Dear Family,
This week was another in the books, with a few extra
surprises. Here´s an entry from my Journal that explains one of such things,
´´Yesterday right after our lesson with Jorgelina we
recieved a message from the Zone Leaders telling us that we needed to ´´sí o
sí´´ (absolutely, yes or yes) bring a priesthood holder to the meeting. Wiat
what meeting? Confused, we called them up and they explained that there would
be a trnsmision of Elder Ballard in Cinco Saltos, 2ish hours away by colectivo,
that night at 7:30 and that we needed to bring a priesthood holder. This day
happened to be one of the only days that we had fixed appointments--two of
them--with both of our investigators who needed visiting. I looked at the text
and it said ´´IMPORTANT:´´--as I think about it now, that could´ve been
referring to the important change that we now need to bring a member, as we had
recieved our new phone few days prior and there had to have been other messages
we had not recieved'' but at the time we took it and the fact thta an apostle,
one of the 12, of the Lord was to speak to us as important that you be there.
So... interpreting this with such importance we made plans;
we canceled both of our well-set appointments and ran about preparing things.
We needed: a colectivo, there and back, money, about 1000 pesos, and we were
both broke as it ws the end of the month and we gave our emergency fund to the
sisters the day before so they could go to Neuquén for tramites, a priesthood
holder willing and able to leave within 2 hours and possibly stay with over
night, and to pick up and eat lunch...´´
That was the situation. So long story, short: we got all of
those things, even a member who could go with us, and we went off to Cinco
Saltos.
On the way our colectivo broke down 20 minutes outside of
Cinco Saltos. I really wanted to get to Cinco Saltos to get to the transmision
on time...
Haha, they told me it wouldn´t work, but I thought I´d have
faith and try it anyway. If God wanted us to be their in time, surely he could
stop somebody to give us a ride.
I tried, and got a few people to stop, but they weren´t
going to Cinco Saltos or thought that we needed water. As I thought about it,
we look exactly like the colectivo drivers (shirt, tie and all--minus the tag),
so that´s probably why they thought we needed water for the colectivo.
My companion tried fixing it... ;)
But after all, they sent a another big bus for us all to get
on, and we went on our way, 45 minutes later.
We arrived at the city and found our way to the stake
building. We were late for the transmision, and missed lots of it, but for what
we saw it was really good.
Elder Ballard and Pres. Rasband were in the transmision and
they were talking to all of the missionaries in Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay,
and Chile. It was really good.
He spoke about how we need to use our Technology to reach
the less actives who we are missing. We have a miracle, smart phones, at our
fingertips (you guys, and other missionaries, and the general authorities do--I
don´t). God has given them to us.
A really good part was when we talked about talking to a
bunch of less active men from a stake in Mount Timpanogos, and he told them
that he passed by 2 cemetaries as he arrived, one on the left and the right,
and he said that ´´each one of you, one day is going to be planted in
one of those cemetaries, and when you are, you will have the surprise of
your life!´´ He shook ´em spiritually, and as the spirit directed,
told them that they need to get things in order or else. He said that
afterword, those tattoed, extreme-hairstyled men came up to him in tears and
said ´´Help me.´´
It was good.
Well that´s all for now, I´ve gotta go, but thanks so much
for your prayers and emails.
Love,
Elder Bradley Turek
