June 27

I would send pictures of the baptism but the computer is being dumb... it is not reading my usb.... until next week... sorry

What an interesting and great start in my new area in Moshoqueque.  The first day that I arrived I had the grand opportunity to meet Gian Franco.   When taught about temples and reviewed the baptismal questions with him, Elder Lagava let me know that we were going to fast with him that he could overcome his smoking addiction.  We started the fast together and then we made sure that he was in our prayers in every moment of the day.  The next day we went to see how his fast turned out.  He told us that eating was not even a problem for him (this was his first time fasting), but his addiction temped him.  He did it though, he broke the chain! He told us that when times were tough and Satan was tempting, his wife reminded him why he was fasting and that we were there fasting for him.  This really strengthened my testimony.  The fact that if we depend upon the Savior and give it our all, WE CAN AND WILL overcome our weaknesses.  The next time we saw Gian Franco we were heading to pick him up and take him to his baptismal interview.  He had a worried look on his face and it made me nervous..  He told us that the night before he called his father and told him about how he was going to get baptized.  He father, being part of another church, told him to investigate more and ask for more testimonies.  He put some doubts in his mind with some anitmormon doctrine.  So he asked us plainly for our testimonies and we bore them and help him clear his doubts.  He Passed the interview and then yep was baptized Saturday.

Elder Lagrava is a great guy, he is helping learn more scriptures to teach.  We get along well

I am here in the same zone in Dorado but in a different area Yes, I have had the opportunity to run into many familiar faces. For instance, the bishop that is friends with you ( mom) on facebook works in his bakery that is in my area. He invited us cake both of the times that we said hi. Sadly, the first time we were fasting so we had to turn him down. The next time we went I asked him about his little daughter and surprisingly he told me that it was her birthday, so I send my wishs with him. I am still anxiously waiting to run into some of my converts,,, they now have more than a year as members.

My new companion is a cool and very intelligent guy. He is from Santa Cruz, Bolivia and has 13 months in the mission. The thing is he is training me how the whole Zone leader works. He knows the scriptures very well. He even told me that before his mission he taught seminary for two years that helped me a lot. Zone leader is interesting for sure and requires patience and good emergency planning. We have now made two trips to the office to pick up materials that the missionaries in our zone have asked. We have the fun opportunity to take all the numbers from the zone and report them to the assistants... and we are in charge and giving reimbursements to the missionaries. the whole thing with money stresses me a little because we have to be careful with the funds. Also as zone leader we have a monthly meeting with President Williams and his wife, also the assistants to train us... later we give the same training to the elders in the zone. We also have the fun opportunity to do interchanges with the district leaders to see how we can help them and learn more from each one of them.. We also do a work visit with the assistants...

I am doing well... I am super tired... but I am already falling in love with his area

I hope you have a great 4th of july.... 

(two letters posted this week)