Hola familia!

Last week was a good one for teaching less actives. This week was a good one for organizing the area and making calls all day in the apartment. My companion got strep and tried to die on me, but I didn't let her. One of the senior couples gave me about a million vitamins to take, so I didn't get sick: goldenseal, E, echinacea, iron, and C. I think I OD'd. But I feel fine, so that's good. I even made chicken soup from SCRATCH! I had to look at the back of the can to figure it out, but I felt very accomplished and my companion ate it.

Sunday was cool. It was my companion's first one and she started to freak out a little when I told her we would be playing the piano in Sacrament, conducting, doing a special musical number, teaching a gospel principles lesson in Spanish or English, playing and conducting in Relief Society, and translating. Then she got a phone call Saturday night asking her to speak in Spanish sacrament meeting. “Argh! They should call it the Churchof Jesus Christ of Latter-day SISTER MISSIONARIES!” Anyway, she had a sore throat, so I canceled the musical number and convinced the Utahn in the ward to stay an hour after English church to play in Spanish sacrament for us. It was a fun day and it was just getting started!

Our appointment after church called and canceled (called--that's a miracle). And as we were driving to go see a less active member I recognized a house Sister Werrett and I had knocked on once, no one was home at that time, but I remember her telling me to go back sometime. There was red truck in the driveway that wasn't there before. So I did a semi-legal u turn and we knocked on this stranger's door. A young father, named Gilberto, answered and he was just open and prepared. It was great. He said he believed there could only be one true church and the one he was in wasn't it, but he was looking. He believed in a need for authority. He studies the Bible a lot, but he'd received a copy of 'our book' as well as the religious texts of some other religions. He's talked to a lot of Jehovah's witnesses, used to be a Catholic, currently attends a nondenominational Christian church, and was really excited because he's wanted to meet with Mormons before and ordered a book, but the representatives never caught him at home, and so the book went in the mail. He talked to a guy from Brazil/Utah installing a security system once, but that was it. He had great questions and I almost wanted to say “Blessed art thou Gilberto, for no man hath told you, yet ye have believed!” But I don't know how to say that in Spanish. He's figured out so much, just by living and studying the gospel in the Bible. Somehow he's stayed humble and open and teachable. I don't know how. I'm anxious to find out. We have a return with him and his wife tonight.

After that was hurried to the Visitor Center, where the Elder and Sister Tedrow (Chelsea Tedrow's uncle) picked us up and took us the the fireside and Liberty Jail where my companion and her old companion from Kaw River would be doing a duet for President's friend/guest speaker. They sang perfectly despite sore throats. I so impressed. The guest speaker is the religion correspondent for KSL TV and he's met, traveled with and interviewed every prophet since President Mckay. He had some good stories. What I really liked though is how he kept relating the huge amount of missionary work that's been done to the prophecies given toJoseph Smith in Liberty Jail -- “How long can rolling water remain impure?” “What power can stay the hand of God?” Brother Cardell said, “This Church is a revolution; not of war or arms, but a revolution of truth, a revolution of the Spirit. Come join this Revolution of Righteousness.”
Viva la revolucion de rectitud! It's been a good week and the next one will be even better. Love you all!

Hermana Deb

p.s. HAPPY BDAY LISA!