Goodbye Hurricane, Hello St. George (Morningside)

Hola Padres!!                                              March 13, 2011 





          Well this week has been quite crazy, and has been packed full of events from start to finish. It has been crazy here in Hurricane, but I guess around the world too. Well to start off, this week I hit my 6 month mark. Just in case you didn’t already know that, but I am sure you are keeping track of my mission on something. (Yes, I am.  -the Mom) Well in accordance with the traditions of missionaries worldwide, I followed those who went before me and I burnt a tie to commemorate this special date! It was a pretty cool experience, but it was hard for me to give up a tie to this occasion. I think it will all be okay and I can just replace it, what do you think?

I want to tell you about this experience I had with a 16 year old kid named Jorge. It is one of those experiences that I always heard about from other missionaries, but never thought actually existed. Well now I know that they really do happen. So we found this kid through a referral for his sister, but didn’t really ever look to teach him. We just kept going back to try and find his sister at home. Eventually we did find them both and taught a wonderful lesson on the Restoration. So we tried to set up an appointment to where they both could be there, but that didn’t work out. So we split them into two different anppointments. It came time for Jorge's appointment, we went over there and were about five minutes early. We knocked and rang the doorbell and nothing happened at all. No one was there, so we were a little confused by the whole thing. We were trying to find something to leave him a note, but we didn’t have anything. So we were just going to cut our losses and go somewhere else. We got in the car, and something weird happened, I usually leave the same way that I got there, but for some reason I decided to go a different way. So about 200 feet down the road, we see Jorge walking on the side of the road, so we flip around and start talking to him. He was apologizing saying that he was trying to come home as fast as he could and that soccer practice went a little longer then he expected. Well we gave him a ride to his house and we went in to teach him a lesson. And what happened next was so so unexpected. We had met with him the Sunday before and had invited him to pray about the Church. We asked how it went and he said that it was good and he felt good about it. He said that he felt that the "Mormon" church was the one that he needed to go to and be apart of. So of course Elder Lora and I were just completely mesmerized and shocked that he actually said these things. So we jumped on the opportunity and extended the baptismal commitment and asked him about April 2nd. He then told us, "well that was the date that I was actually thinking about too, so yeah, that is something I want to do." So that was just one of those experiences that shapes a mission and shows to me that the Lord's hand really is in everything! He provided us countless opportunities to teach Jorge before, but we just were too focused on finding his sister there, that we overlooked that he might need the Gospel as well. And the Lord then just happened to provide other little events to take place so that this event could take place. It just really shows me that obedience pays off and it was one of those experiences that I have been praying for.

This reminds me of a quote that I really like, it is from President James E. Faust. It says, "Faith is the power, obedience is the price, love is the motive, and Christ is the reason." I just really like this quote because I think it describes the purpose of a mission and what missionaries feel like as they serve and why they serve.  I have definitely changed my attitude about missionary work. Before I just did it to do it and wasn’t fully involved in it. But now I wake up in the morning looking forward to the experiences that I will have and can’t wait to help someone else improve their life. I am really starting to grasp what it means to give your whole might, mind, and strength to the Lord.

I heard about what has happened in Japan. That is a crazy thing. We didn’t even know until almost a whole day later when someone told us at a dinner appointment. They asked us if we knew, and then turned on the news to let us see the carnage and damage that had happened. My heart goes out to them and all those people in this tragedy.

On a brighter note, I was able to be part of another baptism. This time it was the baptism of Antonio. You may be asking who is Antonio, well Antonio is Ricardo. He just decided to start going by Antonio to help bridge the gap from his old life to his new life after baptism. I personally think that is a remarkable decision on his part and support it fully. The baptism was super super amazing. The Spirit was there so strong and definitely filled the room. The crazy thing was that President Leonard even came to see the baptism. So that is a pretty special thing to have the Mission President at a baptism. The one funny thing is Antonio was super nervous before the baptism and he offered me a couple hundred bucks to go get the car and take him home so that he didn’t have to get baptized! I could have probably kept pushing him to 1000 bucks, but a baptism is priceless!

Now to the question on your mind about transfers. I am actually leaving the town of Hurricane and heading to St. George to serve in the Morningside Spanish Area. I am kind of sad to leave Hurricane, but I will be okay. I will go and do as the Lord hath commanded! I will be with another native companion. His name is Elder Bravo. He will be going home after the transfer I am with him, so I will most likely stay in that area for 3 months, if not more.

Well Mom, just to share a little something else with you. I met a guy who served his mission in Australia, but in Sydney. He was asking an Elder in my district (who is from Australia) if he knew these towns and then asked if he knew the "Sheriff’s". I then paid a little more attention and he said Richard Sheriff, so I asked him if he served in Perth and he said yes. So I let him know that you served in Perth and you knew him (Richard Sherriff) as well and that he called our house. Come to find out that when you had your mission reunion, the house where the Sheriff’s stayed was here in Hurricane and I had been playing basketball in the morning with this guy! Just a fun little connection. So you can tell Bro. (Bishop!) Sheriff that I met someone that he knows. (Last October we were able to attend a special mission reunion 25 years later since serving in Perth, Western Australia.  Richard Sheriff is an elder I served with and admired his strength.  It was through his efforts that we had this great reunion with 120 people!  Good On Ya, Mate!)

I am sending a package home today since I am being transferred. There is a letter in there that will have instructions and a description of what is in there. (Chad wants to make sure I do not read his letters.  Don’t worry, his letters are safe and I will respect his privacy!!) 

Hey, you never said whether or not the baseball team won the game, so did they? (We attended a home baseball game in Burbank last week.  No, they didn’t win.  We spoke with several folks who asked how Chad was doing sent good wishes.)  I am glad that people are missing me; I didn’t think that I would be missed by anyone.  L  But I am glad that people still think about me and some even take the time to read my blog. Oh and just for the blog, since Nicole (Roberts) reads this: HAPPY BIRTHDAY NICOLE!  Her birthday is March 17th so I had to make sure I said it before I forgot or missed it. :)

I am glad to hear about Emma getting a job and that they are progressing in that factor.  I am glad to hear from you and I enjoy all the support and everyone that reads my blog! I miss you and love you!! Make this week wonderful!

Live it, Love it, Preach it!!     Con muchismo amor de tu hijo,  ELDER D