Monday, September 22, 2014

Renewed determination

Hola Familia!!!

This week went well! We had interviews with President and they were great. I honestly love that man. He is inspired and I feel so grateful to have him and Sister Kusch as my 'fake parents' on the mission. We talked for a good while about my personal progress and how I am doing as a missionary. He told me that I will look back on this time years from now and be grateful for this time. I am learning things now that will serve me for years to come. He said that I will receive blessings throughout my whole life for my service. I am always worried that our numbers don't reflect exactly how we are doing in our area and that he only judges us based on the numbers we report each week, but he assured me that he knows that Hermana Ward and I are working our hardest. He knows that challenges we face in our area and he appreciates our efforts we are making to fulfill our purpose as missionaries. I felt on top of the world after my interview with him and had a renewed determination to give it my all.

Our ward had a Noche Mexicana on Friday to celebrate Independence Day. Of course I wore my embroidered shirt and everyone told me that I looked super Mexican! I was so flattered! haha. I think they love that I try to be as Mexican as possible even though I am so white. This ward is great. We did 'el grito' VIVA MEXICO!!!! and everything. We sang the national anthem...which I didn't sing because I didn't know the words. I did salute the flag, though! We has serveral investigators come and a lot of the members brought their friends. We couldn't stay for the whole thing (we heard it lasted until 12!) but they made sure to give us food before we had to leave. :) Eder, the son of Tomas, danced a traditional dance from Guerrero but I missed it because he danced after we left. They made sure to record it and show it to me later, though!

The highlight of the week was the baptism of EDER!!! He is 10 and has been so excited to get baptized, he even programmed the date of his baptism in his dad's calendar on his phone. He was supposed to be baptized 2 weeks ago but it was postponed twice for various reasons and I was so happy that it finally happened. Tomas was so excited to baptize his son! At the end of the baptism, Eder got up and gave a little 'testimony' of sorts. He said 'Hermanos, estoy muy feliz porque hoy fue mi bautismo. El señor me tocó a mi corazón! Y mañana es mi confirmación y estoy emocionado.' WHich means...Brothers and SIsters, I am very happy because today was my baptism. The lord touched my heart. And tomorrow is my confirmation and I am very excited! It was the cutest thing and made me cry. I love Eder and this family.

Fabiola, the wife of Tomas and mom of Eder will be baptized next week. It has been a struggle to teach her because she works all the time, but we found her miraculously this last week and we were able to finish teaching her. All of our appointments fell through that day so we decided to visit Tomas and Eder because they are usually home. When we passed by, Fabiola was there because Eder stayed home sick that day from school and we were able to finish teaching her. Tomas was leaving to go somewhere but before he left he said 'I want to go to the temple! With my wife!' and I said 'Don't worry, Hermano, we will get you there.' I can't wait for the day when they are sealed as a family. I hope I can be here for it. The best part of the lesson was when Fabiola told us that her sisters were telling her that she was only going to this church for her husband (they are super catholic). She said that she told them that she was not going for that reason. She was going because she knows that it is true! That if she didn't want to go, nobody would make her. She told us that she has seen so many changes in her sons, her daughter in law and her husband and she is so grateful. She told us that she has a testimony and invited all of her sisters to her baptism because she wants them to know that she is doing this because she believes it! Loved hearing that!

I was sad when I got my changes to come to this area because I loved Iguala but I know that I needed to meet and help teach this family. I know they are one of the reasons why I am in this area at this time. I am so grateful to have been able to see the miracle of the gospel work in their lives. They have all changed and are so happy. Yesterday, Eder came to church in a white shirt and tie! He usually would come in jeans and a t-shirt. And Tomas came up to me and said 'I have a problem! I have to speak in church next week!' haha...he is so excited and I showed him how to use the gospel library app on his phone to look up talks and scriptures about his topic. 

There are so many other things I could write you about, but I will leave you with a few scriptures that I read this morning that really touched my heart:

Luke 15:7

 say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repentethmore than over ninety and nine juspersons, which need no repentance.

2 Nephi 26:28
Behold, hath the Lord commandeany that they should not partake of his goodness? Behold I say unto you, Nay; but all men are privileged the one like unto the other, and none are forbidden.

I know that NONE ARE FORBIDDEN to partake of the blessings of the gospel. I know that our Heavenly Father rejoices when we repent. I know that the atonement was performed for EVERYONE and we are ALL of worth. The scriptures don't say that he died for just a few, or for only the perfect people (which don't exist). Nope. It says that His sacrifice is for ALL. TODOS. Everyone can partake of His goodness and receive the fullness of His blessings. WE just need to repent and try to be a little better each day of our lives. We need to remember that we are never cast off but that His arms are stretched our still. He loves us infinitely and perfectly.

I love you all. I keep you in my hearts as I work hard to find the people who want these blessings in their lives. I love being here in Mexico and I am grateful to be a missionary!

Love you all!
Hermana Durham



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