Happy Birthday Mom!

Hello Family (Note from Mary:  This is from Monday, April 25th),

How is everyone doing? It's awesome to hear how great all of you week was. It was great to see all of those pictures. It's good to see Brycen in the pictures.  Jenna, do you talk to him a lot at school? Or see him? I am so happy for those friend experiences that you guys had Jackson and Vanessa. Jenna...seems like you are just enjoying life right now. Your boyfriend is cool. Were you guys praying together in that picture?

Say hi to all of my aunts, uncles and cousins. I miss them all. Congratulations Alicia for the baby, and Audrey for the wedding. I love you guys!!!

Mom.....HAPPY BIRTHDAY on Wednesday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am so happy for you!!! What plans do you have? I love you so much and hope that your birthday is a very special day for you. If I was there I would give you a big hug, and kiss. And probably make you a big breakfast. YOU are the BEST MOM in the WORLD. Sorry for all of the other moms in the world, mine is the BEST. You have been there for me in every moment of my life. Without you, I don't know where I would be. It is thanks to your love for me, that I'm here serving a mission. It seems like your love never ends. You are always giving your all to help your children. You have given me all of you as my Mom. So...I'm wishing and hoping that everyone makes you feel super special for your birthday because that is what you are for and to me. I LOVE YOU MOM!!!!!

To answer your questions...how am I? I am fantastic. I don't think I've ever been happier in my life. Yes it is really hot. Really really really hot. But that's okay because it gives us motivation to be in lessons all day so that we can be out of the sun. Sometimes it gets discouraging, but I always get over it. I am doing very well. In spite of a couple discouraging things, this week was amazing.

Tuesday we traveled to Cardenas to visit the district class there. It was a really good class where we talked a lot about the work that each companionship is doing in there areas. We analyzed a talk given by Mervyn B. Arnold ''To the Rescue: We can do it''. He makes several important points regarding missionary work. 1. We must not delay going for the rescue. We need to act in the moment and every moment to help everyone we know and meet to be saved. 2. We must never give up. Many times it seems just like too much, or that people will never change. Everything is possible with the Lord, and if we are diligent and patient, we will see miracles. 3. How great shall be your joy if you bring save it be one soul unto Christ. Even if it is just one person you save, that person has an effect on hundreds of others, and because of you, they will be saved as well. 4. No matter your age, we are all called to go to the rescue. Everyone is called to the rescue. We can all make a difference in the lives of others, and we need to do it.  We discussed as a district how we can change what we are doing to become more effective in our calling to save, and how to encourage members to have the same desire to do there part. It was a great class.

On Wednesday we went with Jose Antonio. He was a contact that we made the week before. He is a really cool guy. He lives with his mom and two nieces and he is like 35 years old. He has a ton of tattoos and has a super deep crackly voice. We went and taught him Lesson 1, the Restoration. When we shared the first vision with him, he began to cry. The spirit was super strong. We finished the lesson and he accepted to be baptized, and to come to church on Sunday. He was just ready to receive us.

On Thursday we had our interviews with president. My last interview with him before he leaves in July:(  It was a really nice interview. He told me how much he trusts in me, and loves me. He also told me that he is very proud of the progress that I have made in my 15 months here. He told me that as a zone we needed to step it up (we're not doing very good right now) but that he is confident that I could bring them up to level. I am really going to miss him, he is such a great guy.

I stayed with Elder Chavesta on Thursday in divisions and helped him out in his area. We found a family of seven that accepted baptism, so him and his companion are going to work hard with them to make that happen. It was fun to get to be with Chavesta. He is from Peru and is probably the shortest Elder in the mission. He is awesome.

On Friday, my companion and I found a family of five!!!! They are so great. we taught them lesson 1 and the all accepted baptism. It was so cool. They will be my first full family!!! They have a baptismal date for the 7th of May. They are all so excited. We also went and visited Jose Antonio again. He is on fire....he read the chapter we left him in the Book of Mormon and had a bunch of questions. We helped him out with his questions and invited him to church again. He was so excited to go. He told us that during the week other missionaries from another church came to visit him and he turned them away because ''he found the right church''. He said that to other missionaries. It was awesome.

On Saturday we made cinnamon rolls with Hermano Orlando and his family. They turned out really good. That really surprised me because Jessica is the expert...not me. Now all of the sisters in the ward want me to teach them how to make cinnamon rolls. I think we might plan an activity to make them with the Relief Society. It was so good to eat cinnamon rolls again!!!!

On Sunday we had 7 Investigators in church!!!!! Our family of five, Jose Antonio, and Cindel. That was just a cherry on top for an awesome week.

Tomorrow is the baptism of Cindel, so we are hopping everything goes well.

Anyways....I am super happy, super busy and super tired, but that is how a missionary should be.

I love you all and wish you the best week ever!!!

Love,

Elder Cavenee