August 20, 2012 Hey Family I am glad that Vegas was fun. There is a huge boliche (club) near where we live called La Vega. It has a picture of the Statue of Liberty on it and I never understood why until yesterday we were talking to a less active 40-ish with 8 kids hermana who told us that is one of her favorite clubs. She was talking about how it has that statue that signifies liberty because the world is like that... all things are free for the taking and it doesn´t matter what one does because consequences don´t matter.. I don´t know, something like that. I was trying not to laugh when she told me she had gotten back from dancing at about 6 on Sunday morning, slept for 2 hours and then went with us to look for her neighbor Graciela, who is going to get baptized probably on the 1st of September. So besides Graciela and her super cool son Matias, we are working with the Gutierrez family still. The hermana has come to church three times in a row, and she is super converted. Her husband and her two boys didn´t come this week, and I asked her why on Sunday, and she just kinda started to break down and asked me what we can do to get her husband converted, because the boys pretty much follow him. I have been working with this family for about 3 months and I don´t know what more they need to just take that step. I know you are praying for us and for the people we teach, but I wanted to ask that you especially keep this good family in your prayers. The other day, we were in a cita with them, and at the end (which was a mess because they always have really loud and obnoxious visitors like right when we feel like its a good oportunity to extend the baptism committment) the hermana told me that for now she was not going to get baptized. I just felt my stomach fall and everything seemed to just kind of shut down for a second. She then greeted Pamela "Anderson" (the hermano´s sister in law. She announces herself as Pamela Anderson every time she karate kick´s the door open....) and looked back at me, and asked me why I was so quiet... Well, we just played it off kinda and then set up a different cita for 2 days later. That lesson was great. That was when we realized that the hermana is converted. We talked a lot about different things, and I asked them if they feel like their reading from the Book of Mormon is guiding them and helping them to know what they can do to come closer to God. The hermana said that she started to realize how much repentence and baptism is emphasized in the book. I asked her if she read 3rd Nephi 11, and she said yes. The Book of Mormon is such an important tool. Besides the Spirit, it is the most important tool that we have as members of the Church of Jesus Christ to share the Gospel and help others understand all the "good news" that our Savior brings. We usually always leave 3rd Nephi 11 to read just because of the spirit that it usually brings. If you haven´t read it lately, I would recommend it, trying to imagine yourself as one of the multitude that Jesus commanded to come forth and to feel the marks of the nails in His hands and feet. Or try to immagine hearing the voice and testimony of the Father, and then seeing that Man enveloped in white descend. I love every word of that story. Anyways, I am doing good. We are finishing up this transfer and I am excited to see what happens here in a week. We lost almost 30 missionaries this last week due to so many going home for school. Including one assistant, and 12 of the 24 zone leaders. A lot of good friends are getting to that point of going home. Elder Reininger went home, who I will miss a ton. We did many exchanges back when I was born and when I was in Godoy Cruz. Elder Fackrell goes home in about 7 weeks. I will always remember him as my trainer and will miss him a ton. Relationships made while serving the Lord are always worth being treasured forever. I hope you all are doing good. Love ya Elder Daybell