Elder Vanderlinden - Uruguay Montevideo Mission

My birthday was great! One of our investigators made me a really nice cake. It was awesome!

We had a party. Yippee!

!El tiempo pasa mas rápido cuando estoy escribiendo!

Hello everyone! I don`t have much time this week, because we just got done with our last zone activity. Alright, so changes came Sunday night. I am going to be staying in Las Piedras for the next three months! It is crazy to think that I am going to be here for 6 months of my mission. This Sunday a member of the ward gave a talk about how the Lord doesn't choose the people who are the most prepared, but the ones who can learn the most from the assignment. President Eddy called me on Sunday and hit me with a double whammy. Tomorrow I am going to travel to the mission center by myself without a comp and I am going to train a new missionary. I am extremely excited to train and it should be a great opportunity to learn. I am also the new district leader. I have been reflecting on that talk a lot these past few days....and I think it is totally true. I am excited for the new opportunities that I will have, but I also know that I have a lot to learn. Time to get to work!

Also, I wanted to share an experience that happened this week. We were in a lesson with a less active who smokes a ton. We explained that it was not good for her and her family, and that we could help her to stop. Then we did an experience called an “Answer by faith.” Well, thats what I like to call it. We said that we wanted her to open the Book of Mormon to a random page and verse and that if she received an answer, she needed to stop smoking in that moment. My comp asked her if she had the faith to receive an answer. She replied that she did, and quickly opened the book and pointed to a random verse. My comp read the verse and it said that you need to stop and repent, or you will be destroyed. She started balling....and a few minutes later, we left her house with her pack of tobacco. I don`t know how long she will be able to hold off from smoking, but it showed me how powerful the Book of Mormon is...and if we have sufficient faith, anything is possible.

Have a great week everyone!

-Elder Vanderlinden

Food of the week: Mondongo----The rubbery lining of cow stomach. Super…….nasty!

Quote of the week: “All progress takes place outside the comfort zone.” Michael John Bobak