Leonel's Baptism

April 25, 2011

Dear Family,

Well I had an interesting week with bad weather. Monday and Tuesday started off well and we were able to work without any bad rain storms. Then Wednesday we got some really bad, bad rain!!!! I also ate something at lunch that day that made me sick. On Thursday morning I was still sick. We didn’t really work too much that day and the rain was still pouring down!

On Friday morning the assistants came and picked me up and went on that special intercambio. We had the intercambio planned for two weeks ago, but it never worked out, so we rescheduled it for this past week. I was still sick but I got into the mission truck anyway and we drove to Montevideo. I worked in spite of my stomach pains. I was able to keep myself from throwing up during the lessons, so it worked out well. HA-HA-HA. We worked in an area called Malvin and it was not pretty. I really do feel spoiled that I don’t have to live in this mess that’s called Montevideo. Man I hate the big city! Saturday morning we drove back. We went from Montevideo to 33 in two and a half hours. It surprised me how fast the trip is made in a truck compared to the four to five hour stop and go bus ride we usually take.

I got home Saturday morning (still sick) and we worked for a little while in the morning. The rest of the afternoon we prepared for the baptism we had scheduled. Our converts name is Leonel and he could be the most awesome convert I have had so far. Right after he was baptized, he asked all 70 of the people we had at this huge baptism if he could offer up a prayer of thanks while he was still in the baptismal font. Of course we let him. At first I found it a bit weird, but then the spirit flooded the room. It was amazing!

Yesterday, when we got home from church, I still wasn’t feeling too good so I called the mission doctor in Argentina. He put me on a special diet for 24 hours and so far, so good. I am feeling just fine now. He said it was probably just some sort of stomach virus that I got and I just needed to rest my stomach for a little while to recuperate.

Yesterday I also received a call from Presidente Da Silva and today Elder and Hermana Davidson arrived!!!!!! It’s awesome!!! They’re from Texas and are here to help us become a Stake. We have lunch with them in the next hour or so. They are just so great. He’s an ex-mission president from Mexico.

I also just got off the phone with the assistants and I asked them if they would leave me here for the next change… I really want a fifth change here. Four changes are very rare and five in one area is just unheard of, but we shall see on Sunday what happens. They said that it’s not likely but noted the suggestion down and so we shall see. Oh and one more thing about changes… after working with the assistants this week, I came to a conclusion that I have no desire to do that job. It’s just too much craziness and I would like to end my mission in a nice peaceful place where I’m not responsible for so many people!

If you could put 25 bucks in my account ASAP that would be marvelous!!!

I love you guys so much and Happy Easter. I can’t believe how big the kids are getting! I loved the pictures!!!! Happy mission ending to Austin! I LOVE YOU ALL.

LOVE,
ELDER SLUDER