General Conference Was Fantastic!

Bom dia!

For once in my life, something I was really looking forward to came very quickly. General Conference was fantastic as expected, and as always. I already downloaded it all to listen to it again during the week. I was very pleasantly surprised to hear the BYU Women's and Men's Choruses singing on Saturday. They sang two arrangements of hymns that I have sung before and that I love. I saw a lot of people I knew in the choir and got to watch two of my conductors from last year conducting. I have never understood why people get up to go to the bathroom during the music. It's just as much a sermon and a prayer as a traditional sermon or prayer. It's my favorite part! I also found it cool that in at least 3 talks, Daniel's vision from the old testament was mentioned.

This place I'm in has as many literal ups and downs as it does figuratively, as it is very very hilly. The ward is very small and the members are pretty discouraged. There is a lot of work to be done to make it stronger. We met a lady named Rosa last week. She was introduced to us by a new convert, Edmundo, who helps the Elders a lot. She has been to many different churches and has almost given up on finding the right one. She is a wonderful person. I always say that I learn a lot from the people I meet and that I meet wonderful people so I'll explain at least one thing I've learned from her. The first day we met her we got talking about all the signs we have on the earth that evidence the existence of a God. It reminded me of Alma 30:44. She related that some days she enjoys sitting and watching the leaves. The way she told us her perspective was beautifully poetic--I can't relay it perfectly, but she marvels at how the leaves (along with tumbleweed), without having arms or legs, or any means of moving themselves, jump and fall in the air with a gust of wind. She said that she gets emotional just thinking about all the beautiful creations there are on the earth. Not too long ago in my life, I might have laughed at how something as simple as leaves falling could evoke tears in anyone, but the older we get, the more we are touched by the little things that we never stopped to notice before. 

This scripture also came to mind. One of my favorite hymns, Consider the Lilies, was created from it

Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin

And yet I say unto you, that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?

(Matthew 6:28-30)

And here is Alma 30:44

But Alma said unto him: Thou hast had signs enough; will yetempt your God? Will ye say, Show unto me a sign, when ye havethe testimony of ^aall these thy brethren, and also all the holyprophets? The scriptures are laid before thee, yea, and all thingsdenote there is a God; yea, even the ^bearth, and ^call things that areupon the face of it, yea, and its ^dmotion, yea, and also all the^eplanets which move in their regular form do witness that there isa Supreme Creator.

Rosa was excited like no other to see conference but she got sick the day of. She wants to see a baptism and has many questions. She called us last night and told us about a dream she had of us. She is continuing to read and pray and is feeling more and more that the Book of Mormon is true and that the Restoration is a real event. 

Have a good week!

Love,

Elder Young

PS There is no functioning post office where I am, so I probably won't be able to send mail for awhile!