Hello Mom and Dad,
I have an incredible story to tell you both. Well everything is riding
smoothly in Pamplona. We could use more help from the members to teach
families and find new investigators. I remember before I left for the
mission, I wasn't too excited about sharing the gospel with other
people. Well, irony is cruel because nearly all of my areas that I've
been in the church members don't really help us out with missionary
work. A few do help us out, but they're very limited to the help they
can present because of work and school. So, Mom and Dad, I urge you to
pray for opportunities to share the gospel with the missionaries to
family or friends. It will be a blessing for you, the church, and the
missionaries. It's something I learned in the temple about sacrifice.
Well, that's about all of what's going on in Pamplona. We're preparing
a 13 year old boy for baptism this Saturday. His name is Jorgino, and
he really wants to seguir aprendiendo mas acerca de la iglesia. He has
permission from his mother who really wants to help him out, but his
father is the one we need help with. He recently gave his son
permission, but he himself is like Abuelito Hector, catholic and a bit
hard hearted. We're going to see him and talk to him for the first
time tonight. Rock n roll.
I'll tell you about an icredible story that happened here in the
mission. It all happened before I got my change from Pisco to
Pamplona. It starts with a missionary who already finished his
mission. His name is Elder Jay. I was never in the same zone as he
was, but I did get to know him for only 5 hours during a zone
conference.
Well the story goes like this: He lives in California, but
he was an adopted child from Peru and never knew his biological
family. Well, he grew up in a family who are church members, and he
got his mission call to the Peru, Lima South mission, and he was
excited. He asked President Manning for permission to look for his
parents, and it was granted. Well, fast forward the scene, and 1 week
before he finishes his mission, he still hadn't found his family.
Elder Jay, while in Chorrillos, asked his pensionista for help, and
she was able to get the data for him, and found out that his family
lives somewhere in Pamplona Alta. With permission from President
Manning he went to our zone and asked for the missionaries to find his
family. Some 5 days left before his mission ends, Elder Bearnson and
Elder Xicay found his mother and told her that her adopted son is a
missionary from the church, and that he's here and wants to meet her.
Four or three days left, Elder Jay finally got the opportunity to meet
his biological mother who gave him up for adoption about some twenty
years ago. He entered the home and saw his family all waiting for him
and asked, "I heard that my mother is somewhere here, where is she?"
So they told him that Carmen was his mother, and Elder Jay finally got
to meet her, but only for two days.
He gave his testimony with tears
in his eyes that Sunday meeting, and said that he wanted her to know
the restored gospel, but that she would decide for herself to be
baptized.
Well, Elder Bearnson and Elder Huaman ended up teaching her family,
and they got baptized yesterday Sunday morning. I interviewed Jasmine,
Jesus, Elder Jay's siblings; and Carmen, his mother. In fact, his
mother asked me to baptize her. I don't know why she asked me, but I
think it's because I told her I'm from the same state as her son. I am
convinced that our Heavenly Father answers prayers.
So, there you have it. God exists. The odds of that happening are so
slim, it's just a testimony builder. My time is up, and I have to get
going. Hope you enjoy the story.
Elder Emiliano León
