Hermana ya soy una bendicion, y el compartirla con ud. El 11 de octubre fui llamado como obispo de barrio el trebol, le estaremos agradecidos de por vida por habernos dado lo mas lindo el evangelio de jesucristo.***(Sister, I am now a blessing and I share it with you. On October 11, I was called as Bishop of the Trebol Ward. We will be [forever grateful for receiving] the most amazing thing - the gospel of Jesus Christ.)
Hermano Erick
Me with the Familia Peraza on their baptism day - May 2004
This family - Erick and Beatriz Peraza and their daughter Maria Jose - was one of those "golden families". We found them proselyting (the most "ineffective way of finding" ha ha) and they'd never heard of the church (they were Catholic from a long line of Catholics) but when they heard the gospel for the first time they knew they had to learn more. Hermano Erick began attending church alone at first because Hermana Beatriz worked as a nurse on Sundays. I remember him coming with his blue Book of Mormon in tow. He asked a lot of questions and did his research. I remember his excitement when he would show us something he'd read or tell us a spiritual experience he'd had. After a while, they started coming together. Their ward, the El Trebol ward, did an amazing job fellow-shipping them and welcoming them into the fold. It was awesome to watch. They were baptized together at the end of my mission and we've kept in touch ever since. In 2005, I returned to El Salvador for their sealing in the Guatemala temple - it was a beautiful experience. Over the years, they've served in several callings. With each one they learned new things and grew in their knowledge and testimony. And like his email says, last month he was called as bishop of their ward. My goodness! I'm just so in awe of this amazing family. They are so faithful, so diligent. They are such examples to me - they are first generation members of the church and they have completely dedicated their lives to the Lord. He says he wants his daughter (who is now 7) to come to BYU and serve a mission for the church. I love it!! I know any missionary could have taught them the gospel - they were just ready, but I'm so grateful to my Heavenly Father for giving me the chance to meet them - they are family and I love them dearly. They inspire me to be a better person.
5 comments:
That is so exciting! I never got to teach and watch a complete family be baptized during my mission but Burris and I did teach a 15 year old who is now serving a mission and is a district leader and trainer. He was one of those golden individuals who you really didn't have to do much because he was so ready. He too always had tons of questions and would always come to the discussions having read everything asked of him and then some. I usually left the discussions just in a daze at how ready he was for the gospel. I still think how blessed I was to have the opportunity to teach him.
awwwww....that is so sweet. you are amazing mary. what a wonderful story. what a wonderful thing to hear. i love that.
Wow! What a blessing. Thanks for sharing--people like the Perazas are such a huge inspiration.
Mary, that is such a wonderful story. What a "full-circle" moment for you!
That is awesome Mary! I never served a mission so of course I wouldn't know how an experience like this would feel, but not too long ago Saia got an email that one of the girls he baptized went on a mission. He was SO happy to hear that, so I can definitely see how this would be a special experience for you.
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