a ray of sunshine

This morning I received an email from Elder Wilfredo Garcia.  The subject line read:  soy elder garcia (I am elder garcia)

And the message was short and sweet:  hola madre como estas yo estoy feliz (hello mother how are you I am happy).

Wilfredo is the younger cousin of our other missionary, Adril Garcia and he entered the Missionary Training Center in Columbia today.  He was called to the Ecuador Guayaquil North Mission, but that is being divided so I don't know which mission he'll end up in.  To say I am relieved that he is on a mission is the understatement of the year.  It took a lot of miracles to get this boy on a mission - not because he didn't want to go because he so desperately did - and each miracle began and ended with a prayer. 

When I saw his short email in my inbox today, my eyes filled with tears.  I quickly replied with a barrage of questions:  how do you like the MTC?  Who and how is your companion?  Send me pictures! and so on.  But it appears I will have to wait until his next p-day for another email from him.  That's ok though - just knowing he is in a safe place and has begun the adventure of a mission is all I need right now.

This picture of Wilfredo is from one of my last trips to Peru - about 6 years ago now.  When I first visited the Sunflower Orphanage, he was painfully shy. He wouldn't look anyone in the eye and definitely wouldn't speak unless spoken to. But his smile. Oh, his smile. It melted my heart.  I haven't seen these boys since 2008 but their smiles are still imprinted on my heart. 

If anyone (and I do mean ANYONE) would like to email this boy, his email address is:  wilfredo.garcia.llaza@myldsmail.net.  These two boys, Adril and Wilfredo, have more faith than I will ever have.  And the obstacles and life challenges they have overcome to get to this point is unbelievable and inspiring.

So, hopefully I'll have another update in a week or so from this missionary of ours.  And yes, I do mean "ours" - so many people have helped this young man get to this point.  His life will be forever blessed because of the help of so many, but that doesn't begin to compare to how his sweet spirit has blessed ours.