Happy Birthday America!

Hi there!

I know that you are all doing fun stuff this week for 4th of July! Please bask in it for me! It's one of my favorite holidays! Also, shout out to my homeboy Elder Halverson whose birthday is this coming 4th of July as well! Feliz Cumpleanos Elder Halverson! Also, I am not sure why I said homeboy, I never say homeboy... hahaha

Anyyyyway! This last week was quite up and down again! I have been focusing my efforts more on helping my companion. She is really a great girl and I want her to be happy. Please continue to keep her in your prayers!

This last Thursday around 7 pm we decided to search for a kid that we had contacted on the street the week before. We really had planned for him because we felt that he was really interested. We asked one of the members in our ward, Daniel, to come with us and everything. We got to the apartment, I knocked and a woman answered. I was terrified because she seemed very angry. I asked if this kid lived there and she said no, that she was in the middle of something and was very frustrated. I, for some reason, was stumped on what to say... I finally introduced myself, my companion, and Daniel. I told her we were missionaries and asked if we could share a short message with her. She stared at me for a little while and finally agreed. When we entered her house and finally sat down , we prayed and I decided to share a message about the sacrifice that Christ made with her. She expressed feelings that she feels like she is doing everything alone. We expressed to her that she isn't. She began to cry. She told us that she never opens the door or let's strangers into her house but she did with us. She was so grateful that we were mistaken and didn't find the person we wre looking for. It was a really spiritual experience that we had. I really feel as if God sent us her way because she really needed help. She will not be with us here much longer, she is moving to Cancun on Saturday but Friday afternoon we are visiting her to help her pack!

Something that I wish to express to you all is how perfectly Christ knows each of us individually. Before He was crusified, we prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane for help in enduring what He would have to endure. As he did, he suffered all of the sins, pains, trials, and saddness of everyone that ever lived, all that are living now, and all that will live. He suffered so much, that the scriptures say that His sweat were as drops of blood. I imagine that every drop of blood was each and every single one of us. He literally felt all that we have felt and will felt. We are not alone in any trial that we may face. He has suffered all of these things in order to help us personally. If we have faith in Christ, we will never be alone. I promise you all that the things that are hard in your lives willnot last. I promise that if you pray for strength that you will recieve it. Christ knows all of your pains and afflictions personally and He can help you in all your times of need. 

Please meet Marco and Nacho! These two kids are THE CRAZIEST pair of twins I have
 ever met! LITERALLY, they are like two HUGE tornadoes! Last week we saw
them in Wal Mart and someone asked me if they were my kids because
they are guerritos (little white kids) like me! hahaha Also, a man asked me if
 I was from Brazil last week hahaha I love this place! 

I have also been thinking a lot on the subject of repentance. This word sometimes seems to be a harsh word. Often times we think that it is something bad. What I have learned through studying the scriptures lately is that repentance is the most liberating this we have in this world. If we choose to, we can repent of our sins and be completely clean through the blood and sacrifice of Jesus Christ. As we repent, we draw closer to Him and to God and allow ourselves to live in gratitude. I have realized that repentance is a gift. If we didn't have it, we could not progress. The Gift of Repentance is something that Christ asks us to do so that we may drawy closer to Him and live in much more happiness. Family, we all make mistakes. We are not perfect and that's ok. We have this gift though, and we must have faith in Christ and his sacrifice if we truly want to live in peace and harmony with what God has planned for us. 

I love you all so very much. Thank you for supporting me through these last FIVE months! Yikes! On Saturday will be the five month mark of being in a mission! How crazy! I miss you all, enjoy your 4th of July weekend and be safe! Also, pray that the water comes back, we haven't had water for a week and although camping is fun, it's much faster to shower without a bucket!! hahaha

Love you guys! You are always in my prayers!

Hermanaut