Ricardo, Graciela, and Andrea

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!!!! 30!  (Elder Neifert's parents have their 30th Anniversary this Tuesday (27th)

That is an awesome missionary experience!  That's awesome you recognized the opportunity, Dad! (Elder Neifert's dad had an interesting opportunity to share the gospel, invite the missionaries over, and bear his testimony about his conversion)

 

 THANK YOU, GAGU for the various hygienic items!  I was in need and you knew just what I needed!  I have already put them to good use!

This week was a good one!  We had district conference and capacitation (?) with the Mission President!  He talked about ward council which was just what we needed and the whole conference was based upon forgiveness and repentance!  Once again it was exactly what the district needed.  We will see what changes happen as a result!  

We got a new rule when the Mission President came in.  The rule is we cannot teach women without a man over 16 there.  It is a very tough rule to keep, but I have found that it is actually a blessing because if we want anyone to progress 99% of the time, the whole family has to be in the same boat.  + the image of missionaries will go up.  

Ricardo, Graciela, and Andrea are progressing little by little.  We taught them the word of wisdom this week and it will be a big change for their family.  Both the parents smoke big time!  DANG IT!  They are ready to change, so we are going to start pumping in strategies and ideas for them to quit.  They are the most intelligent people I have taught so far and just about every lesson they have questions prepared and are ready to learn.  Its a huge testimony about the necessity of reading The Book of Mormon and conversion to the gospel.  Through the scriptures we suddenly find hundreds of ways in which ordinances and commandments bless our lives.  It is a big light in the middle of our week to teach them!  

I got big pretty hard by the familia Francos' parrot.  Every time we eat with them, I try and woo their parrot named Poncho so that he can perch on my shoulder while I eat.  And I guess somebody gave him some bad nuts that morning and he bit me.  It brought down my parrot taming confidence.  Just about everyone has parrots down here and I have tamed my fair share of them.  Poncho, though, will be the black beauty of parrots for me to tame.

We also found this awesome guy named Claudio while we were contacting!  His mom died 2 weeks ago, and he was reading in his Bible and praying for some help when we showed up.  We taught him about the healing power of the atonement and the Plan of Salvation.  It was an extremely spiritual lesson and he committed for baptism, to read, and come to church!

I will be looking for the package, mom!  THANK YOU!

Changes are today and I think I will be staying here and getting a new companion.  We'll see though.....

Love, 

Elder Neifert