Writing from Utuado, Puerto Rico (email dated 1/20/2009)

Well the past week was a week full of experiences. I'm not sure if i was able to tell you last week but if i did its alright because you can hear it again. We just got 2 baptisim dates last week with 2 of our investigators which for the 7th of february. They're attending church and really starting to make some changes in there life. Its the best feeling ever to see such an important change start to happin in a family. Yesterday we taught the word of wisdom which is always a scary lesson with the people here in Puerto Rico because almost all of them smoke drink and love their coffee. So we went in with a prayer that the Lord would help us speak in a way that the Holy Ghost could touch their hearts. Unfortunately right when we showed up at their house one of their friends (who's always drunk and a little different) was sitting on their couch visiting with them. Elder Hernandez and i looked at eachother and were just like oh man, we're not going to be able to give this lesson with the distractions that he's going to bring. So we decided to just check up on their reading of the Book of Mormon and how it went and explain the chapter a little and then we were going to leave. So when we got in there we sat down and started talking with them and we noticed the "borracho"(drunk guy) was bleeding from his chin. we asked him what happened and i he told us that he cut himself shaving. Then he went on to tell us that he wasnt all there because he was on drugs because he was passing some kiddney stones... When he said that i started to feel a little bad for the guy. But anyway about 5 min. after we sat down and were talking "Borracho" decided he better head home and get some rest and then we all said, Yeah that would probably be a good idea. As sad as the situation was we were pretty happy cuz now the lesson was back on. We started of with a song and prayer and then we got right down to it. We were happy to hear that they didnt have any problems with any drugs or alcohol but what was holding them up was the coffee. They have coffee every day and they kept on saying that they couldn't give it up because it would be to hard. But after hearing this we showed them what they just told us and let them see how addicting coffee really is and that it was taking away their agency which is a sacred gift the Lord has blessed us with. We ended up talking with them for a good hour and a half about coffee and the affects and that they could give it up if they really wanted. We focused on how with Christ and His love for us we can over come any temptation satan puts in our way and how we'll never be tempted above that which we can withstand. Towards the end of the lesson they really started to see that they could do it and at the end they excepted the commitment to obey the word of wisdom. It was an absolute amazing lesson and the Holy Ghost was definately there with us through out the whole thing and did all the teaching. As i sit here and think about the whole situation with this family i'm filled with joy and a love for my father in heaven. I'm so filled with this joy because right now i'm seeing a huge change in a family's life, their giving up worldly things and starting to follow the path that Christ has givin us through his prophets that we have in these days. Up to this point in my life there literaly is no better feeling then being able to see this change in a family. This work is honestly amazing!

Well i'm starting to run out of time because we still have to go shopping and do all that p-day stuff, oh and by some chocolate to help the Lidia and Xiomara Rosa stop drinking coffee...
so i hope you enjoy the the letter and remember i love you all and you are always in my prayers!
Love always,
Elder Lopez