A week of miracles!

Dear Family,

Well, this week has been awesome! It has been a week of many miracles. But first of all, I got a new companion! He is Elder Jimmy Hidalgo, from Santiago, Chile. He has been out for 19 months, and I am taller than he is, a first for everything. He is awesome. He speaks English like a boss, which he learned while serving in Philly. He didn't know it before. He helps me a lot in my Spanish and my Spanish is gonna SKYROCKET now. I am so excited. Elder Wright left for Bridgeton, New Jersey. Sad to see him go, but excited for the future.

Ok, so our mission used to have a capacity of like 150 missionaries or something like that. President announced that our capacity is going up into like the 250's or something like that! Gonna be crazy! This next transfer, I think 5 Spanish missionaries go home and like 14 come out. This is gonna be crazy awesome! We are gonna to some work here!!!

OK here are some awesome miracles!!!

1. We were walking in Bethlehem, for about 4 hours, trying to contact some potentials, less-actives, and talking to people. We got to talking to some people, but nothing looked really promising. When we got in our car, we saw this lady across the street smiling at us. We rolled down the window and started talking to her. She told us she was interested in our message. Come to find out her name is Carmen, an alcoholic, admitted she was a little drunk while she was talking to us, and about a year ago she was told she had two months to live.  She told us that she knows God has kept her alive for a specific reason. She told us she never walks around, but today she just felt like walking down that specific street. Weird how these things work out. We bore testimony of the Atonement, and taught baptism. She told me she knew what I was saying was true. She said that we were angels that God sent to her that day. We will work with her!

2. On Sunday, a member asked us for a blessing. You could see how much pain she was in. She could barely walk without holding her back for support. We went into a quiet room in the chapel, and offered her a blessing by the Priesthood Authority of God. It ended, and about 3 minutes later, she came walking up to us, normally, and said that she felt much better. Amazing stuff.

3. Ok, so a kid was baptized in church yesterday. Now, when someone gets baptized in our branch, we go all out. There was plenty of arroz, habichuelas, carne, papas, and even pizza. Hopefully they bought the pizza on Saturday. Anyways, Carlos, Derek (Carlos' son, 12), and Chachi (Carlos' daughter, 6) were there. Afterwards, we were teaching a lesson at their house, the Plan of Salvation. Thank you for the little puzzle thing. It is awesome. I also used the hand/glove technique for the spirit/body for being born, dying, and being resurrected. I knew that would come in handy one day. Thanks mom. Anyway, we finished, but after we were done, he told us to keep going. So we followed right into the Gospel of Jesus Christ, which is faith, repentence, baptism, confirmation, and enduring to the end. We then asked how Carlos and Derek thought about baptism. Derek said he wanted to be baptized as soon as possible. Carlos said that he wants to do it. We have to finish teaching them, but they are set to be baptized the 10th of February. They were on date for the 3rd of March, but they are ready. Chachi says she wants to do it too, and was bummed out when we told her that she has to wait two years!

     Carlos also told us that the day he stopped us outside his house, he was walking the other way, and "something" told him to stop us and talk to us. Now "something" is telling him that the Book of Mormon is true, that Joseph Smith was a prophet, and that Thomas S. Monson is a living prophet. Still not much interest from his wife, but we can keep praying for her. She will embrace it one day. I hope she comes to the baptism. It is impossible not to feel the Spirit there.

Well those are the big three miracles that I saw this week, not including the hundreds of little ones that happen to us every day!

Oh P.S. we also have another baptism coming up next week! Jesus Monegro, the nephew of Fulvio. He is 16 years old, and is a boss. We are just finishing up teaching him, and I am so excited for him. He is receiving everything really well, is reading, and keeping commitments. That is how we as missionaries know is someone is repenting. If they keep commitments. And Jesus is doing just that.

Mom, you asked if there was anything I wanted in my package. PLEASE send me my line of authority. I really want that. Dad, Elder Hidalgo has only been to Five Guys like once. Not many of them in Chile. Help him out.

Ok, I guess I will answer some of your questions Mom. Only we live in our apartment. I do play the organ in Sacrament Meeting, and some other members play along on the piano too. I have to use the transpose switch on the organ which DRIVES ME CRAZY! I don't like playing one note and hearing another. I need to learn to transpose in my head, which I can do with some hymns. ok. We get copies of the Ensign and Liahona. I am good on those. Our branch has like 60ish active members, and more on the way. Our boundaries are pretty big, all of Allentown, Whitehall, and Bethlehem. I don't know how big. It takes about 20 minutes to get from Allentown to Bethlehem, and like 10 from Allentown to Whitehall. Do the math or something.

Well you're welcome for that email today. It was a great week. On not-so-great weeks, I need to remember weeks like this. This work is awesome. This branch is awesome. I got to go, but know that I love you! The Church is true, and P.S. I have been out for 5 months tomorrow! Flying by!

-Elder Dial