This weekend, Betty and I traveled to Rivera to visit two sisters who I baptized as teenage girls, 40 years ago. My companion and I fasted with them twice back then;  once for them to receive a testimony, and later in the hopes that the parents would allow them to be baptized.  Both fasts were successful.  Since they were only 15 and 16, I had always wondered if they had managed to stay active in the church.

                                       Juan, Virginia, Betty and Jerry in their lovely home.


We stayed at the home of Virginia, one of the sisters, and most of the families came there to meet us.

When we first walked into the living room, we saw this beautiful window with an etching of the Salt Lake Temple!  Above it is a smaller one with the Young Women's icon.  Betty teared up, overwhelmed by the faith of these wonderful people. 

We attended an emotional sacrament meeting in which we heard many testimonies of how their lives had been changed by the gospel. We also heard thankful testimonies from other members of their ward, to whom they had introduced the gospel..
As it turns out, the two girls succeeded in bringing their siblings and parents into the church two years after they were baptized.  They both introduced the men they would later marry into the church. One of the husbands has been a bishop, and the other has been a stake president and a regional representative. Between the two families,  they have nine children, five of whom served full-time missions. The two couples were among the first to be endowed and sealed after the dedication of the Sao Paulo, Brazil Temple, in 1979.  What started with two young women, has grown to a family of more than thirty active members.

                                                 Liles with her Mom and her granddaughter.

With or without me, I think these people were destined to join the church. But....how sweet it is to know that I did my part,  and what joy I felt this weekend, spending time with the fruits of my labors, and their children, and their children's children. 
“And if it so be that you should labor all your days in crying repentance unto this people, and bring, save it be one soul unto me, how great shall be your joy with him in the kingdom of my Father!
“And now, if your joy will be great with one soul that you have brought unto me into the kingdom of my Father, how great will be your joy if you should bring many souls unto me!” (D&C 18:15–16

Elder Heath



Jerry and Betty with Liles and Virginia Pachiorotti.