October 6, 2014 ~ Week 14

For this weekly letter I would like to talk about one of my investigators, Amelia C.  Amelia is 17 years old and lives in Cusco, Peru (about a 20 hour bus ride from Camana).  I first met Amelia about 2 weeks ago at church.  It was a normal Sunday, and about 60-90 people attend.  So when my companion and I see a new face at church, we introduced ourselves.  Amelia told us that this was her first time attending the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, and that she was attending with her cousin, Nefi.   She is currently living with Nefi because she is studying for school here in Camana.  We then asked if she would like us (the missionaries) to visit her sometime in the week and talk to her more about the Church.  She agreed and a couple of days later Elder Atencio and I had the opportunity to teach her.

During the first lesson the Spirit was very strong, so we asked her if she would like to be baptized.  She happily said yes and agreed to the 18^th of October to be her baptismal goal date.  The last time we taught Amelia was the 1^st of October, and on that day she told me and my companion that she is going back to her home in Cusco on the 3^rd of October and will return to Camana in November.  She asked if she could change her baptism date to November.  We were very excited to hear her say that.  We said our goodbyes and wished her a safe travel to her home in Cusco.  

However she would never take the 20 hour bus ride to Cusco.

A day later Elder Atencio and I received a phone call from a member of the church, who is a family friend of Amelia.  The member told us that Amelia collapsed at home and was rushed to the hospital.  She passed away 15 minutes later.  From what I was told, and what I could comprehend in Spanish; Amelia passed away from Cancer, she had Leukemia and nobody knew that she had Leukemia.

The last lesson that Elder Atencio and I taught her was about the Plan of Salvation and that Families can be together forever. 

Amelia has personally strengthened my testimony that God has a plan for all of us, and that right now Amelia is being taught the Gospel of Jesus Christ in the next world.

The church is true and people like Amelia make me soooo happy.

Chao!

Elder McCook

Words of the week: families can live together forever - 

                                (las familias pueden vivir juntos para siempre)