Hey Friends!

Dear family and friends!
HAPPY FATHER´s DAY!

This has been another phenominal week and I am doing very well! We had our last interviews with President Lindahl which was great but sad. I really do respect and love him so much. He is a man called of God, and was the perfect perfect to have the calling he had. The 1st of July the new Mission President Sergio Avila will be coming. I will miss President Lindahl so much, but I know that President Avila is now called to serve here at this time. Besides, President Lindahl and his family are having mission reunions every april and September so I will get to see them in a little over a year :)

As I went about this week I really have been thinking a lot about faith, and what it means and how we can grow in our faith. There are so many aspects to it, but it is so crucial that we keep the commandments and do everthing we can and our faith will allow the Lord to step in and do his part. This week I had been praying a lot for a investigator named Fabricio. He is 22 and he is a really cool guy. I have been working with him for about three months and have been trying to help him the best I could along with my companions. He has had some strong spiritual witnesses of the truth and knows that the things we are and were sharing are true, he even told us that. He knew that the first ´´leap of faith´´ is baptism. He felt nervous of change, and he didn´t want us to put any pressure or anything on baptism. So a week ago we had an idea. We said we are going to learn how to receive revelation from the scriptures. So we each said a silent prayer about a certain question we had, and then asked him to open the Book of Mormon to anywhere and that he would receive revelation on what the Lord wanted him to do. That was going on a lot of faith, but we know the Book of Mormon is true and that the Lord comes through when we exercise faith. So he flipped open the Book Of Mormon to Mormon chapter 7 which says that, ´´

8Therefore repent, and be baptized in the name of Jesus, and lay hold upon the agospel of Christ, which shall be set before you, not only in this record but also in the record which shall come unto the Gentiles bfrom the Jews, which record shall come from the Gentiles cunto you...... 10And ye will also know that ye are a aremnant of the seed of Jacob; therefore ye are numbered among the people of the first covenant; and if it so be that ye believe in Christ, and are baptized, first bwith water, then with fire and with the Holy Ghost, following the cexample of our Savior, according to that which he hath commanded us, it shall be well with you in the day of judgment. Amen.

What an answer to him huh? Well he said he received an answer that he needed to get baptized and that is what God wanted, but he wanted to pick the day, which is fine and good. Well we were at that for about a week and then I remember praying with my companion, ´´God, please let Fabricio pick a baptisimal date tonight.´´ We did everything we could and I was really trying to pray with faith. That night I was on splits so it was me and a member at his house. After a short lesson on Enos and watching a Elder Holland talk, I asked him how he felt, to which he replied good and that he knew the church and Book of Mormon were true. I said well we need to act on the impressions of the SPirit and you know what you need to do just tell us when. He said well............... I have been praying and I feel like I need to get baptized the 26th of June :) It was a sweet test of faith, and the Lord answered in his own way and in his own time like he always does. It was such a feeling of joy. There is no greater satisfaction in this life than helping others come unto Christ. Nothing can bring greater happiness. I love you all!!!

Sincerely,
Elder Passantino

Hey!

Hola familia!! How are you all doing?? I hope that you are doing great. Well I have had another fantastic week so that's been awesome! I got released as District Leader on Sunday so that was a little sad, but I was very grateful for the opportunity to serve those wonderful Elders, and I still can just in other capacities. We had another excellent Sunday with a great devotional. It's cool because we get to watch in class sometimes devotionals that were given at the MTC in the past by the quorum of the tweleve and such! We have seen ones by Elder Bednar and Elder Holland so far. They are absolutely incredible. Something that Elder Bednar said that I really liked was that the best way to prepare for a mission was to become a missionary not just merely "go on a mission." Obviously it is a life long process and we must always strive to share the gospel, because of the hope and joy that it brings us! I am always amazed here at the love the Savior sheds upon us, and how much I have felt the pure love of Christ, it is truly amazing! (Moroni 7:45, I think) But I am constantly edified everyday by the Spirit that is the supreme teacher here. I learned a lot of cool things about faith here its amazing how much power comes in wanting to believe something, believing it, knowing that it is true, and then acting upon the knowledge which the Holy Ghost has given us! Its truly a blessing. I had some incredible experiences this week that are very precious to me. Last Tuesday we had another District meeting thing after the Devotional. The Spirit was literally poured out upon myself and the other Elders in the room. I think I understand now the words of Paul when he said, "covet to prophesy." It was a very special experience that I will not forget, partly because I have been writing it in my journal! Oh the new District Leader is the Elder who I have become really close with, Elder Brook. I think I have talked a little about him, but he is a great example to me of enduring the hard times, and following the Spirit at whatever the cost. He was baptized a year and a half ago, when he was 19 yrs old. He had been investigating for about two years but his parents never approved of his desire to be baptized, because they are not religious at all. He basically took a leap of faith by being baptized, and when he told his parents he finally wanted to be they said they thought they had failed in raising him. He said that was the hardest day of his life but the Spirit told him constantly that that was the decision he needed to make. I respect him so much for pushing through those hard times. His family still isn't very supportive but they are coming around. He lets me read letters from his mom from time to time and she says that his new found religious zeal has caused he to contemplate what she believes in. He said that that is a huge step for her in his eyes. He truly has made major decisions in his life based solely on faith and the Spirit, it is a great example to all who know him, and I have the deepest respect and love for him. His story almost exactly resembles the story of Mom and Dad, except for a few minor differences. It makes me appreciate ny parents more than I ever had, as I am beginning to understand the leap of faith that my Dad took by joining the church, and the humble but stunning example my mother has set for generations to come, by staying faithful to the beautiful Spirit that is in her. I love my parents and my family more than anything, and I'm so grateful for the opportunity I have to give other people the Gospel of hope that is my foundation and strength, even Jesus Christ. I want everyone's family to be together forever with their Father in Heaven and Jesus Christ and I couldn't be more grateful to get that opportunity at the ripe young age of 19. I know I made the decision to serve a mission long before this earth, and I committed to do all in my power to invite others to come unto Christ, through His restored and true Gospel! I am fufilling my preordination (Abraham 2:8-9) and I have the Spirit to testify to my soul that that is true! I love you all, I continue to do amazing and rely on God to help me through everything, as I put in my strongest effort. I pray for all my family and friends everynight and day and I hope you feel that!

Love,
Elder Passantino