Maon's letter -- August 30, 2010

Hey familia,

So this week was my birthday, I'm now a man, no longer a child. It was basically just a normal day for me, I actually forgot it was my birthday until my companion told me happy birthday. But we did go to Pizza Hut, just me and my comp, to celebrate and it was delicious. Also a lady here in the ward made me a lemon pie, and another lady is making me a cake. Also I bought myself another shirt, and the camera is awesome. It didn't look like anything was tampered with. I still haven't gotten the package from Blair, but maybe tomorrow. So it has been a great week, I still felt loved by my family, even from so far away. Oh, also Elder Brown bought me a gift too, a Rubicks cube... I learned how to do them and now I'm actually pretty good at it. I know that's kinda nerdy, but whatever. So it was a good birthday.

This week was a really good one as well in the work. We got Don Paco baptized and confirmed and it was really a spiritual experience. I was kinda nervous about baptizing Don Paco, because I didn't want him to swallow some water or something, I mean he can barely walk and stuff. So quite a few members showed up for the baptism to support him. We then helped him change into his white clothes, and entered the water really slow. I basically just picked him up and walked him down into the water.we got in there and I said the prayer and put him down way slow. Then I picked him up and he was really disoriented haha and didn't know where he was. But then he figured out he was above the water, and we were good. So I picked him back up and we got him changed and stuff. He expressed how good he felt and how happy he was. Then in the service he bore his testimony and it was really powerful, and he was crying a lot. So it was really cool and I felt really happy and a lot of joy. The most joy I've ever felt after a baptism. I experienced a little bit of the love of Christ. It was a really good day.

So the bishop has been kinda concerned because the assistence [attendance, the verb in Spanish for "attend" is "assistir", Mas just made it into English - lol) in the ward has been pretty low for a long time. There are 450 members in the boundaries... with an assistence (attendance) in church of about 70 or 80 people. so.... yeah. Well we have been trying to get it up to 120 for a long time, but it has seemed impossible. But yesterday 115 people went to church and it was the highest it's been for a long long time. I think all the members have been excited with all the activities and stuff and we have worked a lot with less actives. So it was great to see so many people there. It was the first time that the bishop has thanked me for working hard here. He usually is always upset with me for some weird reason, but he was turned his attitude towards us lately.

Yesterday we found some really cool families. the family Lopez is going strong to church and she knows it's true and has been bringing all her cousins and stuff to church, so that has been awesome. But yesterday we found two great families. One is the family of the returned missionary that is inactive. We went and taught just him on Tuesday when I was on divisions with Elder Brown. Then yesterday we went and taught all the family. We felt the spirit really strong and the family is really cool and they all want to go to church and he is ready to change and repent. I really love their family. We gave them some Liahonas, and they have been reading them like crazy. Then we found a really cool guy yesterday and he seems really positive. He was way excited about the Book of Mormon and stuff.

I'm so excited to have found all these cool families here. It has been a struggle for a few months, but I can see how the Lord blesses a companionship when they are unified and both want to work hard and follow the spirit. If there is only one companion that wants to do it, they will not have success. We have had so much success here with Elder Guzman, and it's because we have the same vision. Now I might leave the area this next week because changes are the next week. I now want to stay to work with all these great people. I really love them all. But we will see, I might stay since I just got called to DL.

So we will see what all happens. But thanks for all the packages and stuff, I loved it all.

Love Elder Mason Cardon