Querido Familia y amigos

Querido Familia y amigos

Im very grateful to be in the area where I am because the people are so very good and humble. This week I gave a talk about service in church where I talked about coming to know the Savior through service and really trying to emulate him (compare John 17:3-Mosiah 5:13). After that Elder Barton and I sang a duet where I had to sing solo a little part. We sang ´´La oración del Profeta´´ or Joseph Smith´s First Prayer but we did it to the tune of ´´Come thou Fount.´´ Everyone seemed to really enjoy it so that was great!

I did divisiones with an Elder from Guatamala the other day and that was sweet. Its been incredible to know so many people from so many different cultures. I have know missionaries from Guatamala, Mexico, Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Paraguay, Uruguay, Peru, Honduras, Chile, Columbia, Ecuador and Argentina. Every country has its different culture, vocabulary and way of being. I have become very good friends with many of them and am grateful for modern technology so that I can stay in contact with them even when they are gone. There are so many amazing people in the world its great.

There is a recent convert to the church here that had to give up everything. She ran the Catholic church under the direction of the Priest in charge of this part of San Juan. She worked with the finances and things to that affect. She listened to the missionaries and asked God if it was ture. She received her answer that it was and had to change everything. She was persecuted from many people, she lost clients in her work and was openly rebuked in front of her entire congregation. But she stayed firm to what she had received from God not from men. She was not ashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, as a scripture that my brother showed me this week says ( Romans 1:16). I hope we are all willing to stand a little taller in defense of what we believe is true and make sure that what we believe is confirmed with God to be true. Have a great week!

Sincerely
Elder Brian Passantino