December 15, 2014

So, this week we had a random baptism.....like, really random.

Last Sunday we were waiting in the hall after priesthood, when a woman comes up and asks us if we'll arrange a baptism for her grandson. We tell her we'd love to, but first we'll need to teach him all the lessons, and he'll have to come to church at least 2 more times.

She explains that that's not going to work, because he needs to be baptized before Saturday, because after that he goes back to his house in San Luis.

It then starts to make sense, she's his grandma, and wants us to baptize him this week before he can go home to his parents.

But we don't say anything to her, we tell her that we'll see what we can do, and we'd stop by later that day.

So after church, we stopped by.

Turns out, he'd had all the lessons before.......And he lived in the ward, he just went to school in San Luis.......And his parents lived in the same house and were members.

The only reason the baptism was urgent was because the Grandpa (who was going to baptize his grandson) was leaving to Argentina on a business trip Sunday morning.

Anyway......after a whole lot of talking we got it all straightened out. The Grandma was just terrible at explaining things, and we would have a baptism that Saturday.

Anyway, here's a picture of us with Pedro, all we did was have one gigantic 3 hour lesson with him :)

OOOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Carlos finally got his birth certificate!!!!!!!!!!

We're going to the municipality with them tomorrow. If all goes well we'll baptize them this Saturday.

It was honestly a miracle.

We went to his house after we'd heard the news and he said "Elders, you'll never believe it, I prayed and asked if this church was true, that I might receive all that I need to get married, and baptized."

"Elders, two days ago my old job paid me the two hundred soles they owed me from over 5 years ago. And just today my neighbor gave me one of her husbands’ old suits......All I'm missing now is the birth certificate”!

Words cannot describe the joy I felt when I told him "Actually Brother. ....We 've got your birth certificate right here".

It was an experience I'm never going to forget......

Which brings me to my last point......

 The people down here don't have a lot.....most of them don't even have roofs on their homes. I've seen a good share of dirt floors and plywood walls......but through all that. I've yet to meet a single member who wasn't willing to give it all for this gospel.....

Just the other week an investigator asked me if he had to be a member to pay tithing. And yet another asked if after tithing and fast offerings if there was another way he could give.

It's been completely amazing to see......Even when they don't have anything. These people are still willing to give.

Anyway; I love you all, and I hope you all remember, it is truly is better to give than to receive.

Elder Winn