This week the heat and sun continued to beat down on us, but we continue to work hard. We actually met the standard of excellence this week which is something that doesnt happen every week. The standard of excellence has to do how many baptisms a companionship has had in the last couple weeks, how many they have progressing toward baptism and how hard they have been working to teach and to find people to teach. This success I dont actually count from our own efforts, its true that we have been working hard but many of these numbers have come from the fact that the people we are teaching have a whole lot of faith and are showing it by showing a desire to be baptized and by coming to church. It also has a lot to do with the help of the members here in Lo Campino to help us teach and bring them to church.

Much more important to me than the numbers are the relationships that I have made here teaching. I have been finding that the mission experience is something I can never predict. I have been in this sector for almost six months and there are days when I just wish it was over, wondering if I could tolerate another day of knocking on doors and there are days when I understand the joy of spending moments with the people I have met here and understand that this is true joy helping people come to christ. There are people that have been baptized, there are people who will be and there are people that wont be (for various reasons including lack of interest) but I feel that I am coming to love all of them.

We are teaching a young marriage and they are close to being baptized. We met Karen about five months ago and she showed an interest right away. She wants a good path to follow for her family, she wants to do whats right. Her husband Alberto is also a very good person, though he hasnt been to any church for a long time. I remember when we met him, He told us to come in and he treated us like we were family coming to visit. Although he showed little interest in acting, he was really interested in the origins of the book of mormon and the idea of a living prophet. It has been hard to work with them together because Alberto works in the mines and has to work, fifteen days on and seven days off. When he has been home, they couldnt come to church because basically he liked to do other things, but Karen took advantage of the days when he was working to come to church. Than one day a miracle happened. We came to teach Alberto one day and we found him very tired, he had been taking care of their three year old son all day (who is basically a monster, but the lovable kind). He wasnt really participating in the lesson but was listening, and we decided that we should leave to come at a better time but we were sure not to leave without yet another invitation to church. He sat in silence for a moment and then Karen (who was apparently in the other room) came out of nowhere and said yea, I want to go with you. After another moment of silence alberto said "yea ok..." (ALLELUIA). It is now three weeks later and they have a baptismal date for this weekend. Alberto has said that he would like to push the date back a week to spend more time going to church before being baptized. I dont see a problem with it. Elder Lizama is worried there could be a doubt that they are no telling us, which could be true. Well just have to find out. Either way, I know the lord is happy with their progress and they will happy as well. I found out the other day that Alberto is twenty five years old, Even though he has a family and everything he is my age. I found that a little weird.

Well anyway, that all for now.

I love you all very much and will write more next week.

chau

Jeremy