RAQUEL GOT MARRIED AND BAPTIZED!!

Dear Neifert Family,

RAQUEL GOT MARRIED AND BAPTIZED!! It was amazing how things worked out. We thought we had everything set up for Saturday for the wedding and baptism. We got to the chapel super early to fill up the font, clean, and decorate. We got there and the whole entry into the church was covered in pigeon poop. The Bishop gave us the keys to the chapel but it was a chain of like 50 keys, so it took like 20 min unlocking the gates and doors. Then our testigos (witnesses) for the wedding dropped out, and then our baptism talks, and just about every member who said they would come called and said they couldn't. Then the guy who was supposed to bring the food didn't show up... BUT then the President of the mission called and said he was coming! It all worked out in the end  and there was an incredible feeling watching Raquel and her family come together to get married and then baptized! It was awesome when her family finally showed up to the wedding.  She looked like an Arabian princess because she put stickers in her hair and on her forehead. 

  

 President gave an amazing talk at the baptism along with another member. The spirit was amazing and you could feel how important of a step this was for their family. Raquel's husband isn't baptized yet, but we have a date set in 3 weeks! Then in a year, I hope they will get married in the Temple! This Sunday they all came to church and were confirmed! It has been a huge pay day for me and Elder Brown.

We found a lot of amazing people to teach this week too. On Sunday we were walking down our street and there were just a bunch of drunks hanging around.While we were walking one of them yelled out and said,  "Hey! Help me I really need you guys help!" So we walked over and he was super drunk but he was with his sisters and cousins and so we talked to them all the while he was crying and saying how bad of a father he was and saying, "Yo soy boracho" (I'm a drunk). His family was laughing at first and then after a while of him crying they started to cry too just because of how sad it really was. He was drinking his life away, his family, his work, everything - he knew it and they knew it.  So we set up like 3 different citas (dates) so we can come back and teach them. Then we started walking home and another drunk guy who was an old investigator found us and he took a picture of us with his camera and gave me a smelly hug.

I wanted to send a  THANK YOU to Grandma and Grandpa, and Aunt Cindy and Uncle Paul for the Christmas money! I think I will buy a house.  (he probably could with the price of things in Paraguay)

Also, thank you all for the Christmas shout outs!

I love you guys!!

Love,

Elder Neifert