Week 11: The family really is the most important thing that we have.

Elder Rodriguez, Elder Watts, Elder Mendoza and Elder Duke

Paysandú Area, Uruguay Montevideo West Mission

HOLA TODO!!

It is another beautiful/little windy day here in Bella Union! I just want to start out saying that I am very sad to here about the passing of dearly beloved friend Toby, he was the best dog ever and I know that he will be going to dog heaven! Even though being here in Bella Union has made me hate dogs, I still love toby and I will always love him. Thanks for sending all the pictures of that little guy.

Elder Duke and I just finished making some good ole american hamburgers for our lunch today, there were deliousous! A lot of things happened this week, por ejemplo (for example) today is cambios (exchanges), that is why I couldn't write until today. But our dear friend Elder Rodriguez is leaving our district this week, I am going to miss him, he his an awesome elder. He and I are trading jerseys today, he has a Messi jersey so I am going to give him my Ronaldo jersey, I know it is probably not the best idea but I thought it would be a good way to demonstrate our friendship for each other haha. I am going to sign my jersey and he will sign his. 

Also this week there was some crazy storms! The thunder and lighting here is amazing, the thunder makes it feel like there is an earthquake, it was hard to sleep during the night because i was so scared haha. Also Elder Mendoza from columbia went to the hospital this week because he got hit by a moto while he was crossing the street, or so we thought. We later found out that we went to the hospital because he had a cut on his finger from falling when he tried to avoid the moto, but the cut was honestly the size of a grain of rice. It was pretty funny, but I have learned to double check both ways when crossing the street because the people here are crazy drivers.

Tambien la obra del Senor es fantastico! (The work of the Lord is great!) This week we had two family home evenings, one with the 1st counselor and another with a less active family. We are working really hard with the less active family. I think I told you about them in the last email - both thier daughters are baptized but still the parents, Paola and Charles need to get married. They really are such great people and today ED and I are going to teach them a lesson about how are faith leads to action, in order to help motivate them! Because it is so important that the whole family can be members together in order to strengthen and support each other. 

However, church attendance this week was a little tough because last sunday was independence day here in Uruguay. And they had a parade during the same time a church so that was a little rough. However we had a family come to church for the first time in a little while. They just recently had a baby, which reminds of lil avy. I miss that litte cutie. But every time we go over to there house we bring church movies because for some reason the dad honestly loves movies it is pretty funny. Tambien this week with Rosa was a little tough because we found out that she is not married, so we have to wait for her baptism, but we are going to work on that with her.

In conclusion to this email, I just want to say how grateful I am for my family and for all you guys! And for all your support! The family really is the most important thing that we have, and I know that when family is built on the foundation of the gospel that there is so much more love and happiness in the home. I am so grateful for the opportunity that I have as a missionary to teach and bring families together. Because through this wonderful gospel, families can be together forever.

Yo amo mi familia and todo ustedes, y yo voy a enviar un photo de mi mismo en el campo, proxima semana! Yo les prometo! (I love my family and all of you, and I'll send you a photo of myself in the field, next week! I promise!)