There is No Substitute for Love!

What an incredible week! De 10!! as the Argentinians would say!

KEILA AND OSCAR WENT TO THE TEMPLE FOR THE FIRST TIME!!!! (The Buenos Aires Temple) Keila shared her testimony yesterday in church and said that the Spirit was undeniable in the temple, and that once she entered she could not doubt.  She said that she knew that the Church of Jesus Christ is the true church. Entering the temple, she said she felt as if all her problems, doubts, confusions and frustrations

Las Hermanas 

were taken away. She felt a happiness she hadn't before and it was evident in her testimony how she grew through this experience!

My dear companion Hermana Schmutz finished her mission this week and her parents came to pick her up!! The struggle is real in talking English but I warmed up after a bit! They came to church with us in Baigorria yesterday and it was great for her to be able to hear Keila's words and see how Oscar and Keila have progressed because it was Hermana Schmutz and I that were the first to teach them. 

We had a leadership council on Thursday and soaked in this final time we had with Pte. and Hna Zanni. We talked about bravery and courage, and about saying the words that often go unsaid. We talked about how when speaking with others we must always have love for them. There is no substitute for love! As missionaries sometimes we get carried away and think that we have to be very direct and call people to repentance, which we do, but when it is done without love it can offend or damage a precious child of God. 

The Zanni children

Saturday we had the farewell of President and Hermana Zanni. I wish their was a way to explain this precious day spent with them and their family. We had a face to face with them and truly I am so grateful that I came to this mission to be able to meet the Zanni Family. They were called of God and always worked and taught by the Spirit. They were dearly loved by us, their missionaries, and we felt their love for us. They taught by example. We emotionally gathered in a circle (as half of the mission) and they personally said goodbye to each one of us. Then we sent them off as we sang "God be with you til we meet again." Very special day that I will always remember. President Zanni shared the scripture D&C 18:15-16 through tears: 

15 And if it so be that you should labor all your days in crying repentance unto this people, and bring, save it be one soul unto me, how great shall be your joy with him in the kingdom of my Father!

16 And now, if your joy will be great with one soul that you have brought unto me into the kingdom of my Father, how great will be your joy if you should bring many souls unto me!

Farewell to the Zannis- So Grateful for them

He humbly stated that he has experienced great joy in the mission, but the greatest joy is seeing a precious son or daughter of God use the atonement of Jesus Christ to repent, change, and come unto Him. He surely saved many more souls than one. So all in all a wonderful week full of all sorts of emotions. I am so very grateful. 

having fun with Hermana Schmutz

Hermana Mathis