Valiente Continues,,,

Teaching English at the Valiente Branch each Saturday morning continues to be a part of our lives here. Peggy teaches the 8-11 year old class with three senior missionaries and Miquelina, a non-mermber, who speaks good English and loves to assist and teach too.  The class size is about 65 young students.  The kids love learning English and love their teachers.

Peggy,  Maria (student), Miquelina (teacher)

Leondro, one of our English students and his Uncle Wilkido, were baptized by Elder Nelson.  He came up to me at English class and told me he was getting baptized and said he was "Y0 emocionado," excited to be baptized. After the baptism he bore his testimony. It was pretty cool. He and Wellington were confirmed in sacrament meeting the next week.

Leandro, Elder Nelson. Wilkido

The same day at 6:00 p.m. we returned to the Valiente Branch for another baptism.  The young man, Jean Carlos Pena, who has been coming to the English class, also attended EFY or "SOY"-"Strength Of Youth" camp recently and returned so excited about the Church.  He returned from SOY and said, "Can I get baptized today and I want to go on a mission as soon as possible?" The missionaries got special permission to baptize him after two lessons instead of three. I had my doubts about a solid conversion, but the missionaries said that he's been ready since they first started teaching him. The reason that he didn't get baptized this afternoon is because his father couldn't be there because he had to work.  Jean Carlos is awesome young man!

Elder Salazar, Jean Carlos, Madre,  Padre

We are privileged to be a part of this marvelous work and the happiness we see in these converts. Our friend, Daniel Allred has been a big reason for all of this. He makes friends with all of these young people as he teaches and visits with them on Saturdays. We cannot visit as much as we'd like to because of the language barrier, but he does and includes us as much as he can. He is an amazing young man working here with the Self-Reliance Department on a BYU internship. He found out that we were teaching English in a branch outside of the city and volunteered to come and help us. He has been our greatest asset and most dependable helper. The branch will miss him for sure as he will go home on the second of August to Centerville, Utah. We love him so much and he has been such an asset to the Church and our missionary work. We will miss him a lot.

Valiente Members, Missionaries, Investigators

One young man, who has become good friends with Daniel and us is John. He and his girlfriend  and wife-to-be Erica will be baptized as soon as they can get the money for his previous divorce and their ultimate marriage.  We hosted them and the Elders at a dinner in our apartment prior to taking a tour of the temple recently.   We had an opportunity to explain to them the importance of the temple and the happiness and blessings it brings into our lives. The Spirit was very powerful!  They are so excited and should be baptized in the next several months.  John attends the English class every week and it learning to speak very well.  Erica has a daughter Michelle.  they are a cute couple and are excited about the gospel.  It has been a good month teaching English. sharing the gospel and seeing people's lives change as they come to Christ.

Randy, Daniel, John, Erica, Michelle, Erica's Father, Peggy

Daniel Allred and John