Los Bomberos

June 1, 2015

¡Hola familia!

Did you guys know that firefighters not only save lives but they can save baptisms too?! Well they do!  However we will get to that momentarily! ;)

So today I am writing to you all from Guayaquil, as I bid farewell to my compi today (BLACUUTTT will be missed dearly), and am here until I get my new companion.  

Bus ride to Guayaquil with Hna. Blacutt

The assistants to the President gave me a hint that I might TRAIN again, but I am still unsure!  Maybe Hna Vilchez will have a sister haha! But who knows – stay tuned and you will find out next week. :) 

So….DA DA DA DAAAA!!!  Genesis and Milton were married last week and are SO beyond ready for their happily ever after.  Up until right before the wedding, everything went PERFECTLY.  As you all know, I have just a bit of experience planning weddings here in Ecuador and with almost every wedding we have had some sort of adversity or problem.  From lawyers yelling at me, to dropping ID cards down drains, to not having enough money and making 200 cupcakes for a bake sale…the list goes on and on!  But with Genesis and Milton everything was just too perfect!  We thought Satan was maybe taking a nap or something, because like I said, it was all perfect.  But don’t worry, Satan woke up from his nap 10 minutes before the ceremony was supposed to begin. 

Prior to a wedding ceremony here in Ecuador, documentation on the bride and groom must be input into a type of marriage registry system for the country.  Well, right before the wedding for Geneiss and Milton, as the lady at the civil registry was verifying the marriage license forms and trying to input their information into the system, well yeah you guessed it, THAT system wasn’t working.  The marriage was supposed to begin at 3 o’clock and it was now about 4:30 and we were STILL waiting (keep in mind that the rehistro civil [civil registry] closes at 5 pm).  Their extended family, who are not members of the church, were murmuring that maybe God was sending Genesis and Milton a sign telling them that they shouldn’t be married.  Milton simply said...“Nope, HE DOES!”  

Milton then whispered to my companion and I that we should offer a prayer, and he knew that it would work out. My companion then offered the most heartfelt prayer that I had ever heard from her and just pleaded with Heavenly Father that the workers would be inspired and be able to fix the problem with their system.  The spirit was SO strong in the little waiting room that even the murmuring, doubting family members started to believe as well that the prayer would work. 

Finally, at 4:50 a man called the lady that was at the desk, and well, I only heard half of the conversation, but I understood that he walked her through another way to get into the system.  Within just a few minutes everything was input and we were cleared for them to be married.  HALLELUJAH!  Genesis and Milton’s faces just beamed, especially Milton´s.  After they were married, Milton was so giddy when the officiator said, “you may now kiss the bride” that he didn’t even give Genesis a good kiss because he couldn’t stop smiling.  HAHA 

The Happy Couple - Genesis y Milton

Okay, so now onto the story with the firefighters!  On Saturday, my companion and I went to the church to clean the baptismal font and then fill it up.  BUT of course we found there was no water in the church!  So who do you call that has a big red truck with a LOT of water?!?!  LOS BOMBEROS (the firefighters).  The head captain, or whatever you call her, of the Buena Fe bomberos is a member of the church and once told us if we ever needed her help to just let them know.  SWEET!  After the firefighters arrived, and we started trying to fill the font, we discovered that the drain wasn’t plugged.  So then it took a while to figure out where the switch was for the plug so that it would finally fill up!  But thankfully we figured it out and were very grateful for not only the LIFESAVERS but also the BAPTISM-SAVERS! 

He is probably the coolest person I have met, he has a good serious face right?! 

The baptism service was a “rejoice evermore” occasion.  To see this family, dressed in white on Saturday, about to enter the waters of baptism, was the absolute greatest thing ever!!!  They both were BEAMING after their baptism and Genesis said, NOW I have been baptized by someone holding the authority from God to do so.  I love, love, love seeing families baptized together because I can always imagine in my mind one day seeing that same husband, wife and children entering into the holy temple to be sealed together for ALL eternity! 

Genesis and Milton - Baptism Day

On Sunday, after their confirmation as members of the ONLY true church on the earth today, and receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, they asked us a billion and two questions on everything from where they should pay their tithing, to what a talk was (Milton asked me when HE would be assigned to give a talk in sacrament meeting...haha usually people don’t like to give talks, but he is really excited), to when he would get the priesthood so that he can baptize their son when he turns 8. 

After the baptism we had a farewell for my sweet compi in Familia Romero’s house and they also invited other young couples and their kids along with Genesis and Milton and their son.  Now they are all basically best friends and we have a TOUR of Family Home Evenings planned for the next month, rotating from house to house each Monday where we will be eating, laughing, and feeling the spirit! 

I have so many other stories from this week that I am DYING to share will you all, but I don’t have time.  SO I will leave you in anticipation for next week! ;)  

I love being a missionary more than ANYTHING!  Hope you all have a wonderful week! 

I LOVE YOU

Hermana Bartholomew 

This is Paola.  She is the greatest because she gives us WAY too much food and WASHES all my clothes;) 

and we love her for many other things!