Transfers arrived this week, bringing me a new companion named Elder Egan. Changes will continue to take place as our Mission President and his wife return to the States. Our new mission president, President Silva, will enter into the field tomorrow. The only constant in the mission field is the work, though it is frequently pinpointed by special opportunities. The other week, we found two families with whom we had lessons this week. Both came from contacting and knocking doors, miraculously, which very rarely happens in Junín. All the more miraculously, one of the families happened to hold a recent convert. We recently were asked to take all the recent converts of our areas for the last two years and give the names of those who were still active, to examine retention. We had five names, one of whom is still attending. All are under 14 years old. We were told one family did not want contact with the church anymore, yet with providence we found the father one day in the street and were pleasantly invited to teach them. My mouth dropped open yesterday when we found out the oldest boy was baptized last year, and that this was the family with whom we would have respectfully kept our distance from had we not found them randomly. While there will be obstacles, I'm certain we found them for a reason.
In the second family we found, we originally contacted the children, ages 7, 8, and 9. Of course, after speaking with them for a few moments, we asked if we could speak with their parents. Their uncle came out, and the girl ran over to him and dramatically cried, "Uncle, they're talking about GOD and I want you to LISTEN!" The nice thing about teaching a family is that the children provide the enthusiasm and the adults provide the responsibility. We begged side-by-side with the children for another visit and cheered when he accepted. We visited with them yesterday, taught the first lesson, and committed them all to come to church the following week when we pass by. Coincidentally, one of their younger uncles is taking the lessons in Cerro de Pasco.
Moroni wrote in the Book of Mormon, "I speak unto you who deny the revelations of God, and say that they are done away, that there are no revelations, nor prophecies, nor gifts, nor healing, nor speaking with tongues, and the interpretation of tongues. Behold, I say unto you, he that denieth these things knoweth not the gospel of Christ; yea, he has not read the scriptures; if so, he does not understand them." (Mormon 9: 7-8) God doesn't change, he explains, and if faith led to miracles in the past, it must surely lead to the same in these days. "I will show unto you a God of miracles", he boldly proclaims, and with such claims we must hold firm and unapologetically confirm it. I know this is true. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.