I Made It On The Jumbotron!

Oh hi Family...

I just have to say, letters are getting less and less these days. I've been told there is a point in your mission where people start forgetting about you. I think it's happening. Luckily I'll be in Mexico in LESS THAN A WEEK and will probably be so busy I won't have much time to think about how empty my inbox is. So I guess it's ok. Haha...I'm so dramatic. I get enough mail. Just FYI...don't send any dearelders to the MTC after Friday, because I probably won't get them. You can send them to my mission, though!!! 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO:
LARKIN this past MONDAY!

MATTHEW TOMORROW!

AND MOST IMPORTANTLY: TO THE BEST MOM IN THE WHOLE WORLD ON SUNDAY!

First off, the big news of the week is we got our travel plans on Friday! We are leaving the MTC at 4:30am on Monday morning! It was so exciting to get them! There are 19 missionaries traveling to Cuernavaca! I'm pretty sure there are other missionaries going to different Mexico missions on our flight...so the plane might be ALL missionaries. 

I don't think I ever told you this, but one of the first days here, my district was talking about who left boyfriends or girlfriends back at home. People were talking about it and I was like "Yeah...I left 5 boyfriends at home. They all wanted to marry me and I was like...SORRY! I'm going on a mission!" Obviously no one believed me, but we have this running joke about my 5 boyfriends. For example, when we were doing service Friday morning (cleaning toilets -- looking really cute with no makeup on) Elder Anderson was like "you are glowing this morning" (this is also a joke between us) and I said "I know...that's why I have 5 boyfriends! Duh!" 

Hermana Hoffman and I were asked to sing our duet again on Sunday at the Farewell Fireside for missionaries leaving. We were excited to sing again. We also sang in church and our district leader loved it so much he had us sing it for the closing song in District Meeting. Haha. ALSO, I joined choir this week and sang at the devotional. AND I WAS TOTALLY ON THE JUMBOTRON! So I'm basically famous at the MTC. I guess I was on it a few times because on Branch President said "the camera really focused on me" and of course I was like, "that's why i have 5 boyfriends!" haha...just kidding I didn't really say that to him, but I did in my mind. :)

I realized the other day that I am really happy being a missionary. I think I was playing volleyball with my zone and I was just smiling and laughing. It's pretty great. My companions and I taught our "investigators" for the last time this week and I was actually kind of sad. At the beginning on the MTC, I struggled with feeling like what I was teaching really mattered since they were my teachers acting like other people. I expressed that concern to my lovely teacher Hma. Vawdrey and she said that I will probably have investigators just like these "investigators" on my  mission. Once I started thinking that way, I really started enjoying teaching. I have been blessed to have some AMAZING teachers at the MTC. Since our zone is kind of small, we have these "resource teachers" who don't have districts at the moment who help us and everyone is awesome. They know how to be effective missionaries and I hope I can remember everything I've been taught!

Our devotional yesterday was from Don R. Clarke of the 70. He totally looked like Gordon B. Hinckley! Haha...his talk was great. He said he met with some new members and recently activated members in Eugene, OR a few weeks ago. He asked them what made them join or come back to the church. He shared two common phrases that he heard: 

"They stopped by" and "They checked in" 

Pretty simple, right? The missionaries stopped by and checked in consistently. The members or investigators felt their love for them and because of that, felt the love that their Heavenly Father has for them. I'm so grateful for my calling as a missionary. I'm a representative of Jesus Christ and my purpose is to invite others to come unto Him. That's just it...to invite. And the stop by and check in, just like the Savior would. A goal I have on my mission is to really focus on the people I serve. To turn out when I want to turn in. Elder Clarke said "this (your mission) will change you for eternity. You can't buy the kind of happiness you will feel!" How exciting. 

Anyway, family and friends. I love you all! I'm grateful for this gospel. I know that my Savior lives. I know that He has suffered and descended below all things in order to lift us above our trials and challenges. Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ know us. That's a crazy thought, the creator of the universe and the Savior of the world care about what we care about. They have created a plan for each of us to return to live with them again some day! I don't know about you but that just gives me hope. I am so imperfect and have a lot to change and because of the atonement of Jesus Christ, I can do that everyday. I hope each of us can remember who we truly are in God's eyes. If we can do that, life will be so much happier!

 

Love, 

Hermana Durham

Pictures:

Our zone at the temple this morning

My district: E. Hester, Hna Chambers, Me, Hna. Hoffman, E. Lower (in the back-ish) E. Anderson and E. Montierth in the front. 

Me and Hna Edwards. She is literally Kortni Seegmiller with brown hair. She looks and acts just like her and I love her!