And you thought you had crazy sacrament meetings ha ha

I stayed here in Alberdi with Elder Heaton. Elder Taylor left to Formosa with Delgado. Elder Soltelo stayed and is training Elder Medina. Elder Medina is from Lima Peru (same as Elder Soltelo). He is cool, a little reserved but that is probably because he just got here and is fresh from the MTC. 

This is a long story, haha. The baptism didn´t happen :( We went to church and it was fast and testimony meeting because we had stake conference last week. Right after the sacrament had finished and the testimony meeting began one of the members (we will say john for his sake) got up to share his testimony. As he went up to the stand he was very excited and walked briskly up to the stand. Once there he laid down his prepared discourse with his scriptures in hand. He started off by telling us how he had been studying fervently in the Doctrine and Covenants and he wanted to share with us in section 121 verse 41. It talks about how no one should have power by virtue of holding the priesthood. He then whipped his head around facing the bishopric and the first councilor from the stake presidency who happened to be in attendance in this meeting. He repeated the verse to them focusing that they should not exhort power over others through virtue of the priesthood. (I thought that he just wanted the bishop to let the members have more activities in the ward because he doesn´t allow it and I was all for it, but it goes farther than that) He then went on to relate to us that it doesn´t matter if we are the bishop or the janitor if someone in the church throws garbage on the ground we don´t say, well I´m the bishop so pick the garbage up. We should persuade them with scriptures and say no this is the house of god and it is a house of order and we have a garbage bin, so will you please throw it away. Then he started apostatizing.... He then started telling us how the local leader’s aren´t inspired of god and how no one can make him get down from the pulpit like the bishop did the last time (apparently this happened a couple years ago as well) and that not even a general authority or an apostle or President Monson could make him get down, that not even an angel could. He declared, I have been baptized in the name of the Lord and I have been called by him to deliver this message. At this point the first councilor of the stake stood up and started talking to him asking him to please sit down. He replied saying, No I just got through saying that no one can make me get down. One of the women from the ward stood up and said, I think that this is just a personal problem that you have with the local leaders and this isn´t the place or time for this. You should schedule an appointment with the bishop and talk to him. We would all appreciate it if you got down. At this time members of the congregation started leaving. The first councilor pointed this out to him and he replied back that it was the first councilors fault that they were leaving because he scared them when he stood up. They continued bickering back and forth for a time while more and more members left. Then the only investigator in the church stood up and walked out and the first councilor said, look now you have made a nonmember leave. At this point he asked all of the Melchizedec Priesthood holders to gather and for the congregation to leave. He had all the priesthood holders kneel in prayer. He prayed that we/he could be forgiven if he didn´t handle the situation correctly because he has never faced anything like this before then he asked that we could all have love and forgiveness for one another. He asked for special blessing for John. Then after the prayer everything was calm again. A few members started to hug John and he got mad and said, No I don´t need your hugs I need you to listen to me! Then the first councilor, the last bishop, the first councilor of the ward, and various ward members tried to get him to stop and just be calm. Eventually twenty minutes later after agreeing to meet with the stake council he calmed down a little and we were able to go on with the remaining meetings. He just sat in the back and didn´t say anything. Unfortunately during that time Joel and his family left so we went to visit them and the baptism will be next week. haha long answer

On a sad note Santiago doesn´t think that he can progress and he said that we were wasting our time so we have to drop him for now. I am sure that a little while down the road that he will get picked back up again and it will be his time.

I don’t mind that I didn’t get transferred. We don´t have a lot going right now but it is better staying here than going to an area that is worse or changing for a comp that I don´t like. It wasn’t a bad transfer, I am sure that it will pass quickly. I just want us to be able to find new people to teach we are lacking on that and it is my least favorite part of missionary work. The thing is that it doesn’t matter where I go.

 I love you guys and I can´t wait to hear from you next week!

P.S. I don´t think that I am the best cook, haha I can cook a few things but the food that you and dad cook still is a ton better.  I remember that we always ate really good food! Even all my friends who came over would always comment on how good it was! But it is time to go so I will write you guys next week! Love you very much!