Pura Pachanga en estos partes...

Well this was a bit of a trying week for us. I feel like we were working hard, but there were just no results. I'm still doing my best to stay positive and happy, and it's been going pretty well. We did have a couple of people in church (Juan and Maria de Jesus), but neither has accepted baptism yet. We haven't been able to teach Maria de Jesus because she lives alone with a toddler, so we can't enter her house. We finally set up an appointment with her in a member's house tonight, so I'm excited for that. Also, both Luis and Alfredo were ordained to the Melchizedek Priesthood yesterday. Everything worked out with Luis's little scare, and things are all just going swell. Other than that, it was a pretty rough week, though.

We had a couple of weird things happen, though. One day as we left the house, there were three girls dressed up as mimes walking around with a camera singing at people and just miming, I guess. That was weird. Another day, we contacted a guy and he talked to us for almost forever, and when he finished, he said we must be part of the 144,000 that will go to heaven. He had Catholic beliefs mixed with Jehova's Witness beliefs, so that was interesting. Good news, though:I'm saved. We also ate strawberries this week. I forgot how good strawberries are. I will be looking forward to them very much upon my return.

Mom, in the next package, could you send me another 5-subject notebook? All the notebooks here are graphed paper instead of lined, and I'm about ready for a new one.

I wasn't trying to offend anyone with what I said last week, nor to sound prideful. I've just realized that we tend to overcomplicate life and the gospel way too much. The principles are nothing more than simple, universal truths that apply to any situation. It's really just black and white, and as long as we're on the Lord's side, there's nothing to worry about. I don't think I'll face the same challenges as Brigham when I get home because we're very different people and the Lord has given us very different challenges up to this point. I'll certainly have my own problems, and I certainly won't be perfect, but I know that the things I've learned and am learning will allow me to overcome anything that comes.

That's fun that Elder Levie is doing so well. I'd like to be able to serve members like that and to strengthen them, but there really isn't the chance to do so here. Literally everyone works (women included) until 6 PM at the very earliest, and then there aren't members that live close to us to allow us to get home on time. The closest members live in gated communities that we can't enter. I wish I could be doing that, too, but it simply isn't possible in this area.

That's strange that I was the only missionary that wrote for the ward. I would've expected a better turn out. Anyway, I'll be thinking of one for next month, and I'll probably just start sending them the last p-day of the month so it gets up at the beginning of each month. The real problem will be pictures, though. Do they want a new one every month, or is my Guanábana one good enough for forever?

I know that God is our Father. He hears and answers our prayers when we pray with faith. I know that He is aware of our situation in every moment and is always working to help us. I know that He loves us and will never leave us comfortless. I know that Jesus Christ is the Only-Begotten of the Father in the flesh, and that the Atonement that He effected makes possible our salvation and happiness. There is no other way nor means whereby these things come. I know that the Gospel has been restored to the earth through Joseph Smith, and that President Monson is his authorized successor today. He is a true prophet of God. I know that through the Atonement, our natures can be changed. We can not only put off the natural man, but we can become saints, and eventually gods as we apply the Atonement through gospel living. I know that God's grace will lift us to be more than what we could ever do ourselves. It is available to us all, and His Holy Spirit will bring it to us as we ask, seek, and knock.

Elder Facer