Week Sixty Two - New Companion

Sent: Wednesday, October 12, 2011 1:08 PM

Hey Mom!

I don´t remember if I told you that today was transfers, or that I was expecting that nothing would change, but in any case, today was transfers and something changed. Elder Lima Santos was transferred after 20 days in the area and my new companion is Elder Gill, an American who used to be the Financial Secretary for the mission. He´s really excited to get working and to help the Zone, which is good because over half of the missionaries we had in the Zone got transferred, too! It was pretty nuts to hear all of the news, to be honest, but now we´ve just gotta get down to it and get working again.

I´ve realized that God never really lets you fall into a routine when you´re doing His will and doing it worthily. I really never expected that in 6 weeks I´d have 3 companions, but it seems that I had something to learn, and something to teach, as well. I realized that what really matters is how we do the work, and if we focus on God´s glory, the results will come, without fail. Every time we obey, God´s obligated to bless us, even if He does it in His time.

I gained a testimony of the Lord´s timing yesterday, when we had a wedding and a baptism on the same day! It was great; the couple was so happy, and it was a really spiritual experience. Another Elder that was here before me talked to the man on the street, and he almost denied the visit, but when he heard that The Book of Mormon could change his life, he accepted, and from there, he got divorced, remarried, and waited 60 days to be baptized. He was willing to leave a woman he´d been living with for 21 years to be baptized! It was so incredible to see their testimonies grow with time, and when they were baptized, it was the realization of long hours and lots of prayer. Because of them, lots and lots of people will come to know the Gospel, without a doubt!

I´m learning more and more each day, and I know that we´ll do miracles together if we really work hard and just do it! I´m excited to get started. Love you Mom!

Love you!!!!!!!!
Love, Eric




Hey Dad!

It´s been heating up lately, but Monday it rained like crazy; definitely the hardest I´d ever seen in my life. And guess who hasn´t bought an umbrella yet. It was fine, though, and no worries, I´ll get an umbrella soon, I just wanted to give the weather update, really.

So I thought nothing would change, but Elder Lima Santos was transferred and Elder Gill is my new companion. He´s American, and he used to be the Financial Secretary for the mission, so he´s stoked to get out there and get working full-time again. Elder Gill´s got about a year and nine months on the mission, so he speaks better than I do!

It´s been really great these last couple of days, though; we got a couple married and baptized last night! It was so cool, and it was all at the church, too. A bunch of their family was there, and they´re all coming to church this Sunday! It´s going to be a great opportunity to preach the gospel, and we´ll have someone right at our side to help us out, for sure. The husband bore his testimony at transfers this morning, and everyone felt the Spirit so strongly. It really was a super special experience.

We´re working hard (or will be, I guess.), and I know we´ll be blessed with more success soon. We have a lot of people who are really progressing well towards baptism, and I know that things will just get better from here. I´m stoked to get to work!

I can´t believe Homecoming was last week, and that Sidney Ross is old enough to be Queen! Holy Cow! But that´s not too important now. I gotta get back to saving these souls!

Love you Dad, and have a great week!
Love, Eric