Week 47--Garden Park, Georgetown, Guyana

Week 11-- Elder Ortega

Hello Family

We had a little bump in our week when Elder Ortega went to Trinidad for a day, but other than that, we were working hard in our area. We were very happy to be able to start teaching and following up with more people in our contact area.

  Elder Ortega and I are doing great. We learn more and more about each other every day, and we are very unified in what we do as missionaries. We want to work with all we have in this area, and we are doing our best to individually help each of our investigators and members here.

  I have a testimony of the joy of the gospel. There are a lot of things out there that can distract us or make us think like we can find happiness in something else, but I know that the gospel is the only way to be truly happy in this life. A man told us yesterday in a first lesson, "I know that Jesus is the only way." I was so grateful when he said that, and the Spirit confirmed to me that that is true. I know He is giving us the only opportunity to come back to our Heavenly Father, and that is why this message is so important.

  A spiritual experience I had this week was when we were able to give a blessing to one of the investigators we are teaching here in Garden Park. She has been having her legs keeps swelling up for no reason for the past little while, and last week, I felt the prompting to give her a blessing, but I ignored it. This week, when we went by, she was still suffering with it, and I knew I could not ignore it this time. She has some of the greatest understanding of the Restoration I've ever seen, and when we talked about the Priesthood, she immediately knew that she could be healed. We were able to give her a blessing, and afterwards, she said, "I am so grateful I got a blessing from God. It's real." Yesterday, we went by, and she proudly showed us how well her legs are doing now. I'm so grateful for the priesthood and for the gift of the Holy Ghost. Without them, this work would not go forward.


Love,
 Elder Hanni

Our branch president has a dog with the biggest eyes I've ever seen. I tried to get a good picture, but he just wouldn't look for very long. I thought he kind of looks like Ellie. :)