Elder Matthew Matheson's Mission Blog : 1 Year Mark and 2 Baptisms!!

Dear Mom, Dad, Family and Friends!

Baby Emma looks so cute. I love her baby blue eyes. Here in Bolivia you would love it mom, and dad you would not like it. It is getting hoooot! This week it was 88 degrees but with about pure 100 percent humidity so it felt like about 100 degrees. We are drinking so, so much water, and we are sweating and sweating so much. Here you can´t see a change in the color of the trees leaves with seasons just the trees give different fruit at the time of the year. The mangoes are close to being ripe. Yummy!

As for this week, it was so so fast, sometimes a little stressful but full of many miracles. Thank you so much for all your prayers. This Saturday we had two baptisms and two baptismal services (that was a first).

Elder Hansen, Marianella & Elder Matheson

Marianella studies in the afternoon and her parents don´t like her to leave the house at night so we held her baptism at 10:30 in the morning!

This day we woke up early and went and cleaned the church and prayed a lot. But I know Heavenly Father hears our prayers because the baptismal service was divinely organized. At moments when I was really worried if everything would work out, I felt the sweet words come to my mind, ´´Trust in the Lord. You can’t do this by yourself.´´ I know that as we trust in the Lord and not in our own flesh, as Nephi puts it, he will work miracles among us.

The service for Marianella was beautiful, and she ask me to baptize her and my companion to confirm her. As she came up out of the baptismal font, she took a big gasp and told us, ´´ Que tranquilidad, Que tranquilidad!´´ or what tranquility, what tranquility. She was so happy, and Sunday my companion gave her a wonderful blessing and confirmed her a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and gave her the Holy Ghost. I am so grateful that the Lord led us to Marianella through her friends inviting her to a ward activity.

Marianella and Her Friends

She is truly a miracle convert, and I know that through her baptismal covenant she truly has received a remission of her sins!

Also that night, we had the baptism service of Hna. Paola! And her son, a recent convert for 6 months, was able to baptize her!

Hermana Paola, Her Son, & Us Prior To Her Baptism

I love our ward. They sure support us so much, and I am so grateful that she entered into this sacred covenant with the Lord. Our goal is now to baptize her husband!