San Lorenzo is hot! It's also like re-opening an area.

Hello Mom and Dad,

Well hello family! Seems like it's been two weeks since I've written you guys because I hardly wrote last week. I'm trying to be more obedient with my ONE, short, tiny hour of writing and I can't lie... I'll probably go over today as well. However, this week was just fantastic. I'd compare it to tracting in France, like Dad did those many moons ago. We aren't opening this area but it feels like it. When I got here we had two investigators because, apparently, there "aren't any investigators" here. But we've found a lot, tossed a lot, and contacted for days on end. We're tired but satisfied when we get home. We will be working more with the members this week as well.

The ward here was struggling before but I've been blessed to come here at a time where things are looking up. Siempre hay desafios pero los sobrevivimos! (There are always challenges but we survived!) I always think of the phrase: Return with Honor.

The only stress I have right now is that this zone does not have very much faith or hope. They are just there to be there. We taught them how to become better and why they need to be better and this week we'll be capacitating them in what EXACTLY they need to do. It seems a little arrogant to talk about baptisms and teaching a zone how to get baptisms when we, as leaders, aren't baptizing still. So, this coming month we may have one or two baptisms and more to come. My faith has grown sooo much in this past month. I believe that God is preparing people for us to baptize. It's just been hard to find them. I think we've talked to over 2000 people this week... :D

Funny story: My companion walked out of the bathroom this morning and said, "Something reeks!" I had already showered and so I thought it couldn't be me but then he walked over to me and was blown away by my stench! He said he could smell me from two meters away! BUT I HAD SHOWERED! So the investigation begun and guess what... my microfiber towel that I just started using, after using it for 6 times in a row without washing it, was the source that transferred to me the wretchedness while I dried myself this morning! So I had to shower again and then I washed that microfiber towel and I used extra deodorant. (Thank you for sending me on the mission with extra AXE deodorant Mom.)

The rama (branch) went up in asistencia this week. We had 61 there! Last week was down near 30 people. This rama has been here for 60 plus years and it has never grown to be a ward. Well, we're going to change that if we can. We want to make this rama into an ARBOL(I'm thinking that is WARD instead of tree!) people! Echando el Agua Espiritual del arbol de la vida! (Partake of the Tree of Life people!) :D I'm just really exciting to have found more faith and happiness in the work. I'm really grateful that my Heavenly Father sent me to this ward and with Elder Cruz.

And Dad, Elder Cruz is a really awesome missionary from a tough background. But he's not the person he was from before the mission. His whole family and uncles and everyone related to him are members of the church. His uncles have all been his bishops. Talk about privacy in family matters! ;D He's helped me see who I am better and more clearly. I'd been praying for something or someone like him to help me to progress. I just was stuck in the rut of Danli for too long, now that I look back. Still, I miss Danli but I'm happy to be here.

Okay, GTG now but I'll update you on the investigators next week. They are looking promising!!! And I learned something that I wanted to share really quick. Everyone here says that they don't know why it matters what church they attend if we all worship the same God and so I was talking about this to Elder Cruz and we had an "Ah Ha!" Moment. We just started talking and I could see the revelations coming little by little and really fast. And the answer we got to answer this question is... TaDah! THE BOOK OF MORMON: Another Testament of Jesus Christ. It sounds stupid of us to forget the best of all the tools we have. We've just been using our testimonies as the primary conversion tool but we forgot the BofM! So we carry one or two (each) everyday and give them out and we are literally going to FILL all of Mongollanos, San Lorenzo with the Book of Mormon until even the hardest of hearts will be obliged to read it to find out what it is. We've had a really positive response in all the lessons that we've taught to the pueblo here. (The trick is just getting in the door. That normally takes a while like I said before...)

So, if anyone you talk to this week asks why religion is important and if it matters what you believe, you can respond with the Book of Mormon :D.

Have a fantastic week! We have interviews tomorrow with President as well!

Chao,
Elder Tuft
Hurrah por Israel!

PS Thanks for that smacker of a kiss Mom! And the Hyperthyroid Mom photo. Love you to the stars and back! That's farther than the moon :D And Mom, could you update my blog and post it of FB every week??? I'd love you even more I have some people that aren't getting my letters and want them to but I can't write everyone of my friends. Thanks!

This was his "kiss from Mama" photo. HA HA!

(This is his "hypothyroid photo".)

Dad, I'm going to print the story off and read it! Have fun shooting tonight! Mom might say, "Don't make the news!" Love you too! And here's a hug for both of you.