A donde me mandes ire, Señor

6/29  We had a couple visits with Monica and Jorge this week, and they went very well. Monica is doing well. Her situation at home seems to be improving, so that is really good. Her testimony is really strong, and she really wants to get baptized. She keeps telling us that she has also seen a change in her son's behavior from participating in primary. She says that he always reminds her to pray over the food. That made me really happy to hear.

Jorge is also moving a long very well. I have noticed this week that a lot of his previous doubts are beginning to become clearer for him. Things he wasn't so sure about before are now easier for him to understand. For example, he had a few doubts or questions about Joseph Smith, so we shared the Joseph Smith video with him, and took time going through the restoration with a little more detail (iPads were a wonderful tool in helping us with that). Now it seems to me that, though it may be small at the moment, he at least has some testimony of the restoration of the gospel. Like I have said, I know he will get baptized, it just might take a little longer than others. I can see his faith growing, and his desire to act according to that faith. He is reading the Book of Mormon with more interest now, and paying closer attention to our lessons than he was a few weeks ago. Now the next trick is helping him get to church on Sundays. 

This Saturday the Hermanas here in Vilafranca had two baptisms. Their names are Valentina and Francisca and they are 16 and 14. They are cousins from Chile. It was really cool to be able to see their progression from the sideline. They have been coming to church every week for a little over a month, and their testimonies have grown stronger every week. The baptismal service went very well, despite the fact that people had literally just finished taking out a wall and repainting the whole chapel an hour before. It was an honor when Valentina asked me to do the confirmation on Sunday. That was the second time I have been able to perform that ordinance, and it was a great experience. It is incredible how the spirit just filled my mouth with words to say, and it even works in Spanish!! It really was such a spiritual experience, and I look forward to the next opportunity. 

The weather here is getting really really hot now. Even with a fan on, it is really hard to sleep just because it is so hot. I feel really bad for all my friends serving down in South America. It must be hot as death down there. Respect.  I fear I may be spending my last week here in Vilafranca. Transfers are coming up, and it is very likely that I will go. I don't want to leave though. I don't feel like my work here is done yet, and I have a lot of close relationships with the members here. But then again, "a donde me mandes ire, Señor". I know that wherever I get called, that's where the Lord wants me.

Los Cruzado with the missionaries & Francisca & Valentina