11/16/2011

What's up family
   Thanks for the letter Caleb and dad, and wow that is so cool for Braydon Lee, I'm stoked for him! Is he in the same mission as Gunnar or a different? That surprised me and about the assistant coaches with Seifert. Sounds pretty good. Who are the main players this year? That is crazy that you have snow, every time I talk about snow down here the people laugh at me and ask me how the people can survive in it! THE DUNNS ARE 16! That is crazy. Does that mean they are driving?!
   

This week was fantastic and very sad at the same time, the scripture that you sent me dad perfectly applies to my week.  Proverbs 3:5-6. Sometimes things happen and I have to think to myself, which side is the Lord on haha! We had a lot of success this week, we were blessed with many new investigators and families that we are teaching.  I  am so very grateful for these families but for the last 4 Sundays and only the Sundays the Lord has tested our faith and patience (Mosiah 23) and made it rain every Sunday.  The people do not leave their houses here when it rains so we have very few if any people in church.  The reason why it has to rain I don't know, but it is taking a lot of faith and confidence on my part to trust that the Lord knows what he is doing.  All I desire now is that the family De la Cruz gets baptized but they can't decide not to go to church when it rains.  They were preparing to get baptized this Saturday and all they had to do was go to church, I love them so much. I know everything has its time and purpose and even though we work so hard, we have to trust in the will of God.  Not only in missionary work but in life. If something isn't going as we hope, take that learning opportunity and become better and stronger.  I was listening to a talk from Elder Eyring, about accepting the trials, humbling ourselves and being stronger. Ether 12:27, God gives us weakness' (trails) but if we trust in him he will make these weakness' strong.  I don't believe that god will abandon  us for doing his will.  I also believe my patience is growing... but I am not a fan of the rain here. 
One of the families that we found almost put a baptismal date for themselves, the spirit was in the lesson and they asked lots of great questions and as D&C promises that we won't be confounded; we could answer them. They were very excited.

On a little more funny note, granted I don't say this because I am a bad person or because I have not changed, but this week with my Guaraní screw-up's, I managed to tell a married 65 year oldish couple to go shower themselves together, I swore at two members (not knowing they were swear words), and asked someone if they had a ``part of the female body I probably shouldn't write``.  But surprisingly enough I still believe I am doing more good than bad with the knowledge of the language I have haha.  Saturday my comp managed to get sick and get the double dragon, referring to the throw up and shivivi.  A sickness no man wants.  So for the whole day while he was sick and sleeping I studied Guaraní, Book of Mormon, bible and preach my gospel, from 8 in the morning to 9 o'clock at night with only a lunch and dinner break... I feared getting blood clots in my legs.

We have one person that is preparing for baptism this Saturday, her name is Bienvenida (funny because Bienvenido means welcome), but I am really grateful for her, she really really wants to get baptized, and lives with a member.  She was married and has a kid but left him because he was abusive, and came to live with her sister and loved how the church focuses on families  No other church really focuses on families.  Everybody just guess and supposes what will happen to them but, it's nice having sound doctrine on them.

I love you all and want you to know of my testimony, that I know this church is true and that this is work of the Lord.  Continue doing your part back there in the states.  There a lot of people Braiden and Caleb that need your example and help.  Don't be afraid to invite and talk about the church

elder Shaw