July 22, 2013, Passaic, NJ

We have been contacting and finding all week long. It's been long, fun, and memorable. I'm horrible at writing in my journal. I KNOW, it's bad. That's one of my goals for this week. The good news is Elder and Dahl and I had an awesome goal-setting session (secret love of mine) and we set about 15 goals a piece that are all attainable and will be extremely advantageous when we have them down. I'm excited.

How are all of YOU doing? I love each and every one of you.

Anyway, moving on...

Other than finding, knocking, contacting; we have been doing a boatload of baptismal interviews all in the Caldwell area. There's a missionary named Elder Hoyt, who is finishing his mission tomorrow, who had 2 investigators that were to be baptized on Sunday, so because he's the District Leader, Elder Dahl and I had to drive around and interview all of them. It was amazing. I did my first baptismal interview (never been a District Leader) and it went pretty well. I was a little nervous for it but it turned out to be wonderful. I interviewed Lidia Lopez, an 80-something-year-old Dominican woman. Her son is the Elders Quorum President in a  ward in the DR and she went off on that saying how wonderful and responsible he was. She is the sweetest nicest lady ever and was extremely prepared and READY to be baptized.

Then on Saturday, I interviewed Emily Ibarra, a 15-year-old Peruvian girl (who is a borderline soccer hipster: wears flowery shorts, likes Lana Del Rey and the XX, etc). She is awesome. Her little sister, Melanie, got baptized about 2 months ago and Emily told me that when she saw her little sister get baptized she made the decision shortly after to follow that example. Amazing. The spirt touches hard hearts, makes them soft, and then helps people to make life-changing decisions. Awesome awesome awesome.

Elder Dahl and I are best friends. I don't know how, but we are and it's hilarious and straight-up the best.

I'm in the end of 2 Nephi of the Book of Mormon. Still can't get enough of chapter 31. It blows my mind every time. And then from that straight into the book of Jacob. AMAZING.

I'm a little lost on what to write about. Our zone had 4 BAPTISMS. We partied hard last night (except for the fact that we set a goal to NOT drink Red Bull anymore) and our aprty consisted of us chatting in bed with the lights off but we all fell asleep while "waiting" for the text to see WHO was being transferred. So Elder Dahl stealthily set an alarm for 11:30 and we all woke up angry and groggy at 11:30. We forwarded the transfer text to the zone and then passed out again. WISDOM FOR FUTURE MISSIONARIES: You will never be so tired in your entire life. And you never really figure out why.

Life is good. I am happy. The Gospel is true. Being a missionary is incredible. I love Jesus Christ and his example. Thanks to all of you that have influenced me in one way or another. I love, admire, and appreciate you dearly. May Father in heaven watch over you.

EC

July 15, 2013, Passaic, NJ

Got a bad haricut this week from MYSELF. I realize that I regret every single time I cut my own hair because I look like a weedy, balding, water-rat. Whatever, I guess I'll never learn.

This week was wondrous. Our zone (reppin' zone 3) continues to do better and better each week. I love every single member of our zone and I'm so glad that I have this chance to be a leader to influence and guide to the best of my abilities. I love how God helps us so much. I don't even realize it half the time and it makes me like I need to work harder to recognize revelation. I want to be great, so I DO what the Lord asks of me, to be able to bless other missionary's lives. It's a miracle to be able to pray every night, BY NAME, for the members of our zone. I love going over them in my head, seeing their face, and then thinking about what we can do (Elder Dahl and I) to help them to become better missionaries. Can't get over it. Love love it.

On Monday we went to the Paterson Elders' baptism. It was AWESOME. Rolando Rodriguez, 27 years old, Puerto Rican-American was baptized. It was rad. Elder Dahl and I were talking about it afterwards, and it seems like anytime anyone steps into a font to enter into a covenant with God, the spirit enters the room and pratically shouts at all of us when the person is submerged. It's incredible. When Rolando came up out of the water, he took a huge breath, smiled, looked around and then down, (you could tell he was just contemplating, basking in the spirit) flashed a golden smile at the congregation and let out a light, happy laugh, and then exited the font. It was unreal. I love baptisms more than anything.

On Wednesday, we had zone conference, which was just grand. President Jeppson gave a training on the Apostacy and the Restoration (kind of like the Apostacy Timeline from Brother Hyrum Smith, if any of you ex-missionaries have heard that, but BETTER because Pres. Jeppson is incredible) which opened up my eyes to the Restoration and how important it was. I pray that each of you will continue to stengthen your own testimony in the Prophet Joseph Smith and the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It's really what happened. I know it. We also received trainings on the BOok of Mormon as the keystone of our religion and more on the New Testament. Over all it was a really good meeting. I never even realize that meetings are six-eight hours long. I suppose that's a total blessing.

President Jeppson and Sister Jeppson always do the closing song at zone conferences. I believe it's called "They're Precious in His Sight" and President will play guitar and they both sing harmony with a descant part and everything. I used to be such a music critique and only listen to stuff that was COOL. But man, when you love people as much as you learn to love your mission president and his wife, you learn to love EVERYTHING they do, including singing songs that I would have deemed as "cheesy" before my mission. The song they sing is so pretty and is just perfect when they sing it.

Yesterday we went to ANOTHER baptism in our zone. Man our zone is the best. The Paterson SPANISH elders baptized a 15 year old kid. Just like the baptism last Monday, the spirit was felt, testimonies were born, and another one of Heavenly Father's children came back home. It was wonderful.

Not much other than that. Just a list of things I love:

-God

-the mission

-new missionaries

-ambient, instrumental music

-exchanges

-trainings

-missionaries that know about and have listened to good music, (not the ones that pretend they have)

-watcing missionaries in your care receive revelation in front of you

-Elder Dahl

-Oranges for breakfast

-hispanic people and spanish

-updates on shows in SLC

-that chord on "Lazy Eye" (Chris you'll know what I'm talking about) right after the guitar intro when the bass and drums come in. I wish I could listen to it.

-blue grass hymns

-when elders talk in their sleep

Thanks everyone.

BOLD AS LOVE.

EC

July 8, 2013, Passaic, NJ

It is HOT. New Jersey has been reaching the hundreds (I think? Feels like it...) and it's been SUPER humid. And we're still walking. I love it and I hate it. It's nice to be out on the streets but it's the sort of humidity that my dad explained when he was in Hong Kong: you finish taking a nice cool shower and as you're drying off you start sweating again. Any sort of material sticks to your skin and 5 minutes of walking turns your back and armpits into small rivers. It's great. There's an awesome Mexican hermano named Hno Garcia (from Vera Cruz) that comes out with us and as soon as he leaves his house he says "Ay feisimo!" (This is horrendous!") I die of laughter every time. Just picture a middle aged, portly Mexican guy with a goatee complaining about the heat as he teaches and contacts with us. Hahaha. Hhis family has an amazing story about how they joined the church. Here it is, summarized:

They have a 20 year old son. No one in the family has papers. They meet the missionaries, start investigating the church. Their son wants nothing to do with it. Shorty after beginning to investigate, their son gets arrested and thrown in jail for a false charge. He was in jail for about 1 year and a half. Started reading the Book of Mormon while in jail. Read all of the Book of Mormon and the Bible. Started teaching other inmates he was around. Started a group and they would meet and talk and do a church service. Finally, when he finishes his time, he gets deported to Mexico. Gets baptized a few weeks later. Becomes a strong member in the ward with about 5 callings. Turns in his papers to serve a mission. Is now serving in Mexico on a mission. Hasn't seen his family for about 3 years. 

Hermana Garcia read us one of the letters he sent them when he was in jail. Just amazing. I almost cried. I love being able to establish friendships with these amazing people. They are the most God-loving people I have ever met. I love being a missionary. ALSO: we see them a couple of times a week and they always make us AMAZING food. And the other day, they were showing us some Ranchera, mexican music that they liked and then Elder Dahl and I were making Mexican whoops and cat calls and singing the words to "El Rey" by Jose Alfredo Jimenez (seriously, check it out!) and the whole family was dying of laughter. Awesome.

Zone 3 had an amazing past 7 days. We beat the rest of the mission in teaching total lessons and one of our companionships found 15 new investigators, including a Dominican family of 8. Super awesome. Interesting fact: before I was a zone leader, I would see numbers from other missionaries and see that they were doing better than MY companionship and I would get angry (my carnal side was pretty dominant). NOW, I see that everyone in the zone does really well and I rejoice! I don't think I've ever felt this much love for other missionaries. Elder Dahl and I represent them and we work hard to help our zone to progress and teach and bring people to Christ. I love it so much. I love our zone and every single member in it. Speaking of, the Paterson elders in our zone have a baptism tonight! Yes! I love the success of other missionaries...

As for us, we are doing a lot of finding this week. It's been a little slow, but we've been going back to the basics: working with members and street contacting. We've seen a little success with it, but we continue onward. We know there are prepared people out there. Just the other day we were teaching an investigator and instead of going to our next appointment afterwards, we saw a Mexican man helping his daughter ride a bike. So we stopped and talked with him, and right as we did, his friend waltzed up to him to chat with him too. The friend, we found out, was actually a really talented Mariachi singer that played in clubs in New York and stuff. He showed us a video of him singing. WE asked if we could visit these guys and they replied yes! Whoo! The father of the bike-riding-girl was super kind and seems really prepared.

Anyway, you're all bored of me droning on like this. I know this is the Lord's work. I'm so grateful for my testimony and faith. It's what drives and motivates me to follow Jesus Christ, even when life is rough. Hermano Bello (an amazing member: from Puebla Mexico, but grew up in Brooklyn) gave an incredible testimony yesterday that hit me hard: He was mentioning how his brother was sending him anti-videos and using scriptures to try and tear down the church and all sort of negative things and Willy Bello just said: "Brother. You attack what I love most in life, what has changed me most for good."

Don't attack the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. I will defend it until I die.

EC

ps - shout out to Bayley, who is the greatest pre-missionary ever (you too Tanner) who is leaving to Argentina on a mission in a few months.

July 1, 2013, Passaic, NJ

                                   Me with two Salvadorian pupusa makers. Awesome ladies

"Hey everybody. I'm doctor Nick."

Strange week. It was pretty rough I'll be honest, but so worth it in

the end. Some things to update you on:

1. Our investigator Jose Ramirez did not pass his baptismal interview

last night. President Jeppson's 2nd counselor, President Crane

interviewed him. Jose has so much knowledge about God and the Bible

but he is completely lacking in faith. He has a hard time accepting

the fact (he actually just disagrees) that reading the scriptures

INCREASES your FAITH. And then comes knowledge, after we have

exercised our faith. He's brilliant, but a little confused. I love him

a lot though and it was hard to see him fail his baptismal interview.

We will probably have to drop him for a time as well because he needs

this time to progress on his own. We know that's what God wants us to

do. It's going to be hard, but all will be well. I know it.

And with that, our investigator pool becomes a little shallow and

shabby again. But THAT IS OK! We are excited to do some more

old-school missionary work and really focus on FINDING this week.

There are some pretty amazing people that Heavenly Father is preparing

for us. I'm excited to find them.

2. Got a ride home from a cop the other night. We were walking home

from our last appointment at about 8:50 and it started showering. We

walked on Monroe Ave, a larger, trash and business filled street, and

a police car pulls over. The officer askes where we were headed. We

told him. He told us to get in. We got in and IMMEDIATELY it started

pouring, torrents of water filling the streets and sidewalks. (At this

point we both felt like this was totally supposed to happen). His name

was Andrew McCleiczech (Mick-lai-a-check), a young officer with a

brand new car, 2 young children, a weak faith, and a good heart. We

told him we were missionaries. He replied he wasn't really interested

but he accepted a card, said he would call the number. As we walked

away from his car, he shouted at us. We both turned around and he said

"Say a prayer for me, please?" Of course we did. I love little

experiences like that.

3. Went to Mission Council on Friday (for all Zone Leaders and sister

Training leaders). It was really good. Our focus this month will be a

REFOCUS on the Book of Mormon. I'mm so so so excited. We also set a

Quarterly Baptismal goal for 94 people. 94 94 94. I can't wait to get

out and start 1. sharing the book of Mormon, and 2. inviting to

baptism. The Book of Mormon brings the spirit so it should work out,

no problem.

4. Elder Dahl has great Spanish. We get along super well. We've been

planning our zone meeting the past couple of days and we just keep

wanting to turn it into a dance party/giant skit/rap. We're both total

goons. But seriously, it's going to be great: funny and spiritual.

that's what makes a good training.

5 Had to give another talk yesterday. This time for about 20

minutes. Geez. Lame peopel keep putting me last on the program and

then everyone bails or speaks for 3 minutes. It was good though, I

felt like the spirit really directed it. I spoke on Prayer and using

it as 1) a way to receive correction and 2) a way to feel peace and

comfort. It turned our alright. OK I promise I'm not bragging but I am

in love with Spanish and I have been told by multiple people that I

sound like a native. That's the blessing of having native companions

for 9 months I guess. It makes me happy. If I ever make it home to

Utah again.. I want to work construction or something like that.

ANYTHING to work with hispanics and speak it for a while. Also I keep

picturing myself visting Sister Lievano like 4 times a week and eating

fresh pupusas, talking about soccer and cooking, and just hanging out

with her. Let her know, will you.

We're going to turn a huge focus to the branch these coming weeks in

using videos from the "Work of Salvation" broadcast to help them

participate fully in missionary work. We want to turn Passaic into a

total hard-working missionary branch, where that's like all they care

about. I am in love with missionary work. I want to see more miracles

every day. I'm so excited to humble myself and pray for those things

that God wants. This is His work. He's here by our side, helping us

out with it.

EC

ps - I'm still sick. Lame lame lame. I had to take a nap tesyerday

which always makes you feel like a lazy piece of junk. Love you all.

Elder Key and I.

                                Last night with the Manzano family. Bryan (kid on his knees in

                               front) came out with his and he's an INVESTIGATOR. Awesome.

                                Me and Jose Mercado, one of my best friends, from El Salvador.

                                                    All mission Summer "chill'

                      These guys saw me with a camera and asked me to take a picture of them.

                                                    Elder Dahl in a new tight shirt.

                                Elder Leon and I after the Manzano's baptism (Plainfield area)

Elder Whitton and I after a hard day's work

June 24, 2013, Passaic, NJ

Dear Family and friends,

I think I'm getting sick. Total bummer. I have woken up the past few days with a cough, sore throat, and a constant head and stomach ache. I HATE being sick. It makes me super angry and I just wanna punch and kick stuff (sometimes I do but then it makes my head feel like someone is beating it with a Chinese gong and I have to stop). I think I got sick from going on an exchange with the Caldwell Elders. They have a super nice apartment with central AC and it was turned down to about 50 degrees (63 actually) and I was shivering during studies. Come on guys! I've been getting used to 90 degrees with high humidity and then I get thrown into that?? Other than that, everything is going pretty well. I'm obviously maintaining a high happiness level and continuing to work.

This week was pretty good but a little weird. Yesterday we got to work with Gus, the Colombian second counselor of the Passaic branch, in working with and sorting the tithing and I almost had a hard attack because I thought I threw somebody's check in the shredder. But I didn't so everything was alright. It was pretty hilarious how stressed I instantly got when I thought I did. 

We've been meeting with our investigator Jose Ramirez, a Dominican guy with a thin wispy beard on his cheeks and chin. He's the most studied person I've ever met when it comes to the Bible. He studies it for about 6 hours a day. The only problem is he creates all of his own religious and theological theories about God and the Bible, which really just confuses him. He wants to be baptized, but he refuses to go to the Gospel Principles class, and won't say whether he believes Joseph Smith was a Prophet or whether the Book of Mormon is true. He's been asking and asking, but we think he might lack a little sincerity. We love him and want him to progress so we're working very closely with him to see what he's willing to do. His baptismal date is next week, June 30th.

We went to the temple again on Friday. It was amazing; I feel like I received TONS of revelation. I love the temple because I feel, because of it, I am 100% committed to the gospel. I feel like it gave me a greater knowledge of MYSELF specifically, the reasons why I exist and what I must do to live the gospel to the best of my abilities. 

Spanish is coming along super great. I can't help but LOVE speaking Spanish all the time. This week, two different people asked me if I was from Mexico and Colombia. Awesome. Nothing like unintentional compliments to boost my confidence. We had an activity on Saturday night in the chapel where we watched some church videos and discussed them and then ate fruit and soda afterward. As the missionaries and the members were mingling, I was pretending to talk like a Dominican and Jose (our investigator) starting laughing and demanding that I do more impressions of accents. So I tried to do Peruvian, and Hno Cruz (a short little Peruvian man) came up to me and started laughing so hard he was almost crying, and then I did Colombian, and then they wanted to hear a Southern American accent (Lydia, I NEEDED you there). I got like 3-4 people to be totally busting up. It was hilarious.

Did anyone else see that "Work of Salvation" leadership broadcast last night? AMAZING. I am constantly astounded with the church's media productions. The gospel is true. Jesus Christ is our Savior.

EC

SHOUTOUTS:

Kent: When do you leave again? Tell me when you go through the temple.

Tanner: HOw do you FEEEEEEL? Gaaah man I can't believe you're leaving so soon.

Chris: What have you been up to?? I'll try and write you a quick letter today. Sorry it's been so loooong. (But you're not KING.... not yet...)

Bayley: mission call?????

Parents: wow, Dad, I think this is the first week in my entire mission that I have't got an email from you. Love you. MOM: how is everything going? I saw awesome photos of you guys camping a while ago. Looked awesome. Love you tons.

BEKAH: SOrrry it's been so long since I've written you. I've been swamped... You're my favorite I'll writ eyou sooooooon.

Jaezo: are you leaving soon? Email me, brobro.

June 17, 2013, Passaic, NJ

Wawa

*The Dominican word for 'bus" is "wawa", which is what we'll be taking on Friday to get to the temple.*

Good morning everyone. This past week was probably the longest in my mission. I got called to be a zone leader, transferred to Passaic, got a new companion, Elder Dahl (looks like a little blonde Danish child, talks like a 22-year-old Tom Waits), from Phoenix Arizona, had to do a bunch of paper work (that's all zone leading IS), and met with several families in the ward. Life is fast paced and brilliant, like yellow fireworks. 

Passaic is a city just off the Passaic river (which smells like feces all the time) and is about a 15 minute drive from my first area (Kearny/North Newark). The streets are crawling with dark skinned Poblanos and Dominicans. It feels like I'm in another country here. There are always kids out in the streets with their rusty bikes, torn polos, and ratty curly hair, loud Ranchera and Bachata music on every corner (yard parties every weekend), and lots of broken beer bottles everywhere. We live in a nice apartment on the second floor, with wood flooring, lots of windows, and not enough air conditioning. 

My companion is Elder S. Dahl, from Phoenix, Arizona. He has been out for about 17 months and is training me to be a zone leader. We get along incredibly well, which is a relief and a huge blessing. He's a baseball pitcher, wants to be a fishing and game warden, and is definitely more shy and reserved than me BUT he's a total goof. We live with 2 other Elders that serve in the Passaic branch as well. ALSO, there are two sisters in the Passaic branch. Almost all the missionaries in the branch right now are more quiet and reserved so I was confused when I got there and everything was just kind of mellow, as far as the relationships missionaries have with members. I basically just went crazy trying to get to know everyone and telling everyone how happy I was to be there (it didn't help that Elder Dahl gave me some gross, rootbeer flavored, probably cancer causing, energy drink before members started arriving at the building). The branch President is named President Sanchez, from Colombia. He's amazing. While giving announcements, he make known to the members that we, as the missionaries, were not here to do missionary work. He very clearly said that we were here to help the members with their missionary work. They are the missionaries. That was awesome and amazing. The ward mission leader here is named Ramon Contreras, a Dominican brother, and he does everything he's supposed to, which was a massive shock. The branch is incredible, but the work is a little slow. Our zone is a slower zone, partly because we have so many sisters training right now. But it's going good. I had a great first week in Passaic and I am so happy for the direction that the work is going to go.

We went to leadership training this week to give a training on the role of prayer in conversion. It went pretty well, in my opinion. Elder Dahl gets super nervous when he has to talk in front of people.  We were training about 100 missionaries and I look over at him while giving a Preach my Gospel quote, and he's all sweaty, with his eyes darting back and forth. Man I love him so much. When Elder Koelliker came, he said that if we had kneeling prayers at the end of every lesson, and our investigators prayed with "real intent", our baptisms would triple. Quite a promise, right? So we committed everyone to do that. I learned a ton from all the different trainings from all the new zone leaders and I took a bunch of notes. It was really weird to be on the upper end of things, as in, I was one of the older missionaries, giving trainings and mediating in the role-plays and whatnot. I even had to stand up with the group that had been out "longer than a year". Geez that was a slap in the face. President Jeppson's trainings were amazing as well. Jesus Christ loves us as missionaries and this is truly his work.

Funny story: visited a mexican family named the Bellos family. We had just eaten like 20 minutes before and we get there and she serrves us up good mexican food from Puebla right as we get there. I ate and ate and wanted to die, so I took the Mexican meatloaf type of stuff, discreetly wrapped it in some napkins, and stuffed it into my pocket. Elder Dahl totally saw and started busting up laughing. Then I went to the bathroom because it was starting to put a grease stain on my pants, so I stuffed it into the bottom of the garbage can. Embarrassing, but man I wanted to explode, I had eaten so much food that night.

Cool story; On Thursday, we were sitting in weekly planning, and we said out of the blue: "Let's find a family today". So we go out to work and a less active member gives us a referral. We go see the referral after we teach her and BOOM. A family of 3 ready to hear the gospel. 

The Lord answers prayers, feels our desires, and gives us what is needed in the moment. I love the Lord

EC

June 10, 2013, Plainfield

So many things to tell . . . 

Man this last week of the transfer was, as usual, totally nuts. We called and set up too many appointments this weekend so we were constantly busy, going on splits, teaching investigators, teaching English class, memorizing scriptures and participating heavily in transfer gossip (I blame primarily myself for that last one). Elder Leon got a call to follow-up train Elder Whitton, who is still waiting on his visa to go to Peru and will probably stay one more transfer. Elder Leon is the man, and he'll do a wonderful job follow-up training Elder Whitton. I mean, he's been his companion for the past 6 weeks so they already know how to work together.

Also I GOT A CALL. President Jeppson talked to me right after he spoke with Elder Leon (which is weird because leadership position calls, other than trainer, usually come Sunday evening) and briefly asked me if I would serve as Zone Leader. I said I would be delighted. So I am getting transferred and moved to a new area. I've narrowed it down to Pasaic, West New York, or an unknown new ZL area. Should be fun.

This week, we taught Bryan and Jasmine again. We have continually tried to set up appointments with their dad but he keeps bailing on us. Ugh frustrating. We're just going to keep praying and hoping that this man's heart is softened by the Spirit. COOL MIRACLE: we found out that our recently returning less active member Jhonny is good friends with Bryan's dad and Jhonny's girlfriend, Adriana is his Bryan's dad's cousin. So we will work with that. I know the Elders that stay here will work wonders with the resources that they have. Carmen, our 67-year-old Cuban is progressing NOW. More on her later. This week, we spent a lot of time visiting members, teaching them about the doctrine of Christ, strengthening their faith, and asking for referrals. They're been pretty cool to us lately. I got money yesterday from some members because they found out I was leaving. Angry. 

We have barely had time to see the Manzano Family, but we're stopping by tonight to say goodbye to all of them. I am going to miss them so much. I love every single one of them and everything about their bright, divine characteristics. Christopher, Anthony, Saliza, Oswaldo, Guillermina: they are my family and it's been absolutely incredible to see them come closer and closer to Christ in the short time that I have been here. ALSO, Louis (investigator: baptist, husband of a less active Guatemalan woman) accepted a baptismal invite yesterday (but not a date) due to Elder Whitton's strong sense of Louis' needs. I literally just sat back and let Elders Leon and Whitton teach the lesson. It was powerful and to me, a manifestation of God's eternal love and ability to prepare people when they are ready. After we extended the baptismal invite Louis shyly looked over at Beverly (wife) and softly asked, poised deep in thought, "I don't know... what do you think?" She smiled and smiled and smiled and nodded her head but then said "I don't know/ They asked YOU the question.." He laughed and accepted because he KNOWS it will strengthen his marriage and his family. Being a missionary is like LIVING under God's magnifying glass: you see things every day that grab your attention so much more than if you would have been living above it. That was cheeeseball. But true... moving on.

We had a stressful, hungry Sunday yesterday. We fasted without thinking about it (oh the perks of being in a walking area and not being able to go home after church for lunch because you live TOO FAR AWAY), spent all of companion study preparing for our Branch Family Home evening, argued a little about how to execute the ideas we had (Restoration puzzles, egg and fire demonstrations), and finally ended the night meeting a new investigator who would ask the gnarliest questions and change the topic of the conversation literally every other sentence. Finally we just testified, gave him a pamphlet and set up an appointment for the sisters that will be arriving in Plainfield tomorrow 9we had to split the area last week). But the Family Home evening turned out to be a huge success. Carmen came and was beaming the entire time. All the members love her so much. After the program, we were all sitting around eating arroz con leche (basically Peruvian rice pudding with cinnamon), and Carmen called me over. I jogged over to her seat, knelt down next to her and said "What's up?" She peered at me over her glasses and wisely smiling through her crooked teeth said, "I'm gonna get baptized." I was so so so so so happy. She said she knew it was right, she had had a dream, and she was always so happy with the members and coming to church.

I love you all. The Lord Jesus Christ is our Savior. I testify of the truthfulness of this gospel and the ability it has to touch and bless the lives of all humans; sons and daughters of our Father in Heaven. I know it's true. It brings out families closer together. It softens the hearts of the wicked and brings the sad to a higher level of joy through comprehension of Jesus Christ, our eternal Redeemer. 

Love you all.

EC

ps - I hate packing.