February 8, 2010

Hi family! It has been a pretty crazy week here in Coronel Oviedo. We had some disappointments and some great miracles as well. I am learning so much about how to be bold with people and tell them what we believe. As it says in Romans 1:16, “I am not ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ. I know that it brings salvation to the souls of
the children of men.” I have been thinking a lot this week about my responsibility as a member of the church to do missionary work. I am positive that I didn’t do everything I
could to bring the gospel to my friends and family when I lived at home. I just didn’t understand it was such a responsibility and a duty. Today, our email from our mission president talked about some statistics with member missionary work. He said that 80
% of the investigators who know a member get baptized. This is referring to the people who actually investigate the church. The problem is, that only about 5 percent of members participate in missionary work, including referrals that they give to the missionaries, lessons that they participate in, and talking with their friends and
neighbors about the gospel. Many are afraid to offend, but the more I love Gods children, the less afriad I am to share with them the gospel and be blunt and bold about what I know to be true. I don’t think our friends will get offended when they know that we just
want to give them peace in this life and eternal life in the life to come. I hope that we can all not only be examples of the believers, but that we also talk about and look for every opportunity to share the gospel with others and uplift them. I am so
glad that you were able to have a wonderful experience in the Tongan ward.
The pictures are from this Thursday at the house of a member who was going to help us teach. Her name is Rosa and she is a convert of about 2 years. She is such a great lady and a wonderful example to me. She always asks us what she can do to improve and progress more in life. I hope to always be so willing and eager to learn. She goes to visit a lot of the people out in the campa that speak almost only Guarani. In the
first picture, sitting under the tree with my companion, I had just gotten done eating
the duck that they had killed that morning. The second is in front of the Nike cow. Yes, that is a machete in my hand, but you can see only the handle in the picture. This is us tracting but through mandioca fields. I am having a whole lot of fun adventures.
My companion is so great. We are having such a fun time together. She is so hardworking and such a great example to me. She is finishing up at BYU pretty soon here too, so we have a ton of fun things in common. And yes, she knows the Shaws! I guess Kelly just got called to the stake presidency. She said he is always way happy and laughing. It has been a great change so far but always is flying by! I can’t believe it!
We had some investigators at church this week! They are so great and we are hoping that everything will go well with their baptism that we have planned for the 27th of this month. They are so great. The members are really great here too. Things are different, but the feeling and the teachings are the same. I am learning a lot about the duties and organization of the church. It has been a great learning experience for me. Mom, that is way sad about Justin’s mission! That would be so hard! Tell him that I wish him the best though and that things will all work out. Everything happens por algo.

Happy Valentines Day! Congrats Mary and Andrew! Well, I gotta go! Until next week.
Love, Rae