Wow... week 15. It feels like I've been here for much less than that. People say that time flies when you’re on the mission, and I'm sure that I don't truly understand it yet, but I can definitely feel it. This week has definitely been a step up from last week. I feel like we've been in a hole as for as work effort these past two weeks. And this past week we've been climbing ourselves back out. Still not quite back to full speed, but getting there.

This week has been a little wild with our investigators. We've had to move a few of them into "old investigators", because they won't progress or come to church. It's really a sad moment, but there is a point when we have to refocus our efforts and time on those that are progressing. And also our most progressed investigator, Francisco, just dropped his baptismal date. At the beginning of the week he was showing super great signs of faith and progression, but when Sunday came, he almost cut it off with us. But we had a real nice prayer with him in the chapel and he decided to keep thinking about it. It’s been a rollercoaster with him this week. We have an appointment with him today, and we'll see exactly where he stands.

We have another investigator, Federico, who is really showing great commitment. His only problem is that he likes to spend the lessons telling us stories of his insane childhood. This guy has had some crazy experiences! But he is basically ready, and I can already see his conversion taking form. "I can see him standing in the water." He has only missed one Sunday, and it was because he lives in a distant town and had no way to get to the church.

We're going to be focusing this week on a few of these investigators, but mostly on reactivating less-active members. The ward leaders here are awesome, and are really taking the initiative of "rescuing one more friend", based off "the lost sheep" parable. It’s really great.

We had a great lesson with a part member family. The parents aren't married because a previous divorce hasn't happened yet, but their daughter has been baptized. We taught them about the temple, and how families could be together forever, and that this is really what we as missionaries want for every person we come in contact with. We took a cereal box, turned it inside out, and glued a picture of the SLC temple to it. We placed it above their TV so that they would never lose sight of the temple, and always remember what their goal was. That was a great lesson. 

We also had a great experience yesterday. And it helped me understand what peace the gospel can bring. We have an investigator named Jaime, or Jimmy. He lost basically his whole life in the States, his job, his home, and his wife and kids. He now lives by himself in a one room brick apartment, about the same size as the girl’s room. We happened to pass by, and we didn’t have an appointment or even a plan, but we knocked anyways. He answered in a slurred voice and let us in. It then became very apparent what was going on, due to the half empty beer bottle by his bed. We asked how his day was, and he told us that he was doing fine. But I can feel, every time we've entered his home, that it is a lonely place. His only family lives in the states. The only people we've seen him associate with are our ward mission leader, his boss, and another teenage kid, who I wouldn't be surprised is just his drug dealer. We had a short lesson, and we basically told him of the peace and love he could attain through the gospel, but particularly in church attendance and that there are other people that are trying too. I just want to be his friend, or to get some member to be his friend, so that he has someone to rely on. I finished the lesson with a prayer and he was crying before I finished. I’m not sure if drunk people can feel the Spirit, but I think he felt something. His loneliness and sadness was almost palpable. 

If you could pray for Francisco, Federico, and Jaime. I think they are the ones that need the most blessings right now.

Mission life is great. I feel like I'm really starting to get a hang of it. And it definitely helps that I'm actually starting to understand most everyone. The Spanish is really coming along, and I have never been more thankful for the Gift of the Spirit. I know that the Gift of Tongues is really strengthening me here.

Last thing: This week I found the General Conference edition of the Liahona from this spring. The missionary homes are full of Liahonas. It’s great! I've loved reading and studying the inspired words. We are so blessed to have Prophets and leaders to guide us in these days. And their words are truly to help build us up, especially as families. This has led me to choose this scripture to ponderize this week. D&C 1:38 "What I the Lord have spoken, I have spoken, and I excuse not myself; and though the heavens and the earth pass away, my word shall not pass away, but shall all be fulfilled, whether by mine own voice or by the voice of my servants, it is the same." The words of the Lord are still being spoken today, and it is great council for us, to guide us through the problems and confusions of the modern days.

This really has been a great week, and I'm so thankful for the work that I am a part of. I wish you all a great week, and eat as much as you can for me during Thanksgiving! I'm grateful for all your support in me and all the other missionaries around the world. Thank you, and I'll talk to you all next week!

Love, 

Elder Kaden Quinn