So Yeah...(lol)

Hey way cool about the baptisms in the ward! thats awesome! Every member a missionary!

So the today´s email is coming a little late due to...VISIT FROM ELDER DALLIN H. OAKS!!!! So yeah we had a meeting from about 7:30 until about 9:30 and then we had to get back to the area and what not. So yeah really cool stuff we got to shake his hand and we also got to listent to him, his wife, E. Hallstrom of the presidency of the 70 and E. Uceda of the area presidency. Good stuff. They all talked about the importance of learning and then doing. If we just learn and don´t do then it doesnt serve for anything that they instruct us. E. Oaks also talked a lot about being an instrument in the Lord´s hands. So yeah it was awesome!

So yeah that was the most important thing that happened this week other than another baptism!! woot!! But I dont have the photos so I´ll send them next week. oops. Anyways this kid is turning 15 tomorrow and he is the best friend of a new convert (Elmer) that we baptized a couple weeks ago. So that was a lot of fun but the only problem was that there wasn´t very many people there, especially leadership because of E. Oaks visit. (E. Oaks did a training of all the leaders in Arequipa) His name is Carlos, his nickname is Messi (For those of you who are not soccer fans, Messi is on of the best players in the soccer world) so the ward is pretty excited because the stake soccer championship is in September hehehe. 2 of our new converts also got the priesthood this week so that was also pretty exciting.

oh yeah and last week playing soccer I totally scored a goal!!!! Usually I play goalie so I have in total...2...but hey. Even better was that I got it off of a pass from another gringo player and it was from about 20 feet out.

We got 5 new investigators from references this week, some of which seem like they should progress really quickly. We have been teaching a lot teenagers lately and the gang the they belonged to is slowly dissipating (sp). The spirit has really made an impact on these kids, so much that they want their friends to join too, and we even had a single mother who has her 14 year old drug adict and acoholic come up and beg us to help her son. So we promptly committed her and her son to baptism. So we have got a bit of work cut out for us but the spirit guides in every moment. I can feel the Saviours love for these kids inside of me and I really want to help them out. It is a sucky feeling to see some of these kids not want to talk to us and others who keep falling but they all have their agency.

That mom who presented us to her 14 year old, asked us if we could watch some movies with the kid about the consequences of drugging and drinking, but we know that the Lord´s way is to hate the sin, love the sinner. And to show our love for this kid (Lisandro) we just have to help him realize that he is really a child of God and that God really loves him and wants him to return to His presence. By opening Lisandro´s eyes and showing him what he really can become we are helping him to put goals down and make plans to accomplish them. He came to the baptism of Carlos and I hope the spirit touched him there. He couldnt make it to church nor his mom, but we will keep working with him so that he too can make the changes in his life to qualify for eternal blessings.

I love this work and I can feel my testimony growing every day as we have spiritual expierences. I know that the Lord is preparing me for all my life time and helping me learn how to gain eternal life.

My prayers go out to everyone you talked about as well as all my family so that they know that God will bless them according to their faithfulness.

Love

Elder Patrik Connole

Note from Mom: Isn't my son amazing??