A Cat with my Name, A Family Accepts the Gospel

Well before I start, we showed up to a lesson surprised to see two cats in sweaters. Later on in the lesson, the owner called the names of the cats, Heaps and Padilla. We both busted up laughing. "Apparently" the family thinks that the cats are like my companion and I, one cat acts the same as my companion, and the other is like me. So they named their cats after us. We ended up taking pictures with the cats, the cats in their sweaters and with our name tags. I really have been laughing about this the whole week. I really love it here in Potosi. We are really starting to see many fruits from our labor. We had another baptism / marriage this week. It was a family that has known the gospel is true for a long time, and was finally ready to get married and be baptized. The baptism was beautiful. As much as I loved the baptism, I never want to eat, see, or speak, of pizza and cake again. This week I with my companion ended up making a ton of pizza for the wedding with the family's sister. We ended up leaving the services with a full pizza and half of the cake! So Mom I don't think you have to worry about me losing weight any more, I think I gained it all back this week. I know know how to make homemade pizza dough, chocolate coconut truffles and pineapple juice. Besides the baptism, I think one of the most special parts of the week was getting to hear the testimony of a newly reactivated member. The reactivated member invited us over for a lesson with her family. Their father is someone who has started listening to us recently, and has and had many doubts about Joseph Smith and The Book of Mormon, but through the example of his three daughters, his heart has began to soften, and is reading the Book of Mormon every day. Their daughter gave a beautiful lesson, regardless of her short time reactivated in the church. It was very short and the spirit was powerful. After she spoke, she asked us to share our thoughts. We began to speak, mostly testify, of the words his daughter spoke, and bore our testimonies about faith. After our few short words, her daughter stood up and bore a powerful testimony. I don't remember exactly what she said, but it went something like this: "Although my time in the church is little, I know that our Heavenly father hears and answers prayers when we pray with faith. The hour before missionaries first came to our house after years, I had offered a prayer to know what church is true, and what should I do with my life. An hour later, the missionaries came knocking at our door. I know that anything is possible if we have faith. You both have raised me up with good principles and have given me a roof over my head, but what I want is parents who remind me to go to church, remind me to read the scriptures. I should not have to do that for you. My knowledge of God is little, but my faith is strong, and I have faith that if you will just go to church Mom and Dad we can one day be sealed in the temple as a family, It is something I want more than anything. If you will just go to church Dad, you can find your answer and know that the Book of Mormon is true." I cannot do her words justice. After she spoke the room froze, leaving her parents to their thoughts. The silence lasted for a long time, no one wanting to say a word. Finally after a good long time. Their daughter spoke again, inviting her parents to go to church with her. After another long pause, her mother said the surest yes I have ever heard saying, that it is time that she got back to church. I hope that the testimony of his daughter can help her father choose to go to church also. We talked less than five minutes and someone who didn't know how to teach, but had the faith could commit her mother go to church again. As missionaries it is really easy to give a long beautiful lesson, but really the lessons most powerful are the ones short and sweet with a testimony given from a member. The other family that got baptized recently has been giving us references and have gone with us to lessons, and without even asking, have born their testimonies and even taught the investigators how to pray. I am just grateful that the Lord has given me the opportunity to work with this family. I will be telling President no if he tries to transfer me this cambio. No, because I don't think I can leave them behind. haha I hope you are all doing well there in Utah, basking in the sun. In the heat. The only thing I miss is the warmth.