Parque Leloir- Week #86

Wasn't expecting this one...

Hey Everybody!!!!

Well, my mission has definitely taken an interesting turn of events. Last week was probably the most stressful week of my entire life. I am not sure, but I think I got into a fist fight with Satan. Our baptisms went down to the wire! We spent all week trying to prepare everyone we had to enter the waters of baptism. We knew that Javier, the dad of the Fernandez family, wasn’t going to be able to be baptized because he still has troubles with smoking, so we started focusing in on the kids. I at first wasn’t the biggest fan of baptizing the kids without the dad, especially since he is so excited about living the gospel, but I did some divisions with Elder Varela and he told them the story of his family and how they all were baptized at different times, and how it helped the family, because having at least one member with the Gift of the Holy Ghost in the home can really effect the rest of the family. So we did the interviews with Ilumina, (yeah, her name is illuminate….it is baller) Cristian, and Alejandro. They all passed with flying colors and were really excited to get baptized. The only problem was they weren’t going to be able to get baptized on Saturday, so we planned the baptism for after Sacrament Meeting. Everything was kind of on the verge of turning into chaos but we kept our cool. We even had to wash the baptismal clothes for them on Saturday night because it was dirty, so we were going down to the wire. Sunday morning rolls around and Ilumina says she feels nervous and doesn’t want to get baptized…dang it…so we try and talk to her but she was set that she wouldn’t do it. We were doing a mission fast at the time and I started praying like I had never prayed before. During Sacrament Meeting I leave to go check the font…and it has overflowed into the hallway and into the bathrooms…SHOOT!!!!!!! I frantically start cleaning it up. Luckily none of the chapels have carpet here, so I just had to push the water towards the drains. Still praying. Sacrament ends and I don’t know what happens but Ilumina is perfect, ready to go. I didn’t question, just thanked Heavenly Father, and started preparing everything. Ilumina and Cristian picked me to baptize them and Alejandro wanted Elder Thomas. So we were ready to go, and I checked the font one more time. SOMEONE HAD TURNED THE DRAIN ON BECAUSE THEY THOUGHT IT WAS OVERFLOWING!!!!!!!!!!! It was only like knee high! I couldn’t believe it…I actually contemplated going down into the water and drowning myself, except there wasn’t enough water. So we turn it back on to fill while the service is going on. When we actually did the baptisms I had to like force their bodies down so that they would all go under…but the point is that they got baptized, and they were way happy! So two years in a row I baptized a family on Valentine’s Day. I love baptisms anyway, even though they are way stressful. So we ended the transfer with 4 baptisms, and the zone ended with 40!!!!!!!! WE BROKE THE RECORD! The record was 29, so we were pretty excited about that. In the mission for the past couple of transfers we have tried to hit 200 baptisms, and a few transfers we got 192 which is the record…or I should say was the record…until today. We had 195!!!! Dang it…so close, but still way good! I barely spent time in Villegas this past week though because I was doing divisions so much, even with Hermana Lopez and Hermana Daniels in their area trying to get there investigators to be baptized. I almost had one kid, but the mom was kind of unstable in the mind and ruined everything, we sang her happy birthday anyway.

So that leads up to transfer meeting today…which was just as crazy. First, I got to see Sabey-baby, and I gave him a Christmas present I bought him in December but forgot to give him. We sat together the whole meeting. It was kind of exciting to not know any transfer that was going to happen before-hand like I did in the office. I got to do my T-Day bracket and everything. A lot of important people went home. Elder Arriola my companion from exactly one year ago went home, as well as Elder Fox…noooooo. It was pretty emotional. He is emotional anyway haha I love him for it. I hugged him and he was like shaking crying, and then fights to say through his tears, “I freakin love you man.” Hahahahahahahaha it was sooooo funny! Then we started like some crying laughing mix chortle thing that made me laugh harder. He probably influenced my mission more than anyone. So transfers…you would think that after only being in Villegas for 6 weeks, there is a pretty big chance I am not leaving. But just because there was a pretty big chance that I was not leaving, doesn’t mean there wasn’t a small chance that I would be leaving. So I left…I did not want to leave at all…in fact I told President that…which probably wasn’t appropriate and now I repent, but I told him in a letter before we knew transfers. So I am currently sitting in Parque Leloir with my companion Elder Hinckley from Tennessee. We are the zone leaders of the Castelar zone. He has about 16 months, so I am senior comp, even though I have never been a zone leader before, but I have realized that senior-junior comp titles don’t mean much. I am excited, because Castelar has some taboo that it is a hard zone that doesn’t baptize, but Elder Hinckley was in Villegas right before I was, I replaced him, and so we are looking to get the zone going. Hermana Lopez also came over from Aldo Bonzi to Castelar which is sweet because she gets work done, and Elder Klein and Mills from my MTC district are the district leaders and are both training, so we will see what the Lord has in store for us. I was really sad to leave Villegas, but I have entered into my last area, and look forward to this new assignment and area. Last transfer I experienced more trials than ever before, but I saw more miracles as well. I saw the Lord pour out His blessings on me as I fasted and prayed. I know Heavenly Father lives, and that He hears us as we diligently seek Him. Fasting works! Show your faith, sacrifice a little, and see the Hand of God lift you up higher than you have ever been and sustain you there as you fulfil the purposes He has set forth for you. I love you all, and hope that you are doing well. Keep your heads up and your eyes fixed on the goal, and then take whatever life throws at you, because it will be but a small moment. Chao!

Elder Gilmore

p.s. holy cow i forgot to tell you i got my package and loved it!!!!!!!! especially the video card hahahahaha that last one when dad just stares until mom turns it off was hilarious! and i got grandma sherrys package with her perfume cotton swab in it, and it smelt so good!!! like grandma...thanks!!!!!!!!!!! now i have some good food too to last a while!