10.13.2008 (Email)

Hello everyone! How are you all doing? Well, what a great week of mail! I got pictures from AK and Ryan in the mail of when Mom and Dad were in Denver, a letter from AK and Lisa, and a letter from Becky and Lori Larson (Greene because she´s now married). And if you all would like to know, Becky´s engaged! Yay!!! She´s getting married November 28 in Manti. I´m very excited for her.

AK, I just got a letter from you as well - through the pouch. Gracias!

Lisa, Happy Birthday again! 25!!! I hope you had a great day celebrating. Know I was thinking about you.

Well, I had a good week. Rita and Oriana Martinez (mother and sister of Rocio) were baptized! Quite the experience! I think I told you that Rita wanted to be baptized in the river. We weren´t sure how it was going to work out, because naturally the river would be a little complicated. There are very few members that have cars, and there isn´t a bus that goes to the river, so we didn´t know how members would get to the baptism. Not ideal for support.

We ended up talking to the Bishop, and he wanted the baptism to be in the church. We talked to President Cook, and he also told us it would be much much better to have the baptism in the church, for many reasons. So we didn´t know what to do. Rita had her heart STUCK on the river. Everytime we talked to her she told us how much she wanted to be baptized like Christ was - in the river. She did not want to be baptized in the font.

So we headed to their house on Wednesday to try to talk to her. We talked and talked and talked about how it was better for her to baptized in the chapel. We talked about the different reasons. She didn´t want to change. I mentioned that many times I want to do things becase it´s my desire, not necessarily because it´s the desire of Heavenly Father. I´m trying to distinguish the difference in my life, and do the will of Heavenly Father. We finally asked if it was her desire to be baptized in the river or if it was Heavenly Father´s desire. We would all pray about it, and then make a decision the next time we talked. Us, the ward members, other missionaries, and President Cook were all praying for her.

We called her on Thursday night because we couldn´t go to her house, and she said that she had decided to be baptized in the church!!! It really was a miracle. The truth came out that a member of the ward, Hermana Valenzuela, who is also her neighbor and friend, also went over and talked to her after we did. She helped Rita recognize that it doesn´t matter if we´re baptized in the river - it matters that we´re baptized.

It just made me think of Elder Holland´s talk about angels. There are angels both seen and seen here on the earth. Hermana Valenzuela helped answer our prayers - she was an instrument in the hands of the Lord. It made me want to be that angel for other people. I want to help people like Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ would if they were here in Plottier with the people - in person.

The baptism was wonderful. We had it Saturday morning instead of Saturday night because another of Rita´s daughters turned 15 on Saturday so they were having a big celebration that night. We usually have cake after the baptism, but upon Rita´s request, we had pizza instead. Mmmm... Mmmm... Good. :D

Sunday they received the Holy Ghost. What a wonderful blessing the Holy Ghost is.

Funny things... since a lot of my area is ¨country¨there are cows, pig farms, etc... But the other day we were walking and I glanced over at a yard, and then had to take a second look - like ¨what was that?¨ I looked over again and there was a huge pig (hog?) just grazing in someone´s front yard eating the grass. No fence or anything, just hanging out. I thought it was funny.

We´re heading to Senillosa today to go the river and have a zone preparation day. It is one elder´s b-day and another is headed home next week, so we´re doing something a little different. It should be fun. :D

Analia and family are doing well. We´re having a hard time meeting with them because Analia works so much. About the only time she is home is when we´re at lunch. We´re working at it.

We´re also working with Magali. She has been in the hospital so we haven´t been able to talk to her. We´re planning on going tonight.

Andres is doing well. He hasn´t been able to go to church, so that´s going to be our focus. We went to teach him on Friday but he wasn´t home. Have I told you he´s a boxer? He was out of town for a fight. Andrea tells us that he won.

Monica Troncoso. She had a baptismal date, but we´re having a hard time getting a hold of her as well. First her little boy was sick, and now her dad I believe is in the hospital. We´re hoping this next week we´ll be able to meet with her.

Gabriela and Adrian are doing great. Knowing Gabriela like she is now, I would think she has been a member her whole life. She is 100 percent involved in being a member. Institute, a calling, taking notes at conference... everything. She´s amazing.

Well, thanks for all. Dad, thank you for the pictures you sent through the email! I had seen a couple from Denver that AK sent, but others different as well. I love seeing the pictures, so thank you so much!

Thank you all for you love and support. Your always in my prayers. Thank you so much for praying for me. I gain a lot of comfort from the knowledge that I am in your prayers as well. The church is true. I love you all very much!

Con Mucho Amor,
Hermana Jana Banana Pincock

P.S. I don´t think I¨ll be buying shoes today, but hopefully next week? If you
just want to put money in my account that would be great. Gracias!