Lluvia!

Hey guys it's pouring outside! And I just received a call from Flor and Mareli Ramirez from Chicago! I baptized Flor and taught Mareli and I miss them a ton and sounds like they miss me too. They were upset that their current missionaries haven't come to any of their major family events even though they were invited, and they said, "If Elder Green were here he would've showed up!" I feel blessed to have made such friendships as I have with them and others on my mission. I have felt in a very real way a fulfillment of the blessing that President Herd gave me when he set me apart that I would "form eternal relationships," out here in the mission field. I've made strong bonds with many from the Chicago 5 ward and recently have been forming strong relationships with the members out here. I still have heard news from time to time from the members of the Bloomingdale Branch even. It's been a great blessing to me to hear the progress that is going on there. I also have many friendships from within the missionaries that I've met out here. The group that lives in my apartment complex, Elder Lee, Elder Anderson, Elder Gittins and I have become very close friends and it reminds me of the ones that I have back home. Elder Anderson reminds me a ton of Eric, Lee is a lot like Ty le Rabbit and Gittins is very original and he's awesome. We're actually at war between our companionships on preparation days and stuff. B would love it.

Well I told you guys already in my little e-mails to you, but for the official record, yesterday we had a lesson with Elizabeth Luna and taught her about repentance and baptism. She will be baptized the 11 of June. This is a big step. She has overcome alcoholism and smoking to be able to do this. She is making huge strides. When we taught her about Christ's suffering in Gethsemani for every one of us and everything that we have done, she began to cry as she thought about the "long list" of things that he had suffered for her, and because of her. Her commitment to repent strengthened and her desire to learn more intensified. She truly felt "Godly sorrow." It was awesome and we are excited for the baptism. On monday, we had another lesson with Jesus Samora, in which we spoke to him of the Word of Wisdom. It was a great lesson, as he has had a problem with smoking and drinking as well. When we asked him what he thought about the commandment he said, "I didn't know that these things were wrong in the eyes of God, but if it's in the book, then I don't doubt it." To me it spoke a lot of his faith in the things that we have been teaching him, and he recommitted to being baptized on the 18 of June. We have faith that will give him sufficient time to secure his testimony of the Word of Wisdom.

We've been in contact with some new less-actives in this ward, Maricela Delgado and Carlos Ferral. We have been meeting with them, and Carlos hopes that we can baptize his wife, who has a testimony of the church but so far she has not been baptized. We are very excited to be able to work with these great families. We also are working still with Karla, though she recently has had some hiccups in her desire to come to church. We feel the Lord is humbling her and making her ready to come closer to him. We are also working with the Aguilera family, who are doing really well, and the Reyes family, who are having some marital issues. We are hoping to be able to help them work through this and remain one united family.

Things are going really good out here. I love doing the work of the Lord.

And that's the update!

Love you all!

Elder J.