Feelin' Pretty Good

¡Hola! Familia,                                                                                              

It was one of those weeks where on Sunday night, when we got back to our pench, we were dog-tired but satisfied with ourselves because we did some great work.

On Wednesday, we were knocking doors in the morning and we knocked on the door of a woman named Teresa.  Teresa has a 14-year-old kid and she has been suffering from depression for years. During our first chat on her patio she told us that she needs our help. So, we went back the next morning and she told us about some of the problems she’s been going through.  She had tried to attend other churches but she felt like none of them had “fulfilled her need.” So, we explained what we do as missionaries and we told her that the best way for her to “start over” is to be baptized and leave her old life and problems behind.  Then, we taught her to pray and ended our visit.  We went back to her house on Saturday morning and she looked like a completely different person; more awake and up to beat. We taught her about the Restoration and it went perfectly. She had read the pamphlet we left with her and she told us that she believes everything she’s read and heard from us because since we knocked on her door, she felt “something different” in her life.  Then, on Sunday she came to church and she fit right in with the Relief Society and in our Gospel Principles class.  We were fortunate to see this miracle with Teresa this week and we’re praying that everything continues to go well with her and she can continue to progress.

On Saturday, the Hermanas whom we share the ward with, had a baptism of man who lost his leg in an accident a few years ago.  Due to his disability, the baptism was little different.  One of the brethren in the Elders Quorum baptized him but I had the awesome opportunity to be the “helper” in the baptismal font.  It was an interesting experience and everything went really well, as we were able to get the man in and out of the font without any problems.  Not too many people have had an experience like that and I’m grateful that I was able to be a part of it.

During lunch on Friday, we got a call from one of our ward members who told us that his neighbor had family in town and these family members are members of the church and they want to introduce their family (the member’s neighbor) to the missionaries.  The funny thing is that these family members had just met for first time that day. They are cousins and the member, from Buenos Aries, had met his aunt before, but not his cousins.  So, this member meets his 33-year-old cousin for the first time and the first thing he wants to do is introduce him to the missionaries!? What a stud! So, after lunch, we hurried to the house and met this family and the member from Buenos Aries. It was one on the coolest appointments I’ve ever had. A golden family was just waiting for us! 

The member from Buenos Aries told us that he is going to take care of the family so they can get married quickly. (Of course, they’re not married!) He said, “Elders, you guys can just teach and leave the rest to me.” The family wasn’t able to attend church on Sunday so we went back to their house that night and when we arrived the wife said that when we knocked on her door, she felt a strong feeling of comfort because, even though they didn’t attend church, we had come to look for them. She said, “Other churches don’t do things like that.  You two are really something special.”  It was a pretty cool moment. I’m not going to lie.  We’re feelin' pretty good about our experience with this golden family.

And, to top off the week, Matias received the Priesthood on Sunday. So, in all, we’re doing pretty good down here in the ARG!   Have a great week!           Elder Roderick