Translation

Actually, it is not for 1000 days. It is just that 3 years times 365 days plus June 27 through June 30, 2008 equals 1098 days, and that is way too cumbersome to convert into a blog headline. Futhermore, our release date will not be determined until May or June of 2011. Therefore, 1000 Days sounded just about right, more or less. Having noted all that, we are humbled and thrilled (Pres. Uchtdorf would refer to the feeling as "joyfully overwhelmed") about having this marvelous opportunity to serve in La Mision Mexico Veracruz.

Con amor,
Pdte. y Hna. Pete and JoElla Hansen

Tuesday, May 25, 2010

The letter below this picture was written by Elder Ostler from Eagle Mountain, Utah. He is the one with his pants rolled up so that he cold go out into the water to witness the baptism in Antón Lizardo. His companion is Elder Stewart from Kanab. I have copied Elder Ostler's written account of the conversion story. It is a great story. Part of the fun will be to read it and realize that Elder Ostler writes some things in English translating literally from Spanish. It is not always really smooth, but is fun.


About two weeks ago we were walking down the street. I saw some kids playing outside, and decided to ask them where they lived so we could go and talk to their parents... they pointed to a really poor, humble house. So we went and knocked. An older lady came out, and when we told her we were missionaries, she let us pass by. We started talking with her, and then a lady came out. She joined in with the lesson. At the end we started to ask them what they did on Sundays, and if they were married (typical things we do to find out if somebody will progress or not). Turned out that the lady that had joined in wasn`t married with the guy she was living with, and she worked on Sundays. We invited her, as always, to church. We made an appointment to go back another day, but when the day came, for some reason or another, we weren`t able to go, and we decided just to leave her, thinking that she wouldn`t progress.

A couple weeks later, we ran into her in the street. She stopped us and started talking to us, asking why we hadn`t gone to her house. She told us how she had read the folder [pamphlet] we left and really liked it (to tell you the truth, I didn`t even remember who it was, and neither did my comp). We made an appointment to see her, and as soon as she had left, we remembered who it was. So we went to her house, and while there, her husband came out of the room and joined in with the lesson, the same as has happened the first time with the sister. We taught them about the gospel, and when it got to the time of inviting them to get baptized, we asked both of them if they would get baptized just like Jesus Christ had done. To our great surprise, the brother told us "yes" right away. The sister was a little unsure at first, but then also responded with the same.

Just a few moments later, one of the brothers came into the room also, and told us that he had already been baptized by the Mormons about twenty years ago. He also told us that his brother, the one who had accepted the baptism, had been baptized as well. What a surprise! Well, the wife and daughter still had to get baptized. As I mentioned before, they weren`t married... and the sister didn`t have her birth certificate, which is needed to get married. She had been trying to get it for some time, but was never able to. We got her info, and that day we called the mission offices to ask them to help us with her certificate... we ended up getting it just a few days later, which is a huge miracle. I`ve asked for them before, and it`s taken up to three months to arrive. The best part is that a couple weeks ago they were doing free weddings for Valentines Day, so we were able to have everything we needed on time. When we told all this to the family, that we had got them their birth certificate, and that they were going to be able to get married really soon, just a week after we had told them we would help, they became very happy. At the end, we asked the sister to give us a prayer. She gave thanks that we had gone to their house, and that they were going to be able to get married so soon, that their "dream was going to come true so soon." At the end of the prayer, they both lifted up their heads, with tears in their eyes, which they blamed on the smoke from the fire.

The brother received the priesthood two weeks ago, and was able to baptize his wife two days ago, on Saturday. What a wonderful family! I truly consider them as a miracle, a great gift, from God. It´s amazing to see the Lord´s hand in this area, Antón Lizardo. I know that he truly is blessing us, and everybody that lives here!

-Elder Ostler

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