The Power of Charity

mi familia amada,

first things first. Yes we have investigators, just a few, but yes we have them. One of which was baptized three weeks ago. The same day that my favorite investigator in Faca was baptized, Sandra. The kid that got baptized here in Sogamoso is named Juan Pablo---he's the best, super smart, punctual, on the ball kid, he captures everything that we teach him, and i believe that soon, he'll know more than me. We have one other that is progressing alot, he's a soldier, we hope that he finds time this week so that we can put a goal for him to be baptized.

Yesterday i went to Bogota for a leader's conference. It was great. All of last week Presidente Hacking was in a Mission President conference in Peru, with a couple of general authorities learning how they can progress their missions. I believe i told you about these eight lessons from the church leaders given to us as missionaries to help us be more effective teachers. The first principle is, that it is required to set a baptismal date the first or second lesson. When I started learning about this new program i thought about the Scripture in D & C that says

''Behold, I will hasten my work in its time.''

In the conference elder Gonzalez stated that we just need to baptize more. The field has never been whiter and we just need to use these lessons with preach my gospel to baptize more. He said, activation is great, but we need to baptize more.

So yes, i was teaching a lot of in active members, but i'm ready and willing to ''baptize more''.

Its been work, working with four sister missionaries. they have a lot of ''needs''. There is one companionship that just cant get along. This week there was an ''almost'' emergency transfer. One of the sisters called me crying telling me that her companion is nuts and that she had to have a change. So the president called the other sister to come to Bogota, five hours away, to work things out. He, in the end, decided to send her back and have them work it out. So, it's going to be a fun next three weeks talking them out of asking for another transfer. haha also, they called me last week and told me they needed to change houses because they had maggots falling from the ceiling. I'm pretty sure they just left something rotting because they eventually stopped. The President in the conference told me it's just preparation for future years filled with women. ha.

This week we spent the night with other missionaries because we got home to late from Bogota. In the morning we went to play with an organization called The Moroni Foundation, its a center owned and ran by a member for the majority, less active member's kids who have fallen into drug and other addictions. They learn how to behave well, developed character, and overcome addictions, and if they want, learn more about the church. I talked with one of the kids that inspired me with his story of recognized repentance. He told me that through his last 17 months he's learned and changed a lot of things, but out of of this, he said the thing that he has enjoyed the most is realizing the patience and love his Father in Heaven has had with him, and how far he pushed him away, and where is now, he told me the joy is indescribable. He has plans to get baptized this next month, the 6th.

In this foundation the brother has seen maricles. He says that one of the kids he's helped is on the mission, one preparing, another went, came back, and is getting ready to get sealed in the temple. I've told you once that the biggest lie i've ever heard is that people don't change. Sometimes, that demon inside tells you that, as you watch people fall back into their old ways, or even with our selves as we try and progess but we seem to be paddling water.

But people do change. I watched as we played, {by the way i made three goals, one was a header. They started calling me ronaldiniho, haha. I'm thinking about goin pro after the mish}, i thought i would hear a swear word hear and there being accustomed to street soccer here in colombia, but nothing, i watched as they called their own penalties and never tried to call an out of bounds ball, in. They never lost their temper, as a matter of fact i think they all acted with better class then my own companion. And as i watched them play i looked at this brother, who founded it all, and he smiled, played, and laughed with them. I could see that he loved them. And in that moment i learned a great lesson. It's the pure love of Christ, charity, manifested through the acts of great people, that change people. I realized that it all comes down to love.

I started to think about Harry Potter. haha. If you remember, Harry Potter was saved from Voldemort because his mother protected him from the spell, Voldamort after failing to kill Harry, shriveled and almost died. It says that with all the power Voldemort had, was triumphed by the power of love.

Drugs and vices had changed these kids, in to a worthless state. Satan has power to change people though the sins of the world, but the power of God, which I felt today, which really just comes down to love, will always overcome the power of Satan. Virtue will always triumph over vice. The power of love, or in other words, the power of the atonement, can change and will continue to change bad men, good, and good men, better.

Each and everyone one of us has the power to change ourselves, and to help change others through the power of charity.

I saw miracles today.

I love you all.

e. adams