Whats up?

Hey Guys!

Whats new with you all? I have some good news from this week! A girl that we had been teaching named Caterina got baptized and confirmed this weekend :) It was a great experience for all of us. It is such a blessing to see the change in people's lives as they do what Christ wants them to do and then receive the promised blessings. I found out today that one of the converts I had in my last area just received the Melchezidek Priesthood yesterday at his stake conference. It was Luis Zarandon and it made me so happy! He has the plan to be sealed to his wife on August 27th in the Santiago, Chile Temple! What a great blessing for him and his family. Elder Barton and I found another family a couple weeks ago who is so prepared. Four of the children will be getting baptized this weekend and the parents will be baptized once they work out things with their marriage. They are so committed and so ready. She said I just felt a warm sensation as I entered the church that has never left me and now I am more calm and relaxed. One of the daughters told me that she had a class in church about Reverence and she had never heard of that word before. I am thouroughly convinced that is where the Spirit is felt. It is not to be found in loud bousterous sermons or in the middle of a guitar solo but in the quite moments of reflection and meditation. God works through the small and simple things and speaks through a 创still small voice.创 1 Kings 19:11-13.

I don't know if I told you guys or not but Belkis who I taught in my last area was able to be baptized. If you remember she needed to quite smoking but smoked about 40 cigarettes a day and just couldn't do it. Right before I left I made a big poster with my companion about how many cigarettes she could smoke in certain time fraims throghout the day and had a scripture to think of everyday to keep her going. With this plan she got down to 5 cigarettes a day but couldn't get any lower than that. The Elders in my old area by chance had a meeting with President Avila(President of the mission) and told him of the situation. He counseled them to teach her the principle of fasting(or going without food or water for 24 hours while praying for specific blessings) which they did. They along with her did a fast ans that day she went to smoke and felt sick almost as if she would throw up when she lit the cigarette so she couldn't do it. Five hours later the same thing happened. The next day miraculously she had no more want to smoke. It's amazing how the Lord works huh? She wrote me a letter this week and I am so happy for her! I love this work! I love you all so much have a great week! :)

SIncerely,
Elder Passantino