Una boda

I have been thinking about writing this post for a while and I am so glad I finally have some time to do it!  Well, lets see...where to begin....

I was in my third transfer, second area on my mission when I met Glenda and Manuel. I had served in a small town called Parla previously and there had helped prepare two little girls for baptism, however I was transferred to Barrio 8 before their actual baptism date. I really wanted to go back to see them be baptized, and we probably could have gotten permission to do so, but for some reason I just decided that we would stay in B8 and help the Elders with a baptism they had that same night.  Hna. Sharp, Hna. Barnes and I were working around the temple that day and then planned to stick around to help with the baptism and that is when we met Glenda and Manuel.  

They appeared on the temple grounds looking for help.  We met them and began to talk and they told us that they wanted to talk to someone about their relationship because they had been going through some hard times and needed some counsel.  We asked them to stay for the baptism and then they would have an opportunity to speak with the Bishop.  They stayed and we got to know them more.  We found out that Manuel was a member of the church, but hadn't really attended for years.  Glenda was not a member, but was open to learning more.  They had spoken to a leader of a different church before coming to ours and he had told them they should just separate.  They didn't want that. I don't know what our Bishop told them that night, but he did not tell them to separate and I think it gave them hope. 

Just to be clear, when we met Glenda and Manuel, they were not very happy.  They were far from their children in Honduras and were struggling in their relationship.  We began to teach them the missionary lessons and they started to read the Book of Mormon. I will always remember the change we saw in them.  They were happier and had hope that they hadn't had before.  I remember one day when Glenda called us just to tell us that she had had a hard time sleeping the night before because she felt anxious, but she started to read the Book of Mormon and she felt peace.  They started to talk about one day being sealed in the temple and having an eternal family.  They were completely different people from those we met that first night at the baptism.

Glenda wanted to be baptized, but she and Manuel needed to get married first so they started working on the paperwork.  I don't know all the laws, but it takes a lot of time to get married in Spain, especially if you are from a different country.  However, little by little they made progress toward marriage.  They kept attending church and made friends in the ward.  After 7 transfers in B8 (about 10 months) I moved to another area.  But, I still had some opportunities to visit Glenda and Manuel.

 They were always happy to see me and I was always happy to see them.  I often thought about, and still wonder, what would have happened if we had gone back to Parla that night instead of staying for the Elders baptism? Would someone else have helped Glenda and Manuel? Would they have separated instead of working through the hard times? I felt at the time that I had missed out by not going to Parla, I wished that I had gone instead.  But then something wonderful happened.  I am so grateful for a loving Heavenly Father who knew so much better than I did why it was that I needed to stay in B8 that night. 

Glenda and Manuel were married last Saturday, March 31, 2012. 

I am SO happy for them.  I know that one day they will be sealed in the temple and have an eternal family. ¡Felicidades Glenda y Manuel!  ¡Les quiero muchisimo!