Three Baptisms Still On track

June 28, 2010

Dear Family,

Well another week has gone by and it’s crazy for me to think that time is really going so fast. Changes are not for another two weeks. They will fall on the 13th of July. Woo-hoo. I’m pretty sure the mission president will keep me here for another change though. I’m having a lot of success and I’m happy!!! The truth is I feel I need to be in Minas for another six weeks for a minimum.

This week Cristina was my only investigator who came to church. Vamos arriba con eso, porque ahora ella puede ser bautizada!!!! (She can now be baptized because she was in church). She seems to be super excited and she doesn’t seem to have any problems with anything. Well almost nothing... ever since we started teaching her, when we greet each other, she hugs and kisses me. To me, it wasn’t really a big deal. It’s just the tradition we have here. I have probably been kissed more as a missionary than as a regular person. Hugging and kissing is the equivalent of shaking someone’s hand or waving or something like that.

Anyway, I told her, "Well I need to tell you that as missionaries we really can’t kiss and hug you any more". Ha Ha Ha I thought the woman was going to have a heart attack!!! She stood up and yelled a while about how the missionaries have crazy, ridiculous rules and then said “I don’t care, but I guess I‘m still getting baptized anyway”. It made for a good laugh.

Right now the goal in the mission is for every companionship to have one baptism a week. I think I’m getting there!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I have baptisms now planned for the 3 de Julio, 10 de Julio, and the 17 de Julio. The mission president is super satisfied. I will be talking to him on Wednesday in Maldonado. So that will be three baptisms and so far the way things look we will reach the dates and the goals we have made!!! It’s so awesome!!!

Elder Coyago is still super quiet. He hardly ever talks, but that’s fine I guess. I only have two weeks to go with him anyway. I couldn’t start a fight with him even if I wanted to. Elder Haws and I are almost companions because he is really struggling with his comp Elder Lopez (and I am too). Anyway besides that, things are looking good. Elder Haws also goes home in two weeks and his parents are coming down to pick him up. It’s going to be great because he said they will take us out to lunch. Ha Ha Ha. I’m really going to miss him!!! He’s become my best friend over these past few months that we’ve been together.

Besides all that I’m great and I’m healthy.

I love you all so much. Thanks for your support and I will continue to be careful. Thanks Mary for your Email. I never did get an email from Nolan so check and make sure he has the right address.

Love,
Elder Sluder