We have had some wonderful experiences this past week and would like to share them with you. It started with being able to watch General Conference over the Internet. What a great blessing technology is. We had our spiritual batteries recharged. Then Monday morning we had a new Elder arrive from Mexico, Elder Vazquez. He was supposed to arrive weeks ago, but had visa problems. It was great to meet him and get acquainted with him. He related his conversion story to us. A friend in Mexico City invited him to visit the temple grounds with him. He said that when he saw the beautiful temple he cried. He talked with a woman there and filled out a referral card to have the missionaries visit him. He waited, and waited and finally went back to the temple a year later. He happened to see the same woman there, who asked him if he would like the missionaries to visit him. He then told her that he did that last year, and they never came. Well, the next day the Elders visited him. He was so interested that he had them teach him all of the lessons in one day. He was baptized a week later. He then told his sister and brother about the church and they both joined. His parents were separated and were both living with someone else. They ended up marrying their partners and joining the church. He then started his own business and supported his brother on his mission. When his brother returned, he had also saved enough money to support himself on a mission. So, it was his time to serve. He was delighted to receive his call to serve in New York. However, getting a visa was another problem.
He spent time in the Missionary Training Center (MTC) in Mexico, and then had to be assigned to a Mexico City mission while waiting for his visa. He was concerned about getting his visa and had been told that it could take up to a year. When he was in line he noticed that many people were being rejected. He prayed and he prayed he said, that the Lord would help him that he might get it quickly. When he went to the passport agency he sat down with an agent who started asking him questions. He thought it was unusual that he was being asked him are you married and will you be dating while there?. He answered that he had a pass-a-long card that he would like to give him, so he could learn more about the church. The agent then laughed and admitted that he was LDS and had served a mission. He told him that he would help him get the visa. He was then referred to a woman agent who looked at him and said, "I know you, are you Carlos Vazquez? I know you, you worked at a resort in Cabo San Lucas and helped me when I visited there. I will help you get your visa." In a few days he had it and our mission was alerted that he would join us in three days.
We were excited to meet him and to speak with him. Unlike many Mexicans he is about 6 ft. 1 inch tall and is 25 years old. He was paired with Elder Wilson who is about 6 ft. 2 inches. They will be working in the Buffalo area. When we asked Elder Vazquez what he thought about his visit to the Sacred Grove that morning he said, "I do not have the English words to explain how wonderful it was."
Another great experience we had was on Friday morning, April 6th, at 7:30 am. We drove to the Fayette Chapel (on the Whitmer Farm site) for a baptism. AL R., a young man of about 20 had chosen that special day, the 182 anniversary of the organization of the restored church that took place at the Whitmer farm in 1830, to join the ranks of the Saints. He is a great student at a local College, which is here in Western New York. It was wonderful to be there with him and others. Our mission president gave the talk on baptism.
That night we drove to the Hill Cumorah Visitor Center for a special fireside. Our Area Authority Seventy, David L. Cook, was the speaker. His release from that calling was announced in General Conference and takes place on May 1st. Since he is also a member of the Pittsford Ward that we attend here, and the former Stake President, we are personally acquainted with him. His talk focused on the life and trials of the prophet Joseph Smith. It was a wonderful, informative talk and filled our hearts with a stronger witness of that great man, who had lived right where we were hearing the message. The audience was comprised of the senior missionary couples who serve here.
So, our week was full of wonderful missionary stories. We hope that each of you can also learn of wonderful experiences like these.
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