A Courageous Disciple

Dear Family, Didn't you just love conference? Maybe it is just because this was my last conference in the mission but I thought it was the best conference of my whole life. I loved every single talk. I hope that with the release of Elder Callister, he will still speak often in conference. What struck me the most powerfully was the continual theme of a greater need to be courageous disciples of Jesus Christ. I feel like the Brethren were trying to say, "There are huge storms of adversity and trial coming. You will be backed up to the wall of faith and must decide if you will defend the truths that your parents have cherished or if you will falter and fall into the grasp of the Adversary and his evil forces." I wrote in my journal Saturday night for quite some time and committed myself to be a defender of the faith. The words of Mormon in Moroni 8:16-17 repeatedly came to my mind: ...Behold, I speak with boldness, having authority from God; and I fear not what man can do; for perfect love casteth out all fear. 17 And I am filled with charity, which is everlasting love... It is so interesting to me that our ability to be courageous (to not have fear) is directly proportional to the amount of charity we have. I love President Monson's admonition to be charitable. I feel that if the Savior came and spoke to our society today in a Sermon on the Mount type setting, that He would speak to us about charity. It is the greatest of all spiritual gifts and without it we are nothing. We found six new investigators this week and we are pretty excited to start working with them. Last night we met a family that was referred to us by a member of the english ward. The member speaks Spanish and is a wonderful missionary. They recently moved in and within the first few weeks she brought baked goods to all of her neighbors, talked to them about the Gospel and invited them to her home for a family night. Her kindness had a softening effect on Guadalupe and they became friends. She has been teaching Guadalupe english by reading from the Book of Mormon and finally Guadalupe asked for her own copy in Spanish so she can better understand what she reads. We dropped off el Libro de Mormon last night and said a prayer with them. They are very humble people and have soft hearts. We are going by tonight to teach them the Restoration and invite them to be baptized. Please pray that they can feel the Holy Ghost testify of the truthfulness of the Gospel. Please also continue to pray for Aurora (Katie's favorite princess), Araceli, and Carina. They are on schedule to be baptized next weekend (April 19th). I love you and am grateful for your prayers! Love, Elder Case P.S. We are going to NASA right now!

An Increase of Love

Dear Family, We went to the temple today and thus changed our P-Day this week. Thank you for your prayers and love and notes and birthday wishes. I think the healthy arrival of Henley has to be the best birthday present I received. Now I have a niece to share April Fool's pranks with. When I was at BYU, I remember Sister Davis (my Bishop's wife) talking in Sacrament Meeting at one point and talking about having kids born. She said she was always nervous that she would never be able to love the new baby quite as much as she loved her other children. She then explained that the moment that she held the newborn in her arms for the first time that she was filled with an overwhelming love for that child and that somehow her love had increased. She then explained that it had been the same with all of the university wards and students that they had been able to serve. Since we were their last ward before being released she explained that through the Atonement of Christ her love had been increased to hundreds of young BYU students. As I celebrated my birthday yesterday, I came to understand just a little bit better what she meant. It was by far the best birthday I have ever had. On Saturday, the Colons had a birthday party complete with Mexican food (life mom always makes on my birthday), presents, cupcakes and candles. Then yesterday, Blanca Ortega (mom) returned home from El Salvador. She has been there for two weeks. We had another birthday party there with most of our recent converts in the area. Once again, cake, presents, and cards. Natalia wrote me a really funny letter that said, "You are one of the originals left, you can't forget about us". It made me think of the Updike "original" photo :) Blanca brought me an awesome hammock from El Salvador that I am now trying to figure out how to send home. Then we went to the church for mutual and English class and as I walked into the gym, all 30 young women from the ward sang me Happy Birthday. If you want to know how to make me blush, that is the trick. It was so awkward to have all those girls sing to me. They then brought me a gift bag with a bunch of paper towels and a note card that said, "April Fools!" after which they gave me a nice tie and a card. I will hit my year mark in this ward and area in six days. I have come to love these people so much. Every time that I meet new investigators I always wonder if I will be able to love them as much as I love the Ortegas and Giselle and the other converts and then as I serve them and as they serve me, a bond is formed and the Savior bestows upon me a greater capacity to love. I am so grateful for the infinite of the Savior Jesus Christ and our Heavenly Father. I know that Their love really is endless and that They are always willing to give us a greater portion if we but seek for it. Moroni 7:48 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this love, which he hath bestowed upon all who are true followers of his Son, Jesus Christ; that ye may become the sons of God; that when he shall appear we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is; that we may have this hope; that we may be purified even as he is pure. Amen. We continue to be blessed in the work and found a number of new investigators this week. On Sunday, since it was the fifth Sunday, during the third hour, Hermano Perez (our Ward Mission Leader) taught about members being missionaries. The ward is already on fire but he just got everyone even more excited. With a few more baptisms that will happen this weekend, I think it is the fifth Sunday in a row. In the whole year I think we have only had three weekends without a baptism in the ward. All the converts are still very active and progressing. It is such a blessing! I have been reading one of the apostle's talks a day from the last conference in preparation for this weekend. I am so excited. I cannot believe that this is my last General Conference in the mission though. I still remember my first one when they announced the age change. What a fun time to be a missionary. As I have thought about coming home and everyone being there, I have one request. The week of my farewell, we all went to the Mesa Temple and did sealings in the same sealing room where Mom and Dad and Elisabeth and Mike got sealed (Bex was doing baptisms for the dead). Can we do that again when I come home? That was one of the best things that could have happened to my mission because it gave me a vision of baptizing families and getting them to the temple to be sealed so that they can feel what I felt that day. I still have vivid memories of the outpouring of love that I experienced as I was in the temple with my whole family. Thank you all for being who you are. I talk about you all the time and everyone out here wants to meet you. I love you and want you to know that I know this Gospel is true. Jesus Christ lives and loves us. Through His Atonement all things can and will be made right and we can be made whole if we come unto Him. Love, Elder Case

This Ain't My First Rodeo!

Dear Family, As you can see from the pictures we went to the rodeo last week. It was a blast! We watched Mutton Bustin' (little kids riding sheep and trying to stay on) saw the fat pigs (Penelope has nothing on them), ate deep fried oreos (I thought they were disgusting), and enjoyed the time together. It was fun because Elder Gray and Elder Evertsen were both there! Our companionship is by far the oldest in the mission. Elder Cruz goes home in four weeks, I go home in 10 weeks, and Elder Nielsen goes home in 16 weeks. Together we have been out for 66 months or five and a half years. Our collective age is also 66 years old. Hence, this is not our first rodeo. We have a good time together. We continue to be blessed by the Lord. Yesterday was Ward Conference and it was really neat to see all of the recent converts participating. La familia Ortega was in the choir. Norma offered the opening prayer and then the Stake President (Presidente Portillo) called her up to bear her testimony of how she has felt since joining the church. She talked about how she is the only member in her family and that her family doesn't really treat her like they love her but that God has given her a new family, a ward family that has embraced her and loved her. It was a very touching and powerful testimony. Then we sustained Eduardo Colon to receive the Melchizedek Priesthood and be ordained to the office of Elder! After church we were in Missionary Coordination and Pedro Perez (a high councilor) called me out and asked me to go with him to ordain Eduardo. I have never conferred the Melchizedek Priesthood before so it was a little nerve-racking but as always the words came. In the blessing I told him to use his priesthood to bless his family and the Spirit came. I can feel it right now just thinking about it. As I said those words, the import of what was happening finally hit me. I remembered the dozens of fathers blessings I have received throughout my life and the comfort, the physical and spiritual healing, the power, and the change that those blessings have wrought in my life and realized that the Colon family would now be recipients of all such blessings. How grateful I am for the Gospel of Jesus Christ! I know that the Priesthood Authority has been restored and that today President Monson is the Lord's chosen prophet for these tumultuous times. On Friday, we didn't have much planned so we dressed up in service clothes and went out to serve people. We stopped by a former investigator named Marta and she offered to have us back the next day. We stopped teaching her a number of months ago because she just refused to accept the apostasy and wanted to remain catholic. On Saturday, her neighbor (Hermana Cortez, the Stake Relief Society President) came with us and we found out that they have been getting together every Friday and reading the Book of Mormon. They are in 2 Nephi 7. Not surprisingly, reading the Book of Mormon has changed Marta. She was very receptive to us teaching the apostasy and understood it very well. She still didn't want to believe it just because it varied from her traditions but at the end of the lesson had the firm resolve to go to a private place and kneel down and pray and ask God if what we have shared is true and if she needs to be baptized. It was such a miracle! It was one of those miracles that just helps me remember how little I am and that fallen man cannot merit anything of himself (Alma 22:14). The fact that the last time I left her house I was upset and never wanted to come back because of how hardhearted she was to now how her be reading the Book of Mormon and committing to pray about its truthfulness is a change that only can come from the Lord. I know that there is nothing I can do of myself and that all of my strength and all of my blessings come through the Atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ. We also stopped by Giselle's house. She and her husband Gerrardo were outside washing the dog. We asked what service we could do. Gerrardo (being the man) said there was nothing. Giselle said we could cut down a tree that had died since her husband hadn't gotten around to doing it. They didn't have a saw or axe so we climbed a ladder and tied a rope around the middle of it and then hacked away with a machete (Costa Rican style). It was really run. It was one of those tall skinny pine trees that are all over the Mesa Temple grounds. I know that this is the Lord's work. I love the Gospel and am so grateful for the Atonement of Jesus Christ. What a blessing we have to be able to access the blessings of that infinite sacrifice. I love you. Thank you for your prayers. Love, Elder Case

This Do in Remembrance of Me

Dear Family, We have finally settled in the new apartment. It is just across the parking lot from where I lived for the last year but it was really dirty and took lots of time to unpack. Elder Larson was transferred to Houston 8 (where I began my mission) and Elder Cruz is our new companion. Elder Cruz, Elder Nielsen and I have all served in Houston 8 before so we have fun stories to talk about and share. Houston 4th Ward is convinced that I am a member now and not a missionary. They all expect me to move back right after my mission and raise my family here with them. This week we stopped by Giselle's home and taught her and her husband (Gerrardo). We taught the Word of Wisdom and he was the same as her. At the beginning of the lesson he said there was no way that he was going to stop drinking coffee and at the end, he looked us in the eyes and said, "I promise that I will never drink coffee again". It was a miracle to see the change of heart that happened in him in just a few minutes. He is preparing to be baptized on April 12th. Please pray for Gerrardo and also their granddaughter Madison that they can be baptized together on that date. With all the changes this week things have been really different for me. It has been hard to keep my regular routine and schedule and thus I have felt like I slacked in some areas where I used to be diligent. I kept on trying my best but just didn't feel that it was quite good enough. As we went to Sacrament Meeting, I was reflecting on the week and all the times that I hadn't lived up to my baptismal covenant of promising to remember Him. What's more, I read a talk by Elder Holland at the beginning of the week entitled "This Do in Remembrance of Me" from the October 1995 General Conference. As I read that talk I committed myself to better remember the Savior throughout the week and as the time approached to renew the covenant and commitment I could only remember all the times I had not done so. I sat down in front of Karla Ortega so that I could help her control her 5 and 6 year old boys. As I was sitting there, my failures to remember the Savior kept coming back to my mind. It was then that the Colons walked in. They saw the open bench next to me and came and sat down. It was such a tender mercy of the Lord to sit by them and draw with Esmeralda (3) and listen to Eduardo (7) ever so quietly sing "I Am a Child of God" to himself during the administration of the Sacrament. As the bread was being passed, I looked over at Hno Colon and he had his head bowed, eyes closed and his hands stretched out with his palms up. I knew that he was intently remembering the Savior and His atoning sacrifice for us. I knew that he was thinking of the hands of the Savior which were so horribly marred and marked for us. As I observed this family that I love so very much, I felt my Savior's love. I knew with a surety that even though I hadn't remembered Him, that He had remembered me. I thought of the Sacrament prayer that I had just heard and my promise to "always remember him". I thought of my baptismal covenant in Mosiah 18 "to stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places that [I] may be in, even until death". And then I realized that even though I had not lived worthy and that I had not kept my covenant, that Christ promises "yet will I not forget thee" for "I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands" (1 Nephi 21:15-16). I know that we are never forsaken nor forgotten by the one who loves us perfectly. I know that we have a Heavenly Father that is ever aware of us. I know Jesus Christ lives and though perfect has kept the imperfect marks of the Crucifixion that we might remember Him. I am so grateful for this Gospel and for the experiences the Lord is blessing us with. I love you and am grateful for your prayers. Love, Elder Case

The Refiner's Fire

Dear Family, I love you and am grateful for your prayers. They are answered. Last Monday we talked with Giselle's daughter about Madison (Giselle's granddaughter) getting baptized. She said that she wanted to wait at least a month so that Madison could prove that she would be faithful to the covenant that she will be making. With that news, Giselle decided she wasn't waiting any longer so we made the arrangements and she was baptized on Saturday night. She has some back problems and can't bend her knees very well so we were going to do the baptism in a chair. I baptized her and it was one of the most interesting and touching experiences of my life. The chair didn't work at all so we pulled it out for attempt #2. We then tried to have her stand and just go forwards in stead of backwards and that didn't work either. After that she looked at me and said, "Elder just push me down! Dios me va a ayudar." It was amazing to see how full of faith she was and how badly she wanted to make a covenant with the Lord and be clean. For the third and final attempt, I said the prayer, she grabbed my hand and then I put my hand on her shoulder and pushed straight down. She went all the way under and I went under up to my neck. I don't understand how it worked without her getting hurt but it did and during the closing song she just sobbed as she was overcome with the Spirit. As a side note, I think I finally learned why Alma immersed himself in the water as he baptized Helam in Mosiah 18: 14 And after Alma had said these words, both Alma and Helam were aburied in the water; and they arose and came forth out of the water rejoicing, being filled with the Spirit. I decided that Helam just had back problems and that the Waters of Mormon were not very deep. Also, after the baptism we found out that the font didn't drain. I have some funny pictures in the font with a plunger. I will send them next week. Sunday Giselle was confirmed and it was wonderful. She is so happy and wants more than anything for her family to join the church and receive of the same joy that has entered into her life. Right before the baptism she mentioned that Saturday morning she had gotten mad at her grandson Lance and wasn't sure if she was worthy to get baptized. We talked about the baptismal interview and that she had had an authorized representative of Jesus Christ say she was worthy and that Satan just wanted her to feel that she was not. That experience along with many others this week, my studies, and hearing about the Robertsons and Aunt Janet have made me reflect on why we have trials. This morning I was studying in 2 Nephi 3:1 which reads: 1 And now I speak unto you, Joseph, my alast-born. Thou wast born in the wilderness of mine afflictions; yea, in the days of my greatest sorrow did thy mother bear thee. I thought about Lehi. He says that his days in the wilderness were the days of his greatest sorrow. That surprised me considering the fact that back in Jerusalem his people had tried to kill him, he had left his home, wealth, family and friends, and had assuredly passed through many other difficult trials. Yet the years in the wilderness were the most sorrowful. I realized that this was the case because he was about to receive his promised land and thus had to pass through the "trial of [his] faith" (Ether 12:6). I imagine that as he wandered through the "wilderness of [his] afflictions" for those many years, the only thought that kept him going was his "hope for a better world" (Ether 12:4). In 1 Nephi 20:10 we read: 10 For, behold, I have refined thee, I have chosen thee in the furnace of aaffliction. And so it is. We pass through hardships, trials, and afflictions so that we can be not only called but also chosen of the Lord. I testify of a Heavenly Father that loves us. Elder Scott said, "Your Father in Heaven and His Beloved Son love you perfectly. They would not require you to experience a moment more of difficulty than is absolutely needed for your personal benefit or for that of those you love." (October 1995 "Trust in the Lord") In that same talk he also said, "Just when all seems to be going right, challenges often come in multiple doses applied simultaneously. When those trials are not consequences of your disobedience, they are evidence that the Lord feels you are prepared to grow more (see Prov. 3:11–12)". What a wonderful knowledge that is! Trials are evidence that the Lord trusts us. I know that Jesus Christ lives. He is my Savior and my King. This is the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We really can change as we repent and "meekly approach the mercyseat and plead for grace" (President Uchtdorf). I know that through the Atonement of Jesus Christ all things can and will be made right. I have felt of healing and enabling power of the Atonement many times and I know that in the very moment that the Master Healer is mending our broken hearts, He is also giving us the strength to endure, to press forward, to stay the course until one day we can rest from "all [our] troubles and from all care, and sorrow (Alma 40:12). I know that because Jesus Christ lives that we too shall live again and if we make and keep sacred covenants in this life, then we can receive a fullness of joy in the next as we reunite with our loved ones. What a glorious message this is. 4. He lives! All glory to his name! He lives, my Savior, still the same. Oh, sweet the joy this sentence gives: "I know that my Redeemer lives!" I know He lives. I love you. Elder Case

Winning Their Hearts

Dear Family, Great news! I finally broke 200 lbs! On Wednesday, we had three meal appointments scheduled every two hours. Luckily the Lord is merciful and we changed the schedule just a little so that we had some more time. We weighed in before we left the apartment and when we got home I went from 193 to 201! It was a highlight for me. Anyways, we have had another wonderful week. People are becoming so converted. I spent the whole day Friday in the temple. We had the departing temple trip in the morning and that was an experience. It was a big group so instead of staying in the Celestial Room we went to the training room where President and Sister Crane (the Temple President and Matron) came in and spoke to us with the Ashtons and then did a question and answer session. It was very enlightening. On the way home from the temple, the Ashtons said they wanted to spend some with with Elder Johnson and I so we rode in their car (just us four). President used the time to talk with us about our future, tell us what he thinks are strengths and weaknesses are and give us advice about business. It was very kind of them. Just as a sidethought, I invited the Ashton kids to come spend a day at our house this summer and promised them a lake trip if they come. They generally pass through Arizona to stay with their grandparents for a couple weeks. Upon arrival at the Mission Office after the temple trip, la familia Ortega took us back to the temple to do baptisms for the dead. We have been helping them do their family history and so they were all set with both Blanca and Rene's fathers. I also brought William Case who was born in Kentucky in 1784. Rene Ortega was baptized for him. I love the temple and the many blessings we receive from being true and faithful and having a current temple recommend. Their are many less-active couples and families that are coming back right now and want to go to the temple. The Spirt of the Lord is being poured out upon this area and ward as it was poured out upon the Lamanites in Alma 19:14. It is incredible. The promise of the Lord in Jacob 5 is being fulfilled: 72 And it came to pass that the servants did go and labor withtheir mights; and the Lord of the vineyard labored also with them;and they did obey the commandments of the Lord of the vineyardin all things. I feel of the Lord laboring with us every single day. This is His work and it will go forward. Last night we were teaching la familia Martinez about tithing and it was going well until el hermano went off about how he didn't know where the funds went and how they were used and how we could just give them to the beggars on the street and how we don't need to build luxurious temples and so on. We testified to him that the temple is the House of the Lord. That he literally dwells there and that without the covenants that are made in the temple, we cannot be saved no matter how good of people we are or how much faith we have. Talking about and testifying of the temple changed his heart and at the end, they told us to tell the bishop to expect some letters with money (they still aren't coming back to church so we explained that they could mail their tithing in). It was special to see the change in his heart. We also taught Giselle and her husband yesterday. Giselle feels ready to be baptized and will either do it this weekend or next depending on whether or not her granddaughter receives permission to be baptized with her. We are talking to her granddaughter's (Madison) parents tonight. Please pray that it goes according to the Lord's will and that we say what we need to. Giselle's husband is named Gerrardo. He was an investigator about 8 months ago but after the second lesson he dropped us. We had been having a hard time reaching him so we decided to use a different approach. Last week we had Mission Leadership Council and received a training on winning over the hearts of the people. Ammon is a wonderful example of this when he cuts off the arms and saves the flocks. We had dinner with Giselle and Gerrardo on Saturday and spent the whole time talking to him about Costa Rica and his work and his interests. He had a change of heart and just loves us. He said he would join in the lessons whenever we come now and yesterday when we stopped by he said he was convinced and that he wanted to be baptized! It was amazing and the Spirit was so strong. The experiences that we are being blessed with are miraculous. I love this Gospel. I love the Lord. I know that Jesus Christ lives. I feel of His love every single day. As Oliver Cowdery wrote, "these were days never to be forgotten" (thanks Stevo for the email). I couldn't agree more. I fly home in exactly three months from today. I know that the Lord has a great work yet for me to accomplish. My only desire is to do His will and to please my Father. Love, Elder Case

Conversion

Dear Family, This is the best time of my life! I love being a missionary and teaching the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ. On Tuesday we were on our way to English class and the Relief Society President called and told us that the Relief Society was doing a Book of Mormon kickoff that night and she wanted us to teach las hermanas how to study by reading 1 Nephi 1-3 with them. It was interesting but a wonderful experience. We made the comparison between Lehi and Joseph Smith and helped them realize how fascinating the scriptures are. We spent a lot of time on the last verse of 1 Nephi 1: 20 And when the Jews heard these things they were angry with him; yea, even as with the prophets of old, whom they had acast out, and stoned, and slain; and they also bsought his life, that they might take it away. But behold, I, Nephi, will show unto you that the tender cmercies of the Lord are over all those whom he hath chosen, because of their faith, to make them mighty even unto the power of ddeliverance. We told them that Nephi invites us to do something here and asked what that something was. They didn't get it so we explained that he says he will show unto us the tender mercies of the Lord. The question becomes, how does he show this to us? As we read through 1 and 2 Nephi, he shows us. We invited them to look for, write down and consider the tender mercies of the Lord that Nephi shows us and that we receive from the Lord in our own lives. I am pretty sure that whole conversation was something that dad asked about during family scripture study one night. It is amazing how often I reflect on family scripture study and how much I learned. At the very end of the class, I stood up and bore my testimony of the Book of Mormon. I then took the opportunity to speak to a group of mothers and future mothers. I explained to them that I have read the Book of Mormon almost every day of my life because each night my mother would gather us and we would read. I explained that if she had not done this my father would have but that it was because of the influence of my mother that I have come to know and love the Book of Mormon. I explained to them that the only reason that my mom would go through the trouble of gathering fighting children that often acted like Laman and Lemuel was because she read the Book of Mormon every day and she knew it was true. The Spirit came very strongly and they all realized the incredible responsibility they have as mothers and also the wonderful influence they can have on their children. Natalia Ulloa (the Ortega's granddaughter) finished the Book of Mormon this week. We think it took her about 7 weeks to read. She finished it at school and texted us. She said it was the most beautiful book she has ever read and that when she finished it she wanted to jump and cry and laugh and that she was filled with the Holy Ghost. The best part though is that after calming down, she turn back to the Title Page and started again. There is no better way to convert ourselves than using the tools the Lord has given us. Kimberly and Eduardo Colon started their temple prep classes yesterday. They are doing really well and are so excited to go to the temple to be sealed. We are going to do baptisms with the Ortegas and Norma on Friday and they will bring their own family names. Yesterday we had an extra half hour and we didn't know who to go visit. We talked about visiting a former and then going to visit Norma's family to try and teach them for the first time. We decided to visit Norma's family first but after praying changed the order. We visited hermana Acosta and caught them on their way out the door. She set an appointment and then committed to come to church next week. We then went to Norma's and we pulled up, said a prayer, and as we got out of the car they pulled up and her step-dad for the first time let us teach him. It was a miracle. If we had gone to Norma's first and then the Acostas we wouldn't have been able to find either at home and wouldn't have been able to help them come unto Christ. I am so grateful for the tender mercies of the Lord and for the guidance we receive each day from the Holy Ghost. Norma's step-dad said he would be baptized as he comes to know these things are true. It was a great blessing and an answer to prayer. We then taught Giselle Matamoros the Word of Wisdom. She is the Ortega's neighbor so they came. At the beginning she told us that God would just have to forgive her because she would not be able to give up coffee. At the end of the lesson she looked at us and said, "I promise that I will never drink coffee again. I know the Lord will strengthen me and bless me." The Gospel changes us. Also, Rodolfo is down to smoking 6 cigarettes a day. Two weeks ago he was smoking ten. Yesterday he only smoked three. It is special to see the change that has happened and the joy that has come into his life. There are other addictions that are even harder to overcome still but we are taking it one step at a time. I hope you are all well. Enjoy the Gilbert temple dedication! Thank you for your prayers and faith. Please pray that Madison (Giselle's granddaughter) will receive permission to be baptized from her parents. I love you. Elder Case P.S. That bird scares me to death. It is Giselle's. Every time we walk up to the door it screams "hola, hola, hola". The picture of the man with the deer skull is Fider Gonzalez. He is an insane Mexican and I love him to death. We showed up the other night and he was sticking metal through the skull so that he could hang it from the horn pull string in his 18 wheeler. It reminded me of Blake Smith (Is he the one that put the big horn in his truck?). I think I have explained this before but when we first stopped by the Ortegas in June, every time we knocked on the door, Blanca would answer and point to her Virgin Mary and say, "Soy Catolica". Well now when missionaries from other faiths come and knock on her door she points to the Plan of Salvation pamphlet and says, "Soy Mormona". I love this Gospel!