Baptisms and big changes in area!!‏ - January 30, 2012



Alberto after being baptized



Alberto and Christina

Well, two of our lovely investigators entered the waters of baptism this Saturday night and were confirmed yesterday!!! Cristina Villafañe and Alberto Zarate! It was awesome!! It feels great to see the fruits of your labor. I know the Lord blessed us a lot and I felt very very grateful! Alberto committed to not drinking wine and a day later his best friend (Dr Avelin, an old governor of San Juan) died a day later. We were super worried with his sadness he would grab a bottle but he did great and realized it just makes things worse! I was so happy! Juan and Agustin are ALMOST clean. We felt they weren't ready this weekend but maybe in the next couple weeks. Agustin almost made it but when he stopped drinking he got anxious and smoked 1 cigarette the day before the baptism. It was a hard blow but a good sign for us to know he still needs more time and testimony to get over it. Maria and Maite´s dad still isn't convinced of baptism but he lets them still go to church and listen so we will see where to go forward with them.

The big change. The bishop announced that there are going to be big changes in the ward limits. The Stake President asked us and three other wards in the stake to meet for a conference next weekend. My stomach dropped because I heard rumors but thought since we passed the first of the year when they were supposed to do it. After the meeting he pulled me aside and said we have lots of work to do. They are cutting of about 1/4 of the ward in the area with most success and 4 active families. Cristina who just got baptized lives there and now will have to switch wards. Plus there are 4 other recent converts who will be moved. So, the next 6 weeks should be LOTS of hard work. We are going to be more just in downtown and trying to activate the families that are still in the limits because our sacrament meetings will be cut in half. (From 70 to 35 or so). I don´t really understand why but my job isn't to ask why but to help this ward stay alive. I am sure the Lord will put people in our path to make it happen like He always does!

We go to Mendoza this Friday for the second part of the training meeting. Should be a good short day trip to break up the work. 

Thank you for all your love and support!!   Read Mormon 9!! The Ballards sent me a package and Jonny challenged me to read it and now it might be one of my favorite chapters in the Book of Mormon! 

-- 
Hermana Emily Thatcher

Misión Argentina Mendoza