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

Hulk Masacrando Artiguenses

Gauchos

Elder Arbon with Presidente Bueno and Elder Brown

Week 61: 2 Corintios 3:3.

This week was another incredible week! On Wednesday we had the great opportunity to help an older couple of missionaries go around the zone doing house checks. It was really fun to help this couple and be with them for the day. They are truly incredible people, so faithful and full of love! On Saturday we had a talent show as a ward! It was probably one of the funnest nights of my mission! There was about 70 people there! The whole ward was clapping, singing, and dancing! I´m so grateful to be able to see the power of the Lord help this ward come together as one. Man, I love this ward so much! In the show de talentos the 4 Elderes dressed up as gauchos (Uruguayo Cowboy) and danced an Uruguay dance. It was so fun! But our investigator Carlos Falco is really gaining a testimony. We have his baptismal date for the 30th of this month. He is such a great man...God is truly sending his angels to prepare the hearts of the children of men. But this week, my companion goes home and my new companion will be Elder Lopez. I can´t wait, he and I are really great friends so it´s going to be a great change where we will see a lot of miracles! But this week during studies I found a scripture that I have come to love....2 Corintios 3:3. I would like to bear my testimony that the gospel of Jesus Christ is engraven on my heart. I know Jesus is my Lord, Savior, and Redeemer. I know only through him and his teaching he can be my advocate with the Father. I love you all and I hope you have a great week! 

Elder Arbon 

Purple Pday

Week 60: "The Book of Mormon is truly a book of miracles."

This week was absolutely amazing! Monday we had a noche de hogar with a family that just recently moved here from Maldonado. They are a menos activa family so we have been working really hard on getting them back to church. They came last week and this week during the noch de hogar the husband told us something that really hit me pretty hard. He said that the wife has truly changed. Before they knew each other they she was a drug addict and a prostitute. But due to the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the amazing power of the Book of Mormon she was able to have a change of heart. It really showed me that the Book of Mormon is truly a book of miracles. Also this week we had tri-zone conference with President Smith. It was the first time in mission history that we had it here in Artigas. President said he wanted to have us show the other zones so that they could implement the things into their zones. It was such a great experience! The spirit was so strong and everybody was uplifted from it! Also this Sunday was a lot of fun! There was a huge storm that cancelled church! The streets were flooded and a lot of the houses of members we flooded as well. So we told all of the hermanas in the zone to stay home and all the elders to get to work. It was so humbling to see the way people live here. It really showed me the blessings of the Lord that I have in my life. I love you guys, have a great week!

Elder Arbon