Before anything, I´d better add a disclaimer to my subject line. I´m not taking credit. It was an incredible miracle that the Lord gave us four confirmations in one Sunday in a ward that´s struggling bit. I don´t want anyone thinking that I´m challenging the Devil to anything. Although with the Lord we can take him.
So anyway, yeah, Nicole, Consuelo, and José were all confirmed this last Sunday, along with Samuel, this giant stud that the Hermanas have been teaching. It was extremely spiritual, and I had another cool experience with the gift of tounges as Heavenly Father directly confirmed Nicole a member of His Church and gave her an incredible blessing through me. I was honored that He allowed me to stand there and be His mouthpiece.
RY-GUY´S ALMOST IN THE FIELD! I´m so excited for you bro! Half of the people we teach are Peruvian, and the second they tell me where they´re from, I interupt and tell them about you. ¨Nosotros somos de Per--¨ ¨¡MI HERMANO ESTÁ ALLÁ!¨ Luckily Peruvians are awesome, so instead of being stunned and turning it into an awkward moment, they just get excited along with my patriotic Peruvian companion, and we´re all suddenly best friends. So thanks for your missionary efforts down here in Buenos Aires even though you´re on the other side of the continent. :)
Great news! Gladys, the world´s most dedicated recent-convert-turned-missionary, is finally having success! Her friend Crispina, lives in the West misison, but comes to stay with her every weekend, and suddenly became interested in the Church. After talking with her, she began plowing through the Book of Mormon starting from where we left off in 3 Nephi 11. When she read about baptism, she described a feeling like a lifting of a burden, and she readily accepted the invitation. She came to Church, and afterwards described her dertimination to ask the Jehovah´s Witnesses to stop visiting her, because she´s found the true Church. We didn´t encourage her in telling off other preachers, but I secretly admire her zeal.
So it sounds like you´ve all heard about the new focus of missionary work in getting an investigator to the Temple. I´m so grateful for this shift in focus. I mean I love baptisms, and I´m right along with the rest of the missionaries inwardly chanting ¨¡Bau-ti-zar! ¡Bau-ti-zar!¨ But this new focus resparked my love for the Temple again, even though I can´t go every day. Baptism is the door to the Kingdom of God, but the Temple is in the center of the Kingdom of God. It doesn´t make any sense to enter the walls of a city and just stand there looking at the palace. ENTER IT! Those sacred buildings are modeled after the buildings already built in the Celestial Kingdom. I´m honored to be an escort to the Temple, rather than a guide to baptism- however important that first ordinance may be.
Love you guys so much. Thanks for all that you´re doing! Hasta la próxima semana. ¡Hurra por Israel!
-Élder Goff
P.S. Pictures
1. A drawing a 7 year old girl of a family we´re teaching drew of us. Apparently I´m going bald. Dad, please send me you´re Rogain.
2. This cool map of the americas in the nearby mall.
3. I officially made homemade empanadas. You may all celebrate my success as an international chef. (I´ve perfected three dishes now: Empanadas, Chocolate Chip Cookies, and Top Ramen.)
4. This is a Bolivian dish that José´s aunt made us. It´s called Falso Cornejo. (Fake Rabbit) It´s good, but if it weren´t for the name, it wouldn´t be Minstagram worthy (Missionary Instagram Hahaha! I think I´m so clever.)
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