Mother's Day Skype and Baptism

May 14, 2018

(Short emails because of Mother's Day Skype)

Hey mom,

I love you so much!!!!! You are so amazing and the most amazing mom in the world!

Dad,

I for sure miss having my best pal around me!!! I really do love being out here! I am looking forward to the road ahead of me! I feel ready for bigger challenges!! I have had pressure from the start to do a lot of things and I really feel ready for whatever is in store!! I really do love all of you! I wish we could have just talked the whole day!!!

I love you dad!!!!!!!!!! You will always be my best pal!

(Mom’s Notes from Mother’s Day Skype)

This morning May 13, 2018 Acliy (Suzanna) Gomez Montalvao was baptized and confirmed a member of the church. It was a great morning and they were so happy for her to take this next step in her life.

He said that he is the “Tic Tac Toe” and “Ping Pong” Champ! Fun, Fun!

The strangest thing he has eaten in Tofu! He said it wasn’t too bad. In Edinburgh he went to a Brazilian restaurant and had wraps that he loved!

Last week was the All Ireland Conference. His last one with President Donaldson. He said his interview was great and how much he really loves him. He explained in more detail the “Practicum of Excellence” (not sure of the spelling) and how amazing and successful it has been in the mission.

It was great to have him fill in the blanks from his letters with more details. It was very tender how he explained his feelings as he stepped onto the bus that he missed 6 months prior to go to Scotland and was very emotional as he relayed what happened. Then he shared his meeting with President and Sister Donaldson for the first time and his instant love and respect for them.

We were able to meet Elder Valiati and he is just the cutest! He was very kind about Mikey and said that he is a great missionary and that he was already trained when he came into the mission field and that he couldn’t have asked for a better trainee. We could see the love they have for one another and now we understand why they are doing so well together. They just beamed with the Light of Christ!

During the call it was fun to hear the Irish sounds in his voice. He says that he doesn’t have an Irish accent, but we could hear it as he spoke.

Before we ended the call I asked Elder O’Connor to bear his testimony. He bore the sweetest testimony of God’s Plan. “We lived with God and were foreordained. We knew the challenges that were going to be in our paths but we all accepted them and wanted to come to earth. I know that the challenges I have had were for a purpose. I know that if I was to have stayed out I wouldn’t have had the experiences that I am now having. I have been humbled and strengthen my relationship with God. That is one thing that I have lacked before was my relationship with God like I have had with my family. I know that my Savior lives and that God lives and that He is my father and that He loves me and that He loves all of us. He created the beautiful plan for us to have love. When I talk to people I explain that families are a gift from God. God isn’t here to give us hugs when we’re down, He’s not here to help us when we need help or to congratulate us, so He has given us families to do that. I know that He has a plan for us and the end goal is to live with Him again. I know that by reading the scriptures and by doing all the right things we can do that. I know that Joseph Smith is a Prophet of God and went through so many trials so that he could bring happiness to a lot of people. I am very thankful for that.” In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

As goodbyes are always hard, he told each one of us how much he loves us and quickly ended the call.