Dear Mom and Dad,
On Wednesday night Elder Thompson from the offices called at 10:30 and told me to pack my bags and show up in the mission office the next day because I was leaving my area before the end of the transfer. He said President needed me to help a sister in the mission. Hna. Duarte started to cry. She didn´t want me to leave. I was willing of course but really confused and sad to be leaving my area.
When I got to the mission home, they told me I was going back to Luján. The silver lining is that I got to be there for the wedding and baptism of Celeste and Mario and got to see all my friends in the branch again. Hna. Vindas, from Costa Rica, and I went back to Luján together in a taxi and did what missionaries have to do, even in moments when the world is turning upside down -- go to work.
On Friday Hna. Vindas and I got to go to Celeste and Mario´s wedding in the registro civil. The Peralta family came to be witnesses. I was so happy to see Celeste and Mario and Jazmín and Belén. They were happy to see me too. We gave Celeste a beautiful bouquet of flowers and took lots of photos while the judge married them. Then we threw rice at them with the Peraltas outside in front of the building. I was so happy that they finally got married! It was a long road, but their faith finally got them there!
The baptism was even better than the wedding, obviously. At the last minute, President and Hermana Benton decided to come, which made it even greater. It was wonderful to see the whole family dressed in white. A bunch of their family members (nonmembers) came to see the baptism, which was really neat. When the four of them were baptized the spirit was so strong. I was grinning uncontrollably. All four of them said they felt happy and peaceful-- they were glowing! Then afterwards Hna. Vindas bore her testimony and President gave an amazing talk about important parts of the restored gospel. I was so happy-- happier maybe than I´ve ever been in my entire life. Celeste and Mario finally got baptized and now their family is going to enjoy all the blessings of being part of God´s kingdom. Together they are going to keep progressing, finding more and more happiness along the way!
After the baptism the whole branch celebrated with massive amounts of cake and soda in the kitchen and Hna. Vindas and I had a table of pamphlets and Books of Mormon set up for the nonmember family members to look at. All the members of the branch were so nice! They were so happy to see the Reyes family get baptized and join the branch!
On Sunday the whole family showed up on time for their confirmation (phew!). Mario came in a white shirt and tie and had a light in his eyes to match-- he has changed so much! As I saw them all get confirmed, I felt so blessed and so in awe at the transformative power that the gospel has in our lives--- it changed the Reyes family and it´s changing me. There isn´t a force for good that compares.
When we visited the Reyes on Sunday afternoon, they told us their next goal is to prepare to be sealed in the temple in one year! YES YES YES YES! Tell me you have seen a bigger miracle. Mario is full of enthusiasm because wonderful President Benton told Mario in his interview that he sees something special in him and that he could be a president of something in the church someday. We told Mario that yes, any worthy man can grow to receive a leadership calling in the church. And the miracle of all miracles is that despite his mistakes and his past [prison, among other things], now Mario is a worthy man! That is what the Atonement of Christ can do! I love this family so much. I can´t wait to see all the amazing things they do with their lives. They are already talking about how Mario will be able to baptize Fausto and Felipe when they turn 8! And Belén, who used to be quiet and reserved, is starting to open up--her eyes are still glowing with the peace she said she felt at her baptism-- and seems excited about Young Women´s. Sweet Jazmín still keeps her thoughts mostly to herself, but she seems happy, and I know Young Women´s is going to help her too. And darling, darling Celeste seems so much less nervous and concerned-- like a weight has dropped off her shoulders. I´m convinced that the miracles haven´t stopped yet. In about 16 years, I expect to see pictures of little Fausto and Felipe in suits and name tags, going out to proclaim the gospel that changed their family forever.
For me, the Reyes family is yet more proof that the church is true. I know that Joseph Smith was a true prophet who restored the true church of Jesus Christ. I know the Book of Mormon teaches us beautiful truths about our Savior and about God´s love for us. And I know that our Savior lives, that he loves us, and that his love, if we choose to follow him, can change not just our lives but change us deeply and profoundly. If the world changes and becomes a better place, it will be a change that comes from the inside out as people like the Reyes family choose to follow Christ and become the people Christ and Heavenly Father want us to become.
I love you all! Thanks for all the support and love!
Love,
Ellis
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