Flashback to early February. My companion is Hermana Sorenson, and my area is Encarnación Rama 3. It's Monday, so it's time to write our families! Usually we go to the cyber first thing in the morning, but today a lot of stuff was going on and we couldn't get to the cyber until the afternoon. But it turns out to be a blessing because while we're in the cyber, we run into this super cool less-active member named Alberto. He wants to meet with us! We set up an appointment for that very night, even though we already have other appointments to get to and we might not have very much time. And then our other appointments fall through! So we have plenty of time to chat with Alberto, who is going through a lot of trials in his life and desperately needs help. We offer what little advice we can. And then we learn that his birthday is on Thursday! And he doesn't have anyone to celebrate with. So of course we plan to make a cake and celebrate a little with him in the church. Maybe we can invite some members too.
On Thursday we make the cake and wait in the church, but Alberto never shows up.
On Friday, we get a call from Presidente LaPierre. It's interview season, and we were scheduled to have interviews on Saturday, but Presidente finished early today with his interviews so he has time to squeeze us in and get a head start on tomorrow's interviews and can we meet him in our church in half an hour?
While my companion is in her interview with Pte. LaPierre, I chat with Hermana LaPierre in the chapel. Suddenly, a strange man appears in the doorway. It's dark and I can't see who it is. "Hello?" I say. The man steps into the light and - it's Alberto! He apologizes for not showing up last night. He was walking by tonight and saw that the gate was open and thought he would poke his head in and see if someone was here. He learns that Presidente is here and asks, "Is it difficult to get an interview with Pte. LaPierre?" As a matter of fact, once President finishes my interview, he has time to interview Alberto right then and there.
After the interview, we never saw Alberto again. He kind of just vanished. We tried to call him, but the calls didn't go through. So I forgot about him, until I ran into Hermana Marvian six months later. Hermana Marvian followed me to Encarnación, and she found Alberto and his wife and kid and worked to reactivate all of them. "Do you remember Alberto?" she asked me when I asked her about all of the people in Rama 3.
Not only did Alberto return to church, he also became a great support for the church in Encarnación. After some time he moved to Rama 1, where he worked with the missionaries to find and activate all the less active members. The missionaries told me how church assistance (attendance) skyrocketed when Alberto was working with them. And then he moved again, this time to Posadas, and their assistance dropped.
"But, Hermana Watts," you ask, "if Alberto moved to Posadas, how did you find him in Encarnación?"
This is very good question. All I can say is that God's timing is impeccable. It just so happened that the one day I was in Encarnación was the day that Alberto popped in for a visit. One coincidence after another...but so many coincidences cannot be anything but divine planning.
Love,
Hermana Watts
p.s. Ha Nacido Un Salvador!! A Savior Is Born! check out the video: christmas.mormon.org (for Spanish visit navidad.mormon.org)
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Rosi and her daughter Magalí, very dear friends from Rama 3
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Encarnación!
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Our district Christmas Party/White Elephant gift exchange
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Isn't my area breathtaking?
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There are members in the branch who have a pet monkey! His name is Enrique.
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