On September 7, 2009, Mom and I were in the Veracruz Airport awaiting the arrival of our missionaries. She was in the magazine shop buying me a National Geographic and struck up a conversation with a Mexican man about 50 years old. She talks with everyone. They conversed for a few minutes. His name is Manolo. He had lived in the L.A. area for a while and knew an American woman who was LDS. He called her his girlfriend. He tried to speak English, but is was pretty rough. His Spanish is much better.... I joined the chat and we invited him to receive the missionaries. He said that he would be happy to and gave Mom his cell phone number. When Manolo wanted mine, I handed him off to one of the office missionaries who was standing nearby. The guy was a little tipsy, I am pretty sure, and I didn't want to give a drunk (or sober) stranger the key to my life. Manolo lives on his rancho near Lerdo. The next day was transfer day. I called Elder Melchor, the missionary going to Lerdo, providing to him the reference. He was excited and promised to contact the man within two days. He did that. The following letter was written by Elder Melchor this week.

hola presidente meda un gusto y es un placer para mi escribirle pues fijese que nos esta llendo muy bien esta semana pasada se bautiso su gran amigo el hno. manolo el sintio ese deseo de cambiar su vida y vemos como la expiacion de jesucristo salva la vida de los demas la verdad me encanto enseñarle a ael aun tardabamos por que pues el queria saber las cosas tal y como eran pero me encanto poderle bautizar pues como sabe el sabado fue mi cumpleaños y ese fue el regalo mas precioso que recibe de n.p.c. el poder bautizar ami garn amigo el hno manolo y a una hermana que sellamam magaly las lagrimas se me rodaron al salir de la pila bautismal por que pude sentir el espiritu de dios y ese cambio que hicieron ellos dos bueno pues presidente me despido de usted desenaole lo mejor esta semana cuidese bye

"Hi President. It gives me gusto and is a pleasure for me to write you. Note that it is going very well for us this past week. We baptized a great friend of yours, Hno. Manolo. He felt the desire to change his life and we see how the Atonement of Jesus Christ saves the lives of everyone. The truth is, I loved teaching him. It was a little slow because he wanted to know lots of things and how everything is. I loved being able to baptize him. Saturday was my birthday and this was the most precious blessing which I could receive of our Heavenly Father to be able to truly baptize my great friend, Hno. Manolo as well as a sister named Magaly. My tears flowed as I left the baptismal font because I felt the Spirit of God and the change that these two have made. Bueno, Presidente, I bid you farewell and desire that your week is the best. Take care of yourself. Bye."

So, Mom got a baptism!!!