ELDER LOPEZ KEEPS ME RUNNING - MARCH 20, 2011

My first companion in General Rodriguez
Elder Foster and Elder Lopez
We are pointing to our mission poster
Our mission has a goal to baptise 200 people each month

Wow I don't know how to even start this part, let me start with the fact that when President Benton told me we would see miracles every day of the mission, he was not kidding!

Honestly the Lord, Elder Lopez and I are exploding General Rodriguez right now I don't how else to explain it except to tell you that in the mission there are a couple records... numbers are NOTHING in the mission but at the same time they are EVERYTHING!
 We are here for one purpose and that is to baptise!

Big numbers mean more children on the narrow path to returning to live with him, for a single missionary the record is 68 baptsims during the two year period, for a companionship during a transfer is 10 baptisms... and for General Rodriguez it is 5 baptsims, let me just start out by saying we had 14 investigators in the branch this week and the branch only has 90 members.

Elder Lopez and I have 10 more baptismal dates in the next three weeks,  maybe even a couple more.

This doesnt happen, in fact we dont have enough time in the day to teach what we need to... it is physically impossible, this week on average we walked 14 miles a day, we run between appointments and still are late for everyone and I have my dictionary looking up words I might need to know for the next investigator.

My feet dont look very good mom they look like yours after a marathon soI wrap them in moleskin and toilet paper and the President and the assistants have come to help out several times so we can get it all done!

The Quipse Children

Elder Lopez
These are the dirt roads we literally run on to
 make it to all our appointments.
I have never in my life been so exhausted

This is where I live with three other Elders
Notice the green bucket - we only have running water in one sink
so we fill the bucket with water and wash down our poop and pee
in the toilet

I have never been so exhausted in my life, at the end of each day Elder Lopez and I humbly fall to our knees drenched in sweat and covered in dust and thank him for our success and for the oppurtunity we have to help some of his chosen children to return to the straight and narrow and for the strength to continue to work even harder.

 I love these people so much and they are so easy to build relationships with, I am eternally grateful for the chance I have to be a missionary and I thank you so much and Nana and Tracy for giving the means to be here!

My heart is full and like I said I've never been more exhausted in my life from 6 in the morning until 10:30 at night we go literally 100 miles an hour, nut family I have NEVER felt more happiness in my ENTIRE LIFE!!!

I testify to you that this is the Lords work and he prepares his children to hear his message! I also testify that missionaries are called of God and are given gifts and strengths to allow them to do this work! I love being a servent of the Lord and I am eternally greatful for this experience... it means the world to me... I love the name tag and I love the my Savior!

Elder Quade C. Foster