Dear Family,
Happy Anniversary!!! Dad, you’re right, one of the many
things I have learned on my mission is the importance of our families. I don’t
think I ever REALLY appreciated that sealing power, but now I know that it is
truly amazing. I’m so grateful that our family will be together forever.
Well...you guys are coming to Nicaragua THIS WEEK. NUTS!!! It’s
really weird because I feel like you guys are coming to visit my country
instead of you coming to take me back to mine. You might want to bring some
handcuffs because it’s gonna be hard to get me to leave. I’ll talk more about
that in a sec, for now I’ll share some experiences from this week.
Tuesday afternoon was pretty slow. All of our appointments
had fallen and we weren’t quite sure what to do (that’s when your plan A, B, C,
and D all fall) so we started to contact. We went walking by what I would say
competes for the humblest home in our area. There was a slightly gorda woman lying
down on a wood pallet that she used as a bed with a very skinny, dirty-faced
girl. She smiled and let us come in...her situation touched my heart. She had
NOTHING. A blanket, a bucket, some sticks to make a fire to cook if there was
any food, a couple items of clothes and her flip flops. We asked if we could
help her with anything and she ashamedly confessed that she didn’t have soap to
wash the little girl’s clothes. We went to the nearest pulpería (that’s what
the little stores in people’s houses are called) and bought her soap that cost
50 cents. We came back, gave it to her, and she just started crying. She said
that two minutes before that she had prayed asking God that somehow she could
have soap. God loves His children...how different the world would be if
everyone could just understand that one principle.
Other story….did divisions this week with the Zone Leaders.
We went to go visit a family that they’re teaching that has really had some hard
times. The husband is unemployed and they are having a hard time just to get
food for their two daughters. We were in the middle of talking about why the
Lord allows us to have trials when he started speaking to me in English (used
to live in the states). He said that he was so desperate that he even had
thoughts of hanging himself. I bore a simple testimony of the Atonement and
Jesus Christ’s plan. He said, "I guess I am still supposed to be here
because the tree branch snapped when I put the rope around it”. Sorry, I know
that’s kind of disturbing, but my point is that Christ will carry our burdens,
and I felt good leaving that lesson knowing that we could set a lost sailor on
his course again.
Alright...I feel like I’m going to just make everyone cry. To
lighten it up a bit…this week Elder Comfort was running away from the dog that
lives by our house named Persa. He tried to fake her out or something but
turned the wrong way and the dog totally took his legs out. He FLEW. You had to
be there but we laughed for a long about that.
Ana and Adonis are so awesome. They love the church and
complete every commitment that we give them. President has to interview Adonis
on Tuesday so we’re praying that everything goes well so they can be baptized
this weekend.
Mom, to answer your questions you can just bring some old
vans...it doesn’t matter much to me. I’m a size 36 waist now so...JK haha…I’m
still the same size, so you can just bring whatever size 32 pants. Maybe you
can bring a new razor head too. I’ll give you the details next Monday, but you
have to be at the church in Reparto San Juan before 9:00 am on Wednesday. The address
of the church is "de la rotonda universitaria 1 cuadra al sur y 1 cuadra
al este". I’m super excited for you guys to come and we’re gonna have an
awesome time!
Also, I didn’t end up going to San Juan del Sur today :) but
you guys will like it there. Welp...see you in Nicaragua!!!
Love,
Elder Ward