Good-bye, Amy

May 6, 2009
Hola familia,

Happy cinco de Mayo! I didn't email yesterday because our zone had interviews with president. So our p-day got pushed back to today.

I'll answer your questions first mom. I currently have two SD cards. One is a 2GB and I think the one in my camera is the 4GB one. As for that SD card that didn't work, try plugging it into your camera and then hooking it up to the computer with the camera cable. Can you view the pictures on your camera? If that doesn't work you can send it back to me and I'll get it to work for you.

On Sunday I can call whenever I want to. The phones are free on the weekends so I don't need to use a phonecard. By the way I still have that same phone card that you sent me for Christmas. I'm pretty sure it still has quite a few minutes on it. I'll just call you early in the morning at about 8:00 your time and we can set up a time then.

I actually haven't gotten the cinco de mayo package yet. So I'll be looking forward to getting it soon.

This last week has been pretty intense. We met some amazing new investigators.

First, Francisco: Elder Godinez and I were on exchanges. We went tracting into an apartment complex where one of our investigators lives. On about the fifteenth door we knocked on, a man in his late forties answered the door. Elder Godinez began sharing a brief message with us. Part way through Francisco asked us if we'd like to just come inside and talk. Elder Godinez and I looked at each other, our eyes lit up. We got inside and sat down on some white plastic chairs. He began talking to us about how he is going through some hard times right now. He almost immediately began crying. Through tears he began relating to us how he had just lost custody of his little boy. Him and his wife had gotten divorced about 8 or so months ago. And she just left. Then just about a week before we knocked on his door she came back and took their son with her. Francisco was devastated. His son is his whole life. Of course, they went to court over the custody of the child. The court was on the morning that we knocked on his door, so just a few hours previous, in the which he got partial custody. Just on the weekends. Then throughout the rest of the week the young boy stays with the mom. This had destroyed Francisco. He missed his son so much. Much of the night before we came over, he had been reading the bible and praying. Trying to understand why he was going through this. After he calmed down a little bit Elder Godinez and I began sharing some scriptures with him. Mostly from the Book of Mormon and about the life of Christ. Then Francisco said something that I've never heard anybody say before in my entire mission. He said, "That is such a beautiful book. May I have one? How much will it cost?" You could see an eagerness in his eyes. Elder Godinez ran out to the car really quick after the lesson of the restoration and got a Spanish book of Mormon for him.

The story continues...

Elder Tracy and I went back for our return appointment. Elder Tracy was really excited to meet this guy. We sat down with him and began talking to him about the reading assignment that we left with him at our last meeting. He started explaining all of these things to us that just amazed me. It was evident that he had read 3 Nephi 11 and then started from the inside cover of the book. He read all of the witnesses and testimonies of the book. Then read the introduction and everything else that is found at the front of the Book of Mormon. He also managed to read all the way up to 1 Nephi 15. He told us about Lehi and his family. And about Nephi and Laman and Lemuel. I cannot begin to describe how strongly the spirit resided in that room for that short lesson.

Since then we have also had a chance to meet his son and teach him a little bit more.

This is just one of so many people that we have found this last week. I wish I had time to tell you about them all. There's definitely one principle that I've been taught over and over on my mission. The more obedient you are as a missionary to the rules and commandments, the more the Lord trusts you and guides you to those who are prepared.

Amy leaves the MTC in 5 days! The time has gone by so fast. It seems like just yesterday that she went in. I've met a lot of people lately that have connections to Chile. Every time that happens I always get excited and tell them, "Hey, guess what? My sister is going to Chile in 5 days! Isn't that so cool!!!"

I enjoyed hearing about the scuba shop set up in our garage. It'll be fun to use when I get home. I've met a lot of people that I want to go backpacking with when I get home too. So we'll always have friends to go with on any of our trips. Just thought you'd like to know.

Congratulations on tennis Matthew and Jonathan. It sounds like you're both getting better and better every day. What are you going to do next year when coach leaves? I think that'll probably be pretty weird. Hopefully you get a coach as good as him.

I've been using my pull-up bar a lot lately. You'll have to practice to catch up to me, Matthew. Yesterday I did three sets of ten right in a row. And then I'll sometimes do two or three pull-ups on each of the six grips without taking a break. How many can you do, Jonathan?

I love you family, Have a super wonderful week!

Elder Ben Arnold