¡Hola mi familia y mis amigos!
Thanks for all the birthday wishes! It feels pretty legit to be 21, I think I'll enjoy it.
There are a number of members in Miraflores that remember dad really well from when he served there, but I don't get a chance to go over there to meet them ever. The Vargas family set up last Friday night a little birthday celebration for me as an excuse to invite all the Miraflores members who remember dad to come see me in the Gómez Carreño chapel. Unfortunately, it didn't work out, because none of them could make it on Friday night for work and other prior commitments they couldn't get out of. I was totally looking forward to meeting the Nieto family, and especially the Chapa family. Maria Chapa was baptized with dad, and everyone I've asked has told me to figure out with her what happened to all of the other people on dad's list he sent me of people I need to look up. Also, Dad, you're right that it wasn't Cecilia Benitez, because I met Marjory Alfaro who is now living in Chamiza and remembered you pretty well. She worked in the mission home and still works in the institute building keeping everything clean and organized. She pointed me out to Pilar Arévalo, who I searched out and found, but she never stayed really active in the church. She had fond memories of you, and I didn't get to meet her kids because they live in several parts of Chile now and are several different religions now. I still haven't found some people like Juan Baeza, nor the Reinosos, nor Jorge Salinas, but they're pretty sure all 3 of them moved to Valparaíso.
On Saturday, we had a ward activity put on by the missionary work. We set up with the ward missionaries and the ward mission leader a talent show/karaoke/dessert competition. Elder Judd and I totally would have won the dessert competition if the missionaries were allowed to win, just saying. We made fudge, but got creative, and bought some good strawberry jam and maraschino cherries, and then spread tin foil into a giant egg carton and poured the molten fudge halfway into each mold, placed a cherry or jam filling inside, and then filled the rest of the way with fudge. After it cooled, it was 'Merica in Chile. They came out looking so legit, and tasted to-die-for. No one had ever tried fudge before, and they loved it.
Yesterday, we had a zone conference with President Kähnlein, hence the delayed preparation day. Then, last night...wait, no, first - pre-story: last Saturday in companionship study, we were really worried about Mauricio and Veronica because they are great investigators that complete with their commitments but are just having a hard time accepting the culture change and make the decision to be baptized. We prayed for inspiration, striving to see them as God does and knowing how to meet their needs. I don't recall many experiences in which the channel of revelation has been so clear and so lengthened as during that companionship study. Both of us just went back and forth realizing little by little EXACTLY what Mauricio and Veronica were going through, and we put ourselves totally in their shoes and could understand their feelings, fears, uncertainties, and thoughts, and also which doctrines and principles they needed to understand to be able to make a change. It was about 40 minutes of pure revelation that I wish I could live over and over again. So then, last night, we met up with them and began to teach, and the Spirit guided us again!! We were about to teach certain things, but the Spirit guided us so smoothly to help them grow and recognize their own testimonies. I don't know how to describe this at all, but there was a moment at the end when everyone was just bawling, even the 2-year-old because her parents were crying for happiness, and we all just expressed our love and gratitude to each other, and the relief society president was so loving and helped them feel so welcome. It was then that they understand that they were trying to build their home over a firm foundation, even Christ, to be together forever, and that's why they needed everything in His eternal gospel - faith, repentance, forgiveness, love, baptism, the Holy Ghost, the temple, the priesthood, everything. They accepted it for what it is - true. And now they're preparing themselves for baptism. (Well, they were before, too, but I forgot to include that early last week they dropped out on that and started getting really nervous and not sure about why they needed baptism or the church and stuff.) The battle's not over yet, but it's so inspiring to see progress. I love you all!
Love, Elder Kimball
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