Meet the New District Leader

This is the latest letter from Ben. It came on 11-18-14

Hola Familia,

Congrats on the snow. I honestly miss the snow a lot..

This last week was super crazy. We went to Montevideo to go to the hospital because Elder Rollins had an ingrown toenail. They cut it out (gross) then we stayed the night for the conference we had the folowing day with Elder Craig C. Christensen (First Presidency of the 70). It was a combined Misión Uruguay Montevideo, Misión Uruguay Montevideo Oeste (West) conference.

I learned a lot. It's always amazing to get to listen to any general authority speak, especially in person.

Zone Rocha. 

Top Row left to right: Elder Mendoza (Italia) , Elder Ramirez (El Salvador), Elder Martinez (USA), Elder Hansen (USA), Elder Taylor (USA), Elder Delgado (Ecuador)

Bottom row left to right: Elder Morales (Chile), Elder Gallagher (USA), Elder Florián (Colombia), Elder Guttierrez (Perú), Elder Rollins (USA), Elder Rae (USA)

We came back on the bus with the rest of the zone and went home and since then Élder Rollins has had his foot put up. The doctor told him to take a 5-6 days of only walking within the house then to take it really easy for the following week. They took out a large portion of his toe, so it's still a little tender when he steps on it. But yesterday we got to leave for a little while.

We set a goal to read all of the book of Mormon in Spanish (about 100 pages longer than in English) out loud while we've been stuck in the house. We've almost finished. It's been a great experience and we're probably going to have to take a few hours out of P-day to be able to finish.

Well tomorow are changes. Thankfully I am staying with Elder Rollins for at least one more change. There was one change though. I will be the new District leader over the Companionships of Rocha 1A (Elder Delgado and his new companion) Rocha 1B (The Zone Leaders) and La Paloma (Elder Rae and I).

I've never been district leader before so I'm a little nervious, but excited to do it. Tomorrow, I'm going to Montevideo to receive some training in the Changes Meeting.

So...

We`ve been so blessed here in La Paloma. Long story short: one of the less active's that we've been working with has set a goal to do her family history work and go to the temple. She was baptized in Guaruyá Brasil about 35 years ago, so we asked a few weeks ago to have her records transfered here to La Paloma but they were never found.

It turns out that the first time she has attended a sacrament meeting after her baptism 35 years ago in Brasil, was with us, the first week we arrived. 

So... she was never confirmed leaving her baptism incomplete and for that reason is not found in the  records of the church. We've had a great time teaching her everything (because she had forgotten everything to do with the gospel in these 35 years) and she is now attending church with us and reading the scriptures. She is praying instead of reciting, and doing her family history. We extended her the Baptisimal Commitment the other day and she understood completely that her last baptism was left incomplete by not being confirmed and is now excited to be baptized again.

I now have a strong testimony of Family History and working with less active members to find people to teach. If we had not organized the branch activity to do family history to help the members to be able to bring names to the temple, we would have never thought to look for her Membership ID#, nor realized that she was not a member. It's amazing how the Lord works in such mysterious ways.

Well I love you all so much and I hope everyone is doing great back home.

Saludos,

Élder Benjamin Taylor

Ben and Elder Rollins took some pictures of the lighthouse he wanted to share this week.

This is the spiral staircase on the inside that takes you to the top of the lighthouse. Ben has decided he is not a big fan of spiral staircases after climbing this one to the top.

Ben sure does love Uruguay!

The view of La Paloma from the top of the lighthouse

Elder Rollins on the top of the lighthouse