazing experiences here and seeing joy in people’s lives. I wouldn’t trade this time for any thing. I know it’s going to help me for the rest of my life, and I think that because I have tried to be as obedient as I can, the Lord has blessed me and my companion with people to teach, and me with my language. I think it’s getting better everyday, little by little. I’m anxious to share all my thoughts with people but I know it takes time. I have a lot to learn but the people say I speak well for the time I have here. As always, I loved getting all of your letters and am glad to hear everyone is happy and doing well. Oh and this is our last week in this transfer but we will probably be together another one since I’m new. We never know how long we stay in an area. My comp, Elder Steed has been here for 8 months (that’s a long time!) so who knows what could happen. I hope you all know how much I love you all and how much I miss you, I think about you all the time! Have a fun and safe week. Talk to you laters. Con amor, Elder Ludwig
del Potro of BsAs
2009 US Open Champion
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