Elder Casper 4/19/2008

Dear family-

Well to be honest, I am in shock of all the wonderful blessings you are recieving and the spiritual experiences that you are having there in Paraguay. Seriously, what a privlage that the Lord has given you. Its pretty incredible how great of a mark Lauren has left on those people. What amazing experiences you are having. I can't even imagine how awesome and how fun of a time you are having.

Thanks Mamma, Dad and Sissy for your emails, its so good to hear from you. Well how are the boys doing? How is Grams, Ash and Lace and the rest of the crew? How are Nana and Papa in California doing? How did the rest of the Masters go? President told me that Aaron Baddely won, is that true? I'm pretty sure that is who he told me but i'm not certain. Let me know.

Well I feel truly blessed to know that you all are doing well, that you're healthy, and you're safe and for all the blessings that the Lord is pooring out upon the family.

Presidente and Hermana Resek are doing really well. Today we had another Argentine BBQ at the mission home and it was killer. I made the salad, yeah mom thanks for teaching me. And Elder Sappenfield and I made brownies and oatmeal cookies that were really good. It was way fun and we played ping pong and soccer all morning with the kids. The kids are so good at ping pong, Ignacio and Pablo play so well, its incredible. It was really fun.

As Lauren said in her email to me this morning, the time is going by really fast and it will only go by faster over this last part of time that I have here in the mission. I can't believe that in five months I finish my mission. The time is blowing by. It was a really fun week, way tiring only because we had two of the zone conferences, but it has been a good week. Elder Garcia and I are doing really well, we have been able to find a lot more time in the sector and that has helped us to feel more spiritually up lifted. Last change was really hard because we had pre interviews every day, but his change president took out pre interviews so that we can get the sector in better shape. This week we found a family of 3, their names are Diego and Daisy, and they are really good. It's hard to find them at home because he works a lot, but the lesson we had with them was really good and very spiritual. The lady that had a baptismal date named Paola, now she doesn’t have one because she wasn’t able to go to church and we haven't been able to teach her this week, but she is very desiorous and wants to be baptized.

Here in Villa Teniente there is a sister in the ward that is the most amazing and serving person. Her name is Zoila and we went to two lessons this week with her. She shares the strongest testimony ever and she is a convert of about 8 months and is 100% dedicated to the service of God. But the best thing about her is the love she has for others and the desire she has that they too accept the gospel in their lives. It will be cool when you can meet her.

We have a new ward mission leader from Argentina that is awesome. His name is Victor and has wife, Carol. They are great and just arrived here to the branch about 4 weeks ago. We are planning an activity in two weeks called "The Iron Rod." It's going to be really fun, really entertaining and a very spiritual experience for the members and investigators.

Another crazy thing that has happened this week in the mission and is very sad and somewhat creepy. On Monday a house in the northern part of the mission was robbed while the missionaries were working. On Tuesday another house very close by was also robbed at the same time of the day. Then on Wednesday one of the houses in the southern part of the mission was robbed at the same time. On Thursday one of my old houses in San Fernando where I lived when I trained Elder Rubio got robbed. The crazy thing is that in each house they are stealing the same things; digital cameras, money, CD players, mp3 players and all electronical things. In the Hermana's homes that they have robbed, they have stollen jewelry. But we have come to the conclusion that it is someone that knows the movement of the mission, at what time we leave to work and at what time we come home, where the houses are and who lives in the houses. And the most creepy of it all is that we suppose that it is one of the returned missionaries that served here in the mission. There are two missionaries that are from Peru that have returned to live, and one of them lived in each of the 4 houses that have been robbed…Way sad, huh? We don’t have proof but much goes to say that it could be this missionary. If it is, I feel very sad for him.

All in all its been a great week, the office is doing really well, and we have a great group that is working together. We all love eachother and have great unity here. The new office elders are: Elder Skinner, Latimer, Sappenfield, Garcia, Filiponi, Sensenbaugh, and Me. Its really fun to be with such great missionaries and to learn from each one of them.

In conference this week president has talked about Hope and the Atonement. Its been great, he is such an inspired man, you will know what I mean when you meet him. He is such a funny person, but with such an amazing knowledge and such a powerful testimony. I feel so very blessed to be serving the Savior at this time. I'm sorry this email has been all over the place, but we are in somewhat of a hurry.

I want you all to know that I love you and that I know that this is Christ´s church upon the face the earth, the one and only. I know that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God. I know that the Book of Mormon is the word of God and the most correct book upon this earth. I know that Thomas S. Monson is a prophet of God and that he has been called to lead and guide us through this troubled world so that we may return to our Heavenly Father. I know that what you have experienced with the family Ruffanelli is of God, because we have experienced it as a family with Cole and Harrison. I know that Jesus Christ is my Savior and Redeemer. Just read (2 Nephi 9:6 or 3 Nephi 27:14). He has paid for our sins and through Him we may have eternal life. I know that as we live worthy, the Holy Ghost directs us in our lives. He is our contstant companion, of that I know.

I love you all more than you could possibly comprehend. I cannot wait to hear from you again, I cannot wait to see you all once again. That is the only thing I want, is to be with my family once again. I love you, I love you, I love you. Until next week, be obedient, study, pray and enjoy of the spirit.

1-4-3-4...Love,

Elder Mason N. Casper