We had an incredible week! Gregorio and Concepción were both baptized on Tuesday, confirmed yesterday, and Gregorio is going to receive the priesthood next Sunday. It was an awesome baptism; Tacoma also had a family of four that was baptized the same day. It was pretty much an awesome day for the Spanish zone. The record we have in the mission is 12 baptized in a single month in the zone, and we're already at nine!
We also had a great lesson with Mari and she set a goal to have quit smoking by the end of the month so she doesn't smoke in her new house. She needs to quit for at least a week to be baptized, and then she'll receive the Holy Ghost which will carry her the rest of the way as long as she's doing her part. So she committed to prepare herself to be baptized on the 29th. I'm hoping that I'll still be here, since I found her and have worked with her for so long, but we'll see.
We also had a missionary come home in the ward, and everyone threw a huge party at the church. He served in Pittsburgh, PA, and apparently knows one of my friends in Berkeley, Simon Tiu, who served as his zone leader. I don't remember exactly how to spell his last name, but it starts with a Q and he's from Tacoma so maybe Simon will remember him.
We finally had our interviews with President and Sister Weaver this week too. All I can say is that they're awesome and that I know they are inspired in order to be able to do their job; I just felt the Spirit during the whole thing, and it was fantastic. It sounds like there are going to be some big upcoming changes in the upcoming transfer meeting, to rules, expectations, etc., and they have a big focus right now about placing Books of Mormon. But again, we'll see!
A couple days ago we had a really weird day. It started off by going to see one of our potentials, and just on the doorstep she told us her whole life story, how she was raped, and so her family sent her here, etc. These people have way sad stories, and the sad part is that this isn't the first story I've heard like that. Then we had to go to our apartment to pick up a children's Book of Mormon for her because the normal one is hard to understand in Spanish, then she invited us to eat papusas with her and her brother later in the day (and you don't say no to food from a nonmember). So we already had our own lunch appointment, to which we went, then we went over to the Elders quorum president's house for 'cake' which really meant another dinner and we didn't want to offend anyone so we ate, then we ate papusas, and we finished off with Mari feeding us pan dulce with chocolate milk. I am not looking forward to Thanksgiving next transfer....
The work goes on, and it's wonderful. I love you guys and hope you have a wonderful week!
¡Les quiero y espero que tengan una espléndida semana!
Con cariño,
Greg
