Mason's letter -- August 16, 2010

Hey familia,

So this week was a pretty good one, kinda stressful and stuff but it was good. We were basically all focused on the wedding this week and we had to do a lot of work for that. I had to get all the papers ready and run around to different municipalities to get papers and I had to get them into the lawyer. Also we had to run around with Rony so that he could get money to be able to pay for the wedding. So we prepared everything, but not without some struggles. It's amazing how much Satan will try to stop my weddings that I do haha, even until the last minute. So at the beginning of the week one of the municipalities shut down due to computer problems so we weren't able to take out some important papers that we needed for the wedding (in this country you have to do a million things just to marry someone). So everyone was upset about that, but I talked to the lawyer and with my charm she agreed to do it without the papers... not sure if thats illegal... but we have to get the papers into her office this week. So that was a little struggle.

We thought we had everything perfect...until the day of the wedding. My ward mission leader was to be a witness of the wedding, and he said he was going to show up early. Well we waited and waited for him but he still hadn't shown up. The lawyer only had a certain amount of time so we were kinda in a hurry. He finally showed up with only 30 minutes to spare. So in the end it was all good and there was some pretty good support from the members. I will try to send some pics of that. But it was just so crazy how many trials Satan put into our way, but also so incredible how God always gave us a way to get out of it, we just had to pray and look for the way out... and it all ended up good.

Oh and also yesterday the day of the confirmation the family showed up way late. Apparently the bus broke down that they were on or something, so they almost couldn't make it to church to be confirmed. Man, Satan was working hard! But we worked harder! haha, I really have a testimony that we can always get things done and that we can always complete the commandments of God, it might not be easy and we might have a few trip ups. If we are diligent and obedient, it all works out. Just like Nephi when he had to get the plates. He knew that too and it still took him a few failed tries.

We have been really blessed this week with a lot of cool people to teach. We have found some cool families and there are a lot of people that want to listen to us right now. I know it is because our companionship is really unified and we are working really hard. We have been talking to everyone and being really bold. I learned some cool stuff this week and a lot of cool teaching techniques. In all my lessons now I have learned how to ask spirit-guided questions. So I have put that into practice and it has worked really good. Now the people explain to me the blessings they can receive, and it hits them a lot harder that they need to be baptized.

This week we will baptize two kids of a less active family that we activated. They have been coming to church a lot now and are really turning things around. They almost missed church this week to go do some work to get money (they are really really poor). I explained a little about the Sabbath day and that they shouldn't go to the jobs. There is a really cool scripture in Isaiah that explains that if we keep the Sabbath Day holy, God will put food on our table. So I explained that and they understood and went to church instead. That was cool to see them make that sacrifice. I'm happy that they are following the gospel. So we will be preparing those baptism and we may have another baptism of the 80 year old man too. He is way excited and wants to get baptized.

This week we also have a few ward activities and things to prepare and I have to go to some leadership meetings all week long. So it should be pretty busy, but it will be great. My companion is doing really great and is still working really hard. I found out the other day that he had already gone to a mission in El Salvador, but there was too much stress so he went home. But he worked hard and got back out into the field, but now in this mission. I didn't know that but he is doing really great here. We really get along good and have a lot of fun.

There are a few packages from you guys in the office, I should be receiving those tomorrow. I'm pretty excited. Well I love you all. Thanks for all your letters and everything.

Love Elder Mason Cardon