Week 65: "He really taught us the importance of the Book of Mormon and the necessity of it in conversion."

This week was a great week! We had the opportunity to do division with the APs Monday and Tuesday. It was such a great experience because we learned a lot from them! On Friday we had another great experience to go down to Paysandú to do a zone conference with 5 other zones. We listened to the president of the area named Elder Walter Gonzalez. Such an amazing man! He really taught us the importance of the Book of Mormon and the necessity of it in conversion. It really was a great experience and I learned a lot! These past few weeks we have been working really hard with the familia Zapata. They went inactive a long time ago but are now coming back to church. Two of their kids, Mateo 14 and Victoria 12, are not baptized but have a baptismal date for the 28 of Dec. Also, Samanta, the daughter of Carlos, is also preparing to be baptized that day as well. We are waiting for her dad to receive the priesthood so he can perform the baptism! I love you all and have a great week! 

Elder Arbon 

Baby Jantz

Week 64: "filled up the font with buckets in 40 minutes."

This week was a really great week! On Thursday we had the opportunity to go down to Montevideo in order to listen to President Smith. It was truly incredible! We learned a lot of amazing things and I´m really excited to teach them to our zone. Saturday we had a great day.  We have a companionship that was having difficulties in getting along with each other. So we went and had an interview with the two of them. It was a great experience to see the spirit work through us in order to help these two missionaries. After that we got a phone call from some hermanas that were going to have a baptism that night and they said the baptismal font didn´t have running water. So we told them to come to our church. We got there about 6 o´clock and the baptism started at 7:30. The font usually takes about 3 hours to fill up. So my companion and I, and another companionship of Elders, and the hermanas filled up the font with buckets in 40 minutes. It was so much fun!!! 

I don´t have a lot of time today because we don´t have a Pday. The assistants are here in Artigas and we're doing divisions with them today and tomorrow.  I want you to know that I know this is the one, and only true church of Jesus Christ. I know only through the priesthood power in this church can we be saved. I know through the holy sacred ordinances of baptism, the priesthood, the temple, and the sacrament we can partake of the effects of the atonement. I know the Book of Mormon to be the word of God. I know that Joseph Smith was a prophet, he restored the true church to this earth so we can obtain eternal bliss.  I hope you have a great week!

Elder Arbon

Baptism of Carlos

Baptism of Carlos

Week 63: "By far, hands down, the best week of my mission!"

By far, hands down, the best week of my mission! Tuesday and Wednesday we did a choque de fureza (I don´t know how to say it in English) with one of the companionships in the zone and it really helped them out. But Saturday was absolutely amazing! It was the baptism of Carlos. We had the baptism at 7 but he showed up a little bit late because he was waiting for his daughter. The beginning part of the baptism was amazing. Then he and I went into the font and as we were waiting there one of the doors to the font was stuck. So he asked me if he could say a prayer. So we sat there in the font just us two and he said a prayer. It was such a powerful and sincere prayer. The baptism was amazing! After Carlos got up and gave his testimony. It was by far the most amazing testimony I have heard from a recent convert. It was incredible! During the baptism his 17 year old daughter cried almost the whole time. She came to church the next day and is preparing to be baptized by her father in 2 weeks! I love you all and I am so grateful to be in instrument in the hands of our Lord. 

Elder Arbon

Week 62: "Another amazing week!!!"

Another amazing week!!! My new companion is Elder Lopez, from Washington state. Such a great guy! He and I served in the offices at the same time and were really great friends so we hit the ground running as soon as he got here. This week we had some great lessons with Carlos, he is super excited for his baptism this coming Saturday. I can´t wait! Now we have started to work with his daughter, Samanta. But we had a really great experience this Sunday. We went out to Quaraí Brazil for a stake conference. The stake president asked us to be his support. It was great to listen to him and the mission president from the Brazil mission. I really felt the spirit super strong because I was able to understand almost everything. It was an amazing experience! I know God talks to us through the spirit and through the Holy Spirit we can receive the gift of tongues and the gift of interpretación. I love you all and I hope you have a great Thanksgiving week! 

Elder Arbon