Mission to Rosario Argentina: It's Christmas in Arroyito!

Feliz Navidad en Marzo!

It only took 5 months but Haylie finally received her Christmas Packages!!

So this week was loco crazy. Our main focus was Aby and Liliana. We visited them Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday preparing Aby for her baptism set to be Saturday March 4th. Then we had a zone conference Thursday and directly after we had divisions with the sisters in la Florida...so there we were Thursday night in divisions and we receive a text from Liliana saying that she does not think that the time is right and she did not want Aby to get baptized, pleading for our understanding. Well a few transfers back the same thing happened, yet she cancelled the date a week or so before, not 2 days before when all the invitations were out and the plan was super set. So we are freaking out, trying to get a hold of her and she is not answering texts or calls, and we are not in our area. We returned to our area Friday around 6ish (day before the baptism and the night of the planned interview) and we rushed to Liliana and Aby's house to which we are not given a warm welcome. Liliana says through the window, Didn't you get my message?? Well by some miracle she leaves her house to talk to us outside. We are struggling to find the words that might have power to change her heart. She seems to have 1000 excuses. After about 10 minutes talking outside, we hear Aby's voice, "Mom, please let them come in!!" Second miracle, we are allowed into their house. The struggle for words continues. We testify but she seems trapped byl her doubts. We are praying fervently for some miracle. Liliana is worried about her home, money, work, caring for Aby, time, the list goes on and on. We read 3 Nefi 13: 33-34 (Which is also in the bible, so we read this because in that moment Lili was into the Book of Mormon):

But Seek Ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you.

Aby's Baptism

Then Hermana Moore shared a personal story, and Liliana's heart softened. The spirit was able to testify to Liliana what she needed to do in that moment. Minutes later we find ourselves walking to the church to have the baptismal interview for Aby. We rearranged the baptism to be at 3 in the afternoon due to Liliana's work, but they showed up, and through the tender mercies of the Lord, Aby was baptized, and Sunday was confirmed a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day saints. Shoot! This Aby is quite the character though. She's great haha. And she bore her testimony yesterday in fast and testimony meeting. She gets up to the pulpit and begins to pray and says the whole prayer and closes it and proudly walks down, but it was a great prayer and served as a testimony as well. We are truly amazed at the miracle that we witnessed- of the goodness of God who helped Liliana in a fragile moment when she was ready to give up, and for the gospel of Jesus Christ and the knowedge that through faith, repentance, baptism, the Holy Ghost, and a whole lot of effort on our part to persevere, we can return to live with our loving Father in Heaven, and we will have guidance, joy, and comfort in this life.

Love you!!! Have a fantastic week!