Well this last week has been
crazy! I honestly don´t know where to begin. We had some great moments and
some sad moments, but it's all good. Life goes on!
We had a mission conference with
President Armstrong and his family. It was basically them telling us thanks for
everything and letting us know they are going to miss us tons. It was kind of sad. President Armstrong had a great message about how we need to keep moving on and working
hard! I saw Elder Hicks at the conference and got a photo with him. I also got
a photo with a missionary named Elder Coles. It turns out we ran track against each other in
high school! I have a photo of me running track and he happens to be the athlete running
next to me on my left. It's super funny and a small world. We did a little
reenactment in our suits. I´ll have to send you the photo!
We also had Laura's baptism this
last week! It was super awesome and the Spirit was strong! It was Elder
Ipson´s first baptism! At the very end of the baptism Laura got up and bore her
testimony. It was amazing! I´ve never felt a testimony so strong! It was really
cool how she got to know the church, too. One day she had to go to the hospital
because she and her husband found out that she couldn't have kids. She went to
the hospital to find out if there was anything else they could do to have kids. In the waiting room she was sitting alone and really depressed when a nice lady sat next to her and begin to talk to her about
life and things. This lady is a member of the church in our branch and she´s amazing. She's also a nurse at the hospital! Anyway, Laura told her that she can´t have kids
and was really depressed. The nurse began to talk to her about
the Plan of Salvation and told her that she had two good friends who could
explain things better to her about this plan and asked if it would be okay if they
visited one day. She said yes and gave her directions to her house. The
missionaries went to her house and four weeks later she got baptized! Super
sweet story! The members really do help the work a ton! And now we are
working with her husband! Vamo arriba!
And then yesterday was super
crazy. Elder Ipson and I were on our way to the church in the afternoon to go
and watch a worldwide conference on missionary work. On our way to the church everything was going great when we heard a CRUNCH! Elder Ipson and I looked up and saw that there had been an
accident between a motorcycle and a car about two blocks away. We ran over to see if we could help. It
all seems like a blur and it reminds me a lot of the accident with Brandon. When we got to the accident there were a bunch of people gathered around a young
teenage kid who was riding the motorcycle. He was really banged up and had
obviously broken his leg and pelvis. Luckily he had been wearing a helmet, but
he was still bleeding quite a bit from his head. The whole thing reminded me a ton
of Brandon and I felt really sick looking at the young kid, but I said a little
prayer in my heart and got the energy to help him. I was able to put my
jacket over him. I wanted to give him a blessing but he was surrounded by people and
a nurse had gotten there and was telling everyone to move back and not touch
him. So Elder Ipson and I went off to the side of the road and said a little
prayer for him. It was a crazy experience but I felt a peace after the prayer and knew
everything would be okay. The young boy was unconscious
but I could tell that there was peace with him. The ambulance then got there and took him to the hospital. I don´t know how
he is doing but I just hope that he and his family are at peace. It was a
crazy experience and something that I won't forget. It's interesting to see in
life all these trials and sad things that go on, but to me it's just a testimony
of how there is a Heavenly Father that loves us and wants us to be happy. With
this accident and the accident of Brandon I had a feeling of peace and love the
whole time. For me that is a sure testimony that God lives, he is aware of us,
and there is plan for us.
After the accident we went
running to the church. We got there late, but we were able to see most of the
conference. It was a super cool session and I love what the First Presidency
did. It's so true about the members - we really can´t do anything without their help. I have witnessed that with the baptism of Laura.
Anyway, it's been a crazy week,
but a good one, too! I had a ton of spiritual moments and things I´ll
never forget. The mission is the best and I'm learning life lessons. We need to
take advantage of every moment that we have - we never know when it will be our
last. I know that we have a Heavenly Father that loves us and I know that his
plan is perfect! We just have to trust in Him and keep fighting on! Thank you for everything and I love you tons!
P.S. I got a package from Grandma White Truck with Reese's
and Kit Kats! Vamo arriba! Tell her thanks for me!
