Elder Thomas Steinkuhler: Heavenly Father is not over with miracles!

Well, talk about a wonderful week. I have a wonderful story for this week. But first I want to thank everyone that came to talk to me on Christmas. I know all the troubles that people went through just to chat with me for like 5 minutes. Most are probably thinking that it totally wasn't worth it. But if truth be told... nothing could have affected me more. I truly can feel all of your love from here in Argentina. It really doesn't matter what we talked about. I talked to you. And that has brightened up my life. Thank you so much for talking to me. My one wish for Christmas is that you will all know how much I love you.

Well, like I said. I have a wonderful story. Last week after I sent my e-mail... I went to see an investigator... let´s call him Alan (because I called him that last week). Alan was contacted about 3 months ago when I was with Elder Sagripanti. He was actually the 3rd house I ever contacted myself. He invited us to come back and when we did we discovered that he was not only the most intelligent man we had ever talked to. But he also had no faith in God or Christ. But he kept on inviting us back. He didn't pray much or read much and really just wanted to learn and not do anything. We dropped him once. But went back about a month ago and picked him up again. He recently got divorced and is now dating a wonderful lady that he loves very much. They were planning on marriage too. Well, last Sunday like I said... I felt prompted to go to his house. We went over and well... he was a mess. He fought with his girlfriend and ended up smashing his guitar and lighting it on fire. We somewhat calmed him down and last week we went over again after I finished the e-mail. This is what happened:

We showed up and he invited us in. He was shirtless (not unusual here) and smoking a cigarette (the kind you role yourself... straight tobacco). On the table there were 5 bottles that had once contained alcohol. He dropped into a chair and we sat on the couch. We asked how he was doing and he went on for a bit catching us up on what had happened in the past 24 hours. Also expressing his feelings of how alone he was. We told him we had something to share with him, so I opened up our lesson with a prayer. I prayed both vocally and mentally with all the power I have. I pleaded with God to help us help Alan. Then we started talking about some things that could help him and how he really needed to find faith before he could receive answers from God that would help him. During this he smoked and for some reason it really bothered me. My mind couldn't get off the fact that he was smoking. I prayed again and felt that we really needed to talk to him about the Word of Wisdom... or a church health code. I then interrupted my companion and pulled out Mosiah 2:40 (a wonderful scripture I had read earlier in the day because a close friend put it in his letter to me... thanks). It talks about how we are blessed when we do what we are asked of from God. Then we taught him the Word of Wisdom. My companion looked at me like I was crazy when I started... but I just kept on going and he supported me. Alan was quiet and listened to us. After teaching him about it we promised him he would receive an answer if he followed God´s commandments and asked with real intent. Then we closed the lesson and asked him to pray. I bowed my head and prayed as I had never prayed before for him to receive an answer. I was praying so hard I almost didn't hear him crying. He was pleading with his Father in Heaven and truly asking for inspiration. He closed and all of us just sat there for a few moments as the Spirit washed over us all. We got up and he thanked us with all the sincerity of his heart. And asked us to come back in a few days. We agreed and left. When we came back on Christmas Eve there were no bottles... no cigarettes and no problems. He was happy and full of inner light. He welcomed us in as a friend greets a long lost friend. We sat down and he told us how his life had changed after we left. He had received his faith and truly felt our Heavenly Father´s love. He was no longer alone. Everything about him had changed and truly we did rejoice together.

This Sunday he came to church... an hour early. He understood everything and set up another appointment for this week. He is on his way to entering the fold of God... after wandering in strange pastors for a long time. This has brought joy to this work. Although we get rejected a lot right now because of all the bustle of the Holidays... one man has not only welcomed us in... but has helped us realize how it feels to find the truth. What better Christmas present could we ask for?

Well, I wrote too much. But if I can praise my God... I will. For that night, I did not teach him. My words are small... and even smaller in Spanish. God taught him. God held his heart... and the whole world should know this. Every person should know that our Heavenly Father is not over with miracles. And for that, I praise him.

Okay, some other news... Actually, I don't know what else there is to share. We have been finding more and touching people in a similar way. I was blessed to spend time talking to my family and friends. Oh, I should probably explain what Christmas is here. Well, on Christmas Eve (or "night good" in Spanish) everyone sets off fireworks at about 12. It is like the 4th of July. Then they get drunk and sleep till like 3 the next day. On Christmas day we had a meeting in the morning. We walked out onto the streets and there was absolutely no one. It was really quiet and really weird. Fun though. We took a bus and he was going like 60 or something. It was crazy. He wasn’t drunk... don’t worry. But there was just no one out. So he didn’t have to worry. Um, yeah, driving is just different here. Don’t worry about it. Um, I listened to a lot of music... and played a lot of games with people because we weren’t allowed to be outside parts of those nights. I don’t know... it was a good week.

Oh, one last thing. If you want to catch up to me... we are reading the Book of Mormon this transfer. So by the first Monday of February we will be finished with it. We started this last week and SHOULD be at about page 80 today. And then 13 pages a day should be good. If you want to catch up and read with us. It is a whole mission goal. It is great reading it though again.

Anyway... I’m over time. So I need to say my farewells and leave. But again, thank you all for all that you do for me. I am doing wonderful and really have nothing to complain about. I hope the same is true for you all. Take care now.

All my love,

Tommy

PS There are photos... the family is the family I was with when I called home minus the father. They are wonderful.

PPS I must admit... one thing I do miss right now is the snow. Someone should enjoy it for me.