But also other than that, we had a baptism yesterday. But it wasn't just a baptism, it was finishing a family!!! I will try my best with the time I have to tell the whole story. So this family I am sure I have talked about them already. The mom's name is Helvia, she reminds me of my mom. She just wants the best for her kids, she wants them to have better than what she has. So a little over a year ago, Gerardo was the first in the family to get baptized, and a few months later his mom Helvia followed. Total she has 4 kids. So we started working with Nataly which I KNOW I have talked about her already because I love her like a friend. We worked and worked with her until she was finally baptized too in July. THEN another miracle when her boyfriend was baptized 6 days later, and they were confirmed on the same day. His name is Angelo, and he is basically a part of their family already. SO then Helvia has 2 more sons: one named Michael, and one named Luis. Luis was living in Talca with his girlfriend and 2 kids, and we gave them as a reference to the Elders to teach them. First, the little boy in that family was baptized and that's when everything changed for that family. The dad had a legit change of heart and knew that it was the right thing to do. So during all this time we are teaching Michael whenever we can because he only comes home on the weekends, and he's amazing, too. I love him.
A couple weeks later we get a phone call from Elder Irigoyen saying that they are going to get married and baptized the following Sunday!! SO EXCITING. So then we had Michael get an interview for baptism and he came down the stairs smiling and said, "Yeah, I am going to get baptized the 26th." We screamed, and then it all clicked for us. All four of us missionaries looked at each other, the zone leaders and the Hermana that I was with (wasn't my comp it was Hna Smith) and we said, "THATS PERFECT! Your brother's getting baptized that same day with his family!!" OH my gosh, it was perfect. Of course there were a million and a half trials, as there is with every single baptism, but yesterday they were all baptized and it was the most beautiful baptism I have ever seen. Helvia, the mom, was able to bear her testimony and she cried and was just so grateful for this gospel. Angelo baptized Michael, and he did a great job. He was nervous because it was his first time, but he said a little prayer before he baptized him and it was great! Reminded me of Dad when he says little prayers before he gives us blessings. Cute, right? It really was such an amazing day and this family is now complete. Helvia has seen huge changes in each of her kids and we have too. This gospel is really amazing. It is SO hard being a missionary and fighting against the opposition alllllll the time but the outcome is always so worth it. Just being there and seeing how Helvia was glowing and she was SO happy just makes all the stuff we go through behind the scenes worth it.
I'm exhausted, but we are going to be going out to find more people today. There's SO many more families here in Chile that need this gospel and we get to find them and teach them. Whenever I get a moment like that, especially when all the people are around that I love so much, I just sit back and take a look at everyone and I just could not imagine my life without knowing these people and having this experience. One time, my friend Jenny said that the people you meet on your mission will fill in the little cracks of your heart and I can't even tell you all how true that is. I dont know if they have filled in the cracks in my heart or if I have just grown a whole other heart for them. I can't imagine going through this life without knowing them all. I really am so grateful to be here, even though it is hard and tiring and my body is NOT in accordance with it, I am grateful. So thank you all for praying for me. I love you all and am praying for you, too.
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