Elder Salinas:I could really feel the love that this guys has for the gospel! Transfered

Family,

It was another crazy and fast week here in the mission!! On Tuesday night we were planning and we Called Jorge and Joana to tell them we were gonna meet them and the place at a certain time and he says,"Berry its that we've ran into some problems.. me and Joana cant get married and I don't want to talk about it over the phone so come over when you can!" and I about cried, I couldn't believe it.  The next day we couldn't go over because we were in a meeting with Elder Salinas from the Seventy.

Elder Salinas:

I couldn't tell you how much I enjoyed listening to this guy!! you would have thought he was a coach, getting his team all pumped up to go play a football game!! He yelled at us like a coach would! but it was a full 2 and a half hours of feeling the spirit!!  He blanched on us because missionaries at times have the tendency to focus only on baptizing. The missionary purpose is: "Invite others to come unto Christ by helping them receive the restored gospel through faith in Jesus Christ and his atonement, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the holy ghost and ENDURING TO THE END!"  there are many investigators that get baptized but that's it. they don't come to Church again. if they just get baptized and then drop out, what did we actually do anything for them? because the blessing only come as we continue faithful to the end! He repeated like 10 times, "missionary work isn't over until your investigators arrive to the temple!" also many members think that "missionary work" is the two year period that 18 and 19 year old spend away from home. but its not. missionary work is a commandment from god to every single member of the church! (D&C 138:56) we cannot be saved without doing missionary work! Here are a few things you guys can be doing back at home:

-temple work

-invite those less actives over to have dinner and excite them to come to church

-and the visiting member (home teaching)

everyday there is somebody that needs our help!! Pray day and night that you can find them!! 

So the next day, me and Elder Acevedo went on exchanges to go and visit Jorge and Joana, right as we turned the corner, there little shop was closed! so I'm thinking "my heck we just talked on the phone the other day and planned this lesson out! where are they?!" so I called and he said ," well berry its that me and Joana had a problem and shes left to her grandmas house so we wont be selling hot dogs today" so I hung up and started a cussing all ticked off and elder Acevedo was like "hey! repent!!" ha ha so I said a prayer and repented and then me and him sat down on the corner and started talking about mango's and how much we love them and we were there for like 15 minutes (and usually when a appointment falls we go immediately to the next plan) and Jorge turned the corner in his car hoping to find us! what a miracle!! we didn't even realize that we were listening to the spirit while we were talking about mango's ha ha! but long story short, Jorge was married to a lady in the US and there still not divorced and so when he talked to Joana about having to talk with her about signing papers, she got a little upset and left! so we talked for a little and then he took off to get Joana back!! so yeah we've ran into a few problems.. he has to get divorced before they can get married and they have to get married to get baptized and they have to get baptized to be able to go to the temple in a year. so theres alot of work to do!!

Then just barley on Saturday, the assistant called me and told me I'm being transferred to a different area to be a district leader... so I'm a little sad I have to leave behind Joana and Jorge! but very thankful I was able to share the gospel with them!

Elder Berry