July 14th

Dear Family,

Saturday Alejandro was Baptized! I’m going to try to email photos of the Baptism. Alejandro is 13, his Mother was baptized when she was a little girl, but hasn’t been active for over a decade, his Father isn’t a member, but has been listening to the lessons, and I’m pretty sure eventually he’ll be baptized. “Ale” also has a little brother Nicolas, who is 11, and at first wanted to be baptized, then changed his mind, but still likes to come to all the young men activities and to listen to the lessons. I think he might have peer-pressure not to get baptized—I’m not sure.

About a week ago Alejandro asked us, “so do I get to choose who baptizes me?” “Yes”, we told him, “you can choose”. “Would you baptize me Elder Reynolds?” he asked. There are few feelings greater than someone asking you to baptize them. “Of course” I told him.

Alejandro is a really awesome young man. About a month ago during our first visits with him, he pierced his ear. I didn’t know what to do. I didn’t know how to tell him that as members of the church we don’t pierce ourselves, right after he’d spent time money and pain to get his ear pierced. Time past, and I kind of forgot that I would have to tell him, until last Wednesday we showed up at his house, and Alejandro had taken out his earring and it was sitting on the book shelf. “Elder, why didn’t you tell me I couldn’t wear and earring?” I was surprised. “Oh, I didn’t know how to tell you. How did you find out?” “Last night at young mens, Marcos (an advisor) told me I couldn’t wear it.” “Hey, That’s awesome!” I said. He had given up his earring without any complaints—it was just the thing to do. He also gave the lesson Friday in Mutual, even though he wasn’t even baptized.  He’ll be a great missionary, we’ll just need to work so that he gains a strong testimony now so that he’ll stay firm, no matter what happens. And baptizing his family so he has support would be awesome as well.

Yesterday I learned how many pizzas, 12 hungry missionaries can eat. As a zone we met to go to an All-you-can-eat Pizza restaurant. I thought of Chris a lot as I was sitting there eating pizza. In between 12 missionaries we ate 18 large pizzas, and 2 giant stuffed pizzas, which is a pizza with one crust on the bottom, with the toppings of two pizzas in the middle, and then a crust on top; it was really big. I was so full.

Besides that, we’ve been making home-made pizza Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. We’re almost at Pizza capacity.

Transfers are coming up again, and I’m pretty sure I’m going. I’m also sending a photo of out last district meeting. Elder Wise, the big elder to my right in the photo, is finishing his mission next week and going home.

I think that is about all for this week, oh, wait, not quite, I forgot about church.

So because of the “gripe porcina” or Influenza A, they have cancelled church for a month to try to prevent spreading the flu. As missionaries we received permission to have a small sacrament meeting for our investigators. In church there were 12 in total, including ourselves, and Elder Rogel and I both had to give impromptu talks. But we had it better off than some elders, who had three in church: themselves and the Bishop. Oh well, things will get better, I guess that’s what the gospel is all about: things will get better, because this is the gospel of happy endings.

I love you all family!

  You’re in my prayers!

Elder Reynolds

P.S. Remember: Don’t sweat the petty things and don’t pet the sweaty