Elder Casper 5/04/2008

Dear family-

Hey ya´ll, how are things going? It sounds like all is well and that you are having a great time in San Diego. It was good to hear that Michael was baptized and that he wanted Ashton to do it. It's such a privilege to be able to baptize Gods children. Our Father in Heaven truly does trust a lot with his authority. How is the whole family doing? Was every one excited to see Lauren? How is everything going with the tournament and was it a good turn out? I sure hope that all has gone well and that everybody had a good time.

As for me it has been a great week. We have had a ton of time in the sector this week and we have been so blessed. On Monday sister Shirley called me and said: "Elder Casper, I just got off the bus and I was talking to one of my friends that I have known for 14 years but it had been about 2 years since we had seen each other. She asked me what religion I belong too and I told her I was Mormon. She was surprised and then told me that she wanted to learn more about the church". It was really cool because right after she had talked to her friend named Eva she called us. That same night we went and taught her. In the first lesson we extended her the date for the 25th of may for baptism, and she said: "Yes I will be baptized, but…do I have to pay for that?" It was so funny and we were dying laughing. We then answered her no and we finished and left. On Tuesday we returned and she had read the Book of Mormon and also had prayed about the prophet Joseph Smith. She received an answer and said that it was a feeling that she and never felt in her life. She said, "It was a burning in my bosom and I couldn’t stop crying. It was marvelous." She then said she had a dream that Elder Garcia and I were on her side teaching her from the Book of Mormon. She went to the branch activity that we had on Wednesday and she loved it. What has been so great though is that my other convert Maria Isabel, that has been struggling a little bit, has come with us to the lessons and it has helped her a lot to strengthen her testimony and to be a lot more positive. It has been such a great experience to see the hand of the Lord in our lives and sector in the many blessings that we have received this week. We also found 9 new investigators this week and one of them is a family named Luis and Elizabeth and they are so awesome. They remind me a lot of Jimmy and Julia, and I feel at home when I walk into they're house. They didn’t go to church today because they went to the southern part of Chile to Dove hunt. But the greatest thing was getting to know Eva. Yesterday we went to teach her and she said, "I just got back from the mall, I went and bought a dress so that I look my best tomorrow at church". And when we passed by today to see how she is doing she was reading the Book of Mormon and is already in the book of Jacob. In 6 days she has read 150 pages and says it’s hard to put it down. She is so prepared for the gospel; I believe that she is the most prepared individual that I have seen thus far in my mission. The desires she has, make me want to be a better person; it’s amazing what one can learn from investigators.

On Monday I had my interview with president and it went really well. He always helps me so much. I will miss my interviews and conversations with him, he is so inspired and has been a great example to me in my life. Elder Garcia and I are doing well. I am pretty sure that he will die here in the office so that means we will be together for 1 more change until I leave. I am so happy to be with him, he is such a great companion and friend, we get along so well and I will miss him so much when its my time to leave.

Yesterday we went to this really pretty hill about 20 minutes from Rancagua and on top there are Ruins from ancient Indians, it was really interesting and really cool to see. I can't even imagine the olden times of the Nephites and Lamanites.

Well It has been a good week and I will be talking to you on Sunday. I will let you know what time and and what number here in the next couple of days. I love you all so very much and I am so excited to hear your voices and feel of the amazing spirit that you carry. I love you all so very much for all that you do for me, always remember that you are thought of daily. I love you, I love you, I love you.

1-4-3-4,

Elder Mason N. Casper