Daniel and Elehem Alvarez and Franco
Montevideo, Uruguay Temple
Megan and her travel companion, Florencia
All is
well here in Artigas! But there is something else to be written today.
Before
my mission, a common phrase I told people when I talked about going 3 years
without seeing my sister for our missions, was "it`ll be worth it to help
other people to have the eternal family that we were born with."
Ever
since then, my main goal in the mission, more than baptisms, was that: eternal
families. Specifically, I wanted to be able to SEE one become eternal in the
temple of the Lord.
In
January, I got to Colonia. My second day there, we had a family home evening
with the Elders and a menos activo family. They were SO amazing. They had their
greatest desire as being sealed in the temple, but they weren`t going to
church. I remember crystal clear that night talking about how they would reach
their goal, and one of the Elders said "maybe it will take awhile. Maybe
when you do it, we already won`t be here in Uruguay. But either way, when you
do, we want a picture." From THAT moment, we started working with the
family more, and as we did so, I started to fall in love with them. And so I
started to pray, EVERY prayer that I said, that the Lord would permit me to be
there for their sealing. Even when I got to Artigas, I didn`t stop.
On
Saturday, I was IN the picture of the day that Elehem and Daniel Alvarez, and
their 2-year-old piece of perfection Franco, became a family for time
and ALL eternity in the temple of our God.
Zumeta
called me on Tuesday to tell me. Normally, the rule is that we can`t be there
for a temple sealing unless they`re our own converts. But, her birthday was on
Monday, and when President Smith called her and wished her happy birthday, he
asked her if there was anything he could do for her for her birthday. So she
took advantage of the moment and said "well President, I would really like
to go to Elehem and Daniel Alvarez`s temple sealing." And he gave her
permission! So she said "call him, see what he says!" So on
Wednesday, I call him, and this is how the conversation went:
Me:
Now President, before anything, I would like to remind you that my birthday is
in less than 2 months, and you can give me my gift now and you don`t even have
to worry about me for the rest of my mission.
President:
Hermana Dolan, does this have anything to do with that temple sealing on
Saturday?
Me:
President! You know me so well! How did you know?
President:
A dad just knows these things.
Haaaaaaa
so great. But the point is, if I could find someone going to Montevideo to travel
with me (since I can`t travel alone), I could go. Luckily, FLORENCIA was
anxious to visit her sister and also do baptisms in the temple.
So it
all came together, and after months of pleading prayers, my prayer was answered
and my dreams came true. And even better than that, Elehem asked me to be her
escort in the Endowment. Such an honor that I didn`t anywhere near deserve, but
one I am so grateful for. Elder Castellanos was Daniel`s. Her parents couldn`t
make it and his family aren`t members, and so us missionaries were
their family that day.
It was
BEAUTIFUL. So beautiful. The first time I have ever seen it. I felt closer to
Heaven than ever before, especially as I could literally SEE them
glimpse the streets of Heaven as their family went from being
temporal to being eternal. Franco was so perfect. Daniel lost it and started
bawling when Franco walked in, all cute and dressed in white. He looked at his
dad and said "Papà, why are you dressed funny?" And then looked at all
of us and said "what are they doing here?" And then looked at his mom
and said "Mamà, why are you crying?" He was so perfect. They are so
perfect. GOD is so good, and so so perfect.
Florencia
and i had a great time together, and she was grateful to be able to do
baptisms. I love her!
And
yet another surprise: Brian and Angela went to Montevideo just to see me. Their
turn will be here all too soon to get sealed as well.
I KNOW
families are forever. I`m so grateful that I have mine for forever. I`m so
grateful that Daniel and Elehem, some amazing amazing AMAZING people-some of
the best I`ve ever met, who have taught me way more than I could have taught
them, is bonded forever, and I hope to do all that I can to make it to where
their going to see them again.
I KNOW
the Lord is always with us. I KNOW He answers prayers. I already knew that
before, but now my testimony has strengthened ten fold.
I KNOW
this church is true. And THIS is why I am here! Any hard experience I have ever
had in my mission is one hundred percent worth it for the perfect,
unforgettable days like Saturday.
It
still isn`t even real! I have done absolutely nothing to deserve all of the
bounteous blessings that the Lord has given me in just 9 months. But that`s the
infinite love of our Father in Heaven and our Savior: we are completely
imperfect, and we make mistakes every day, and sometimes we let them down, but
yet, for some crazy reason that could really only be explained with the love
they have for us, They never stop giving. They never stop blessing. They always
have more.
I know
this Gospel is true and I am loving every day; even the hard ones! I love this
work, and I love Uruguay.
And I
love you, I love you, I love you! Have a great week!
Hermana
Dolan
No comments:
Post a Comment