Mario

Thank you for the updates this last week. I loved the pictures of the Beach and the Family. 2 years and I´ll be jumping through the waves too.

I am fine and well down here in Argentina. Days are long, and the nights couldnt be shorter. I have met a FABULOUS man whos name is Mario. 

Mario was outside his house smoking a cig. when we contacted him. We talked for 2 mins, gave him a pamphlet of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, invited him to read it and set an appt for the following evening. The following night we asked him how he liked the pamphlet. His response was 

¨As I was reading it, I just felt in my chest somthing moving. I felt all warm. Like I was reading something good. I felt good. I know what I read in that phamplet was the truth. I just know it. I know it is the truth¨

Since then he has recieved 3 very real and very powerful answers 

1 - About the Book of Mormon

2 - About the sacred work done in temples for our ancestors. 

3 - About the power we receive when we keep the Word of Wisdom.

I want to share just one of them to illistrate the type of person Mario has become and the powerful answers anyone can receive through the simple phrase ¨search, ponder, and pray¨

After our 2nd visit with him, Mario had learned about the Restoration of the Gospel and Priesthood of God. He had learned how to pray and experienced the Holy Ghost bear testimony of what we had taught and what he had read. He also had accepted to be baptised on the 16th of Agosto. At this point in his conversion we invited Mario to read 2 Nephi 31 and pray about it. 

That night Mario read and prayed. He shared his experience with us the next day saying: ¨I had a dream about what you guys taught me. I had a dream and in the dream I saw my Dad who had passed away 6 months ago. He was SO happy. Almost laughing. He was in white. Everyone was dressed in white. There was a very tall guy, all in white too. He was huge. Big shoulders. Supper tall. It was just my dad and this tall guy and they were so happy.¨ In a later lesson we taught him about the work he can do for his ancestors in the templo. For some reason we had a photo of Angel Moroni in our lesson and he looked at the picture of Angel Moroni and said ¨that was the Tall Guy in my dream with my dad!¨. He said he got chills when he realized he could get baptized for his dad, and that he thinks he knows what his dad was so happy in his dream. 

I too think I know what Mario´s dad was so happy in his dream. I know Mario is receiving the divine aid of his ancestors every day we continue to teach him. I know Mario (and his four kids) will bring salvation to his Father, Mother, and all of his ancestors. I can just imagine all of his family members who have passed away with spiritual swords fighting off the unseen forces of evil in this world. 

Mario is devouring the Book of Mormon and is reading Talks by President Ering and other general authourities. He has a Doctrine and Covenants. He reads every day. HE IS AMAZING!

The pictures are of 1 - Santiago y Lordes the cousins of Carlos Almiron, Their parents are preparing for baptisim. and Santiago turns 8 this Jueves and is excited to be baptised like his older Cousin (kind of like Preston and I relationship).

2 - Full moon last night was awesome. 

Love you very very very much. 

Elder Devin G. Hampton