Hey #2 - March 12th

Hey family,
So I have got some time to write now. Some of our plans failed for this afternoon. So I guess I will tell you a bit about what went on this week.
Yesterday we taught the son of the hna. Laura María and his wife. He is a seventh day advantist. We have talked with the guy a few times and he is always hinting about how we disobey the sabbath day because we don´t respect the sabbath on Saturday. So we wanted to focus on the Book of Mormon to help him understand that that was changed with the resurrection of Christ. We shared in Acts 20:7 about how the apostles gathered together and broke bread on the first day of the week. Still it never says in the Bible exactly that the sabbath was changed. So we told him he had to pray and ask God about the Book of Mormon and through that he would know that we have living prophets that lead and guide us so we know the truth of things like the Sabbath day. He said that he hated speaking with people like us because they are so closed minded that they aren´t even willing to listen to other ideas. We wanted to throw that back at him, but instead I testified of the fact that we have the Book of Mormon, the word of God, to find out if Joseph Smith was a prophet of God and if the church was restored through him. If all that is true, it follows that the Sabbath is on Sunday because that is what the prophets have revealed to us in these days. He didn´t really want to accept the Book of Mormon though because he already has the Bible. We also talked about John 9 with him on how the Pharisees wouldn´t accept Christ because he was teaching something new. It is the same with the Book of Mormon and Joseph Smith. A lot of people aren´t even willing to accept what we teach them because it is something new. I further testified that if he believed that God answeres prayers, pray about it. That is the only way that you will ever know. But if you don´t pray you will never know. Never. So what is there to lose?
The hna. Laura María said during her prayer that she would like to follow in the church, but that she is a bit worried about her family. She wants us to talk with her son so in part that is why we are talking with him.
We had a really great lesson about fasting with Vandresa Brites this past week with a member here in the branch, hna. Davalos. It went really well and Vandresa decided that she would fast the very next day to recieve the strength she needed to overcome her addictions and problems. We had a special fast as well with her and also to purify ourselves more from the things of the world. We want more power in our teachings which can only come through the Spirit. So for the next 40 days we will be trying extra hard to overcome our weaknesses.
The family Gassmann also is passing through some rough times. The hermano is sick and is having some problems with his head. Last we heard they have to go in and get a scan done on his head. I was gone through all this for divisions, but my companion went and gave him a blessing with a nearby member. Hopefully all turns out well.
We were also talking with a fairly new investigator, Aldo, and his girlfriend, Patricia. They recently moved into a huge house and we were kind of wondering how he could afford such a huge house him being so young and all still (not much older than us). He said though that he is able to afford such things becuase he doesn´t drink or do drugs like everyone else does. As a result he hasn´t made a lot of friends, but he is definately a really smart guy. The one thing he does do is that he smokes a little for “sport.” It isnt so much an addiction as it is something to do when he is bored. Kind of interesting.
We had to go to Iguazú this past week as well to have a couple of baptismal interviews. My companion interview one guy and I got to interview a really bright, really awesome 13 year old kid. It was a really great experience and I wasn´t so scared as the first interview that I had to do, rather I looked forward to the interview. The two baptismal candidates passed their interviews and will be baptized this Saturday.
We also spent time doing divisions in Puerto Rico which was much needed apparently. We tried to motivate and instruct them the best we could through example and then we had a good talk afterwards the four of us on what they did well and what they could improve. I think it was effective. I only hope that we were able to help sufficiently.
It was nice to get back to my area and get to work with Elder Peterson. I really feel that we are working well together. Probably quite easily one of the best companions that I have had in the mission. He is teaching me a lot. More than anything I really feel that this companionship is more equally shared than any past companionship that I have had in the mission. At the start of the mission I was timid and didn´t speak the language and was trying to learn everything. Than I had the chance to share what I learned with my younger companions and now I am still learning, but I feel quite capable of getting things done myself. It makes me realize that I have come a long way. I am so greateful that I have this opportunity to serve and grow. I only hope that I can continue to grow and be a greater and greater help to those around me and a more effective missionary. It definately isn´t easy though. But it is true that we have not been told that the way will be easy, but that we will be given the ability to make it to the end. I cannot possible see my life without the gospel or imagine giving up and taking the easy way out. For this I will continue to fight on until the end.
Love you all!
Elder Aaron McDonald