On Saturday I got to baptize Karla and Joseling! I feel really blessed to have been one of the first missionaries to find and teach these two girls and their mom. There´s not a doubt in my mind that they were prepared by the Lord and that we were meant to find them exactly when we did! The Holy Ghost has touched the hearts of these girls and their mom in a way that is just incredible...I don´t think they´ve had a doubt in their minds since the first day we met them! I think Karla could leave on a mission right now and be able to teach other people...she´s a genius and already has a really strong testimony. Unfortunately the dad of Karla and Joseling wasn´t able to come...but I think with time he will progress also. Karla and Joseling´s mom, Elia, is also really excited to be baptized! She told us that she is for sure going to go to Masaya this week to sign her divorce papers so that she can get married to her current spouse and then baptized :) Yesterday, Elia, Karla, Joseling, and Job, all showed up to church and Karla and Joseling were confirmed members of the church and received the Holy Ghost.
We had a little bit of an awkward experience during the confirmation of Joseling...although nobody uses it, the ward has a keyboard up on the stage to play the hymns...and during the confirmation of Joseling the first counselor in the bishopric´s 2 year old son ran up to the front of the chapell and started pushing buttons on the keyboard. In the moment that Joseling was told to receive the Holy Ghost, the keyboard started playing a recording of The Spirit of God at full volume! I think everyone thought it was music from the heavens until they all opened their eyes and saw little Enos pounding his hands on the keyboard. To my surprise nobody did anything! His mom just sat their with her head down, and the kid´s dad was the one doing the confirmation of Joseling. The music just kept playing and everyone was awkwardly looking around with their squinted eyes and arms folded, waiting for someone to stop him! Finally someone ran up their and turned of the keyboard. Elder Salguero and I were trying not to laugh because it was pretty hilarious. Luckily, Joseling is really mature for a 12 year old and she wasn´t the least bit bothered by it!
We also had a part-member family show up to church this Sunday. The dad is a member and told us that after about two years of being innactive he wants to start coming to church again. He also said that his wife, who isn´t a member, would like to investigate the church a little bit more. We are super excited to start working with this family! We are going to their house tonight to have family home evening with them.
Our mission president, President Monestel, and his wife went around visiting all the missionaries in our zone this week. Elder Salguero and I woke up at about 5 in the morning on Thursday to deep clean our house so that it would be clean when the President came! The president told us that our house looked good and to keep up the good work. He said to me, "Elder Parrish, you´ve been here in La Concepción for a while now, haven´t you? I bet you know La Concha forwards and backwards by now!" I told him yes, that I know La Concha pretty well. Then after I responded, he didn´t say anything. Elder Salguero and I both looked at each other thinking the same thing...that might have been a little hint that I´m going to get transfered soon! We´ll have to see what happens :)
I love and miss you all! You are always in my thoughts and prayers! Love, Elder Parrish
