February 28, 2011

This week flew by. Not unusual. I realized I´m going to hit the 6 month mark this week. Yikes. On Friday la familia Sandoval moved for good. They found a home on Thursday. Thats how tough and fast moving is here in Chile. The bad news is that the home is in La Florida, which is in Mision Este. We helped them move on Friday, then said our goodbyes to them on Sunday in the chapel. They were all given the chance to bear their testimonies during sacrament meeting. It was fantastic. I want to quickly share some things said. Joty talked about the incredible change the Gospel of Jesus Christ made in his life. Specifically in his marriage. He and Gabby are awesome together. Gabby then talked about how grateful she was to the friends in the ward who were the examples to her husband and herself. She closed with her testimony of Eternal Families. Pati talked about the change she witnessed in her husband, herself as a Mother, and all her family. Then, best of all, Rodrigo got up. I´m sure I have told everyone a little bit about him, but to recap....He and Pati had their first child 9 years ago, were both very young, not married. He was flitay. In Chilean....thug. He got tatoos, crazy hair, ear rings, the whole 9 yards. His wife had been a member since her teens, but was inactive. She got reactivated a little over a year ago. Rory had listened to the missionaries, but didn´t really care. Had no desire to change. Then, the right missionary came. He spoke to his heart, as Rory says. Since then, he has become the Rodrigo that I know. Incredible father, hard worker, great member missionary....etc etc. Just a complete change in his life. So-His testimony. He started off by thanking the missionaries. He said he never would have changed if they hadn´t been persistent. He then congratulated Samuel, a young man in our ward who just recieved his call to serve in Antofagasta. Rodrigo said he regrets not having accepted the Gospel a long time ago. He said serving a mission is something he would love to do. A dream of his now. When he closed his testimony, he too talked about Eternal families. He looked me and my companions, and Samuel, in the eyes and told us there are families just like his waiting. Waiting to be shown what it is they are missing. Then he said there is nothing he is more excited to do than to seal himself to his wife and 2 daugthers in the temple this year. The Spirit was soo strong when he said that. The meeting was awesome. The other great thing that happened this week was a Cosechon we did in Diego de Amalgro. It went really well. So well that the Elders there filled their agendas EVERYDAY this week with appointments. I was happy to have found 4 of those. It was a rewarding hour or two.

Hope everyone has a great week. Check out the short little test available in PMG on personal prayers. Its at the end of Ch. 4 i think. I took it this week. Great way to improve the communication line you have with God.

-Elder Van Dyke