Weddings and Baptisms

Hey everyone!!

Thanks for taking the time to read this letter. This week was jammed packed with stuff that should make for a fantastic email. So I'm gonna write quick, because I've got lots of stories to tell.

Tuesday, we had a meeting with some other missionaries in a town called Amecameca. I was in Amecameca in the beginning of my mission. It was my first area, and heading back there, seeing the town, the stake center, and everything was so cool. That part of Mexico will forever hold a really special place in my heart. The meeting was great! I found my dad there (my first missionary companion), Elder Ramirez, and talking to him was really fun and relaxing. I got to take some photos with him, and talk for a long time. After the meeting, we had tacos, and they were some of the best tacos I've eaten.

Thursday we had an activity with the other ward that we share our building with. it was a dessert competition. Elder Castillo and i brought investigators, and we had so much fun. We basically spent the entire time feasting on cake and other desserts. The members and the investigators got to vote on their favorite desserts. Hermana Zapata (our mission president's wife) came and prepared a dessert that was like an apple tart thing and her dessert won! It was so funny.

Friday we had our baptism!!!!!!! I was actually really angry, because nobody came from our ward. The only people that showed up were our ward mission leader, the young men's president, the young women's president, and the second counseloror from the bishopric. I was really, really irritated. But the baptism was super spiritual, and it all turned out well. We baptized the daughter of one of our investigators, and she is super happy. She's progressing a ton; pretty soon she's going to have a calling in the beehives organization, and we're just super pumped.

A less active member of the ward got married to her boyfriend, who is receiving the missionary discussions from the sister missionaries. They invited us to their wedding which was super cool. a great experience, really. I know that families can be together forever, and really soon, this husband and wife will get married in the temple, so they can have an eternal family.

Funny story time. After the baptism, our ward held its fathers day event. We were there with some investigators, and one of the counselors of the primary presidency told me that she needed my help playing a part in the primary's fathers day sketch. Basically, the plot of the sketch is that one of the primary girls doesn't have a dad, just a single mom. and she's holding a contest to find her new dad. The boys from the primary played the parts of the other dad. There was one of them who was smart, one who was athletic, a hard worker, muscular, and all that. When they got to me, they said I was none of those things, but just right to be the dad. It was super funny, but really fun spending time with the primary. Last Sunday, during sharing time, they took time to hand write my comp and me cards and letters. I remember doing that when I was a kid years ago. Now I'm an elder and I'm on the receiving end of it.

Yesterday was the confirmation of our convert. It was really spiritual. i didn't do it this time (probably a good idea, i think if i give the priesthood to another girl, I'd get excommunicated hahahahaha). We're having success here, and I feel happy.

I've lost all track of time pretty much. Father's day came and went. Dad, I love you so much. Thank you for always being my role model in all things. Thanks for all the love you give me, and all the sacrifices you make. Thanks to my grandpas as well. I can pridefully say that I have the best grandpas in the entire world, that they're fantastic fathers as well, and I love them so much.

Stay safe everyone. Enjoy the photos!!

Love,

Elder William Jacob Long