Strong Spirit During First Vision Lesson

FINALLY a chance to eat at McDonalds.  On  4 Real  about $2.50 Dollars for a burger!

In front of a a store in Santa Maria

 How was your week?

Really, really good.

Did you read the book we sent you?

Yes I´m studying it. It´s really good for quick references to difficult questions. 

How are your investigators coming along?

We have 3 that will be baptized on Saturday.

Hi Family!

So we had a great week this week. We have a baptism marked next Saturday for 3 young men (the 3 soccer players!). They´re all 12 years old. Yesterday, in fast and testimony meeting, one of them got up and bore his testimony. All he said was that he is being baptized next Saturday because he knows this church is true. The ward loved it. Then last night we went over to his house to teach his family. We´ve taught all three of their families now. Their names are Douglas, James, and Antony.

We had a really powerful lesson with James´ mom last night.  We taught her the restoration, but something about the lesson just was so awesome. The spirit was so strong. I taught the first vision to her, and then asked her how she felt after. She told me she just had a super warm feeling in her heart and that she felt the message was true. We challenged her to be baptized and she accepted for the 30th because she needs to be legally married. That still might be one of the biggest challenges we face. I think that James´ little brother, Mateus, will be baptized with his mom on the same day.  It was amazing how strong the spirit was in there. I don´t recall a clearer feeling during my whole mission, and my companion said the same thing. It was so different teaching the first vision to her. I wrote about it, but it just felt like there was something different about it. It really was an awesome experience. 

On a sad note, Noemia and her daughter won´t be baptized this week. We were walking there to teach her on Saturday night when and ambulance flew passed us. I just knew it was heading for her house the second it went by. She´s got cancer, and she wasn´t feeling well at all this week. Everything was set in stone for the baptism, then just crushed. We haven´t heard anything since, but we´ve been trying to make contact with her neighbors and family to try and help out. We´ll keep her in our prayers and hope for the best. Hopefully we can get her all ready to go for next week. On Thursday we did a HUGE family night at one of the member´s homes (Deliane). We invited the whole lower part of our ward.There was tons of food and we did a really spiritual message. We´re for sure continuing to see growth in the ward. Next Sunday is Ward Conference.

We went to McDonald´s for lunch today. You´ll be able to tell by the photos. It was the greatest lunch of the whole mission I think. It´s super expensive here, so we for sure won´t be going very often. Just a simple hamburger is 4 reals.  

Well family, have an awesome week!

The church is true! I love you all.

Elder Shepherd