Fw: New Jersey Times - tuvimos un huracan en Nuevo Jersey?!

On Mon, 8/29/11, Kaitlyn Word wrote:



Familia Mia, querida que es!

First things first...I'm ALIVE! :-) I don't know, maybe you didn't hear. We had a hurricane. Wait, first we had an earthquake...that was Tuesday. THEN we had a hurricane...all in less that a week. Crazy Jersey. I love it! "Natural disasters are kind of cool because they show God's power" (awesomely inspired companion of mine). It's true. I LOVE them! I love when my Father in Heaven shows forth His power. It is incredible to me how organized the mission was amongst all the craziness. All of us were safe. We made the necessary preparations...and we were safe. We had the help of our wonderful members...and we were safe. When the stores were fresh out of water, we called our members. Melissa Rodriguez (remember her?!)...she just texted us on Friday to see how we were doing. (LOVE HER!) When she found out we didn't have water, she told us to come over to her house and she'd give us some. SO, we did. And she gave us SO much. She's amazing. The people here are wonderful. The Lord watches out for us when we do all we can. We had a little bit of flooding in the city of Paterson...really only a tiny little bit...but not much of anything. I LOVE when God manifests His power. The sunset last night was remarkable...absolutely stunning. I decided we couldn't have had it, had we not had the storm. I love the beauty that is this world. Alrigh!...tangent...sort of? But it's true. Anyway, so we're safe. We're dry. It's all wonderful. "Trust in the Lord with all thy heart, and lean NOT unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him and HE shall direct thy paths" (Proverbs 3:5-6).

I've learned alot about that lately. There is no one I trust more than my Lord. I love His promises. I'm grateful to be learning more about them everyday.

When Elder Bednar was here, he invited us to get a brand new copy of the Book of Mormon, to read it cover to cover searching for anything and everything that talked about the atonement, marking the verses, writing our thoughts. And THEN, at the end, we were to write a one page summary on the atonement. I finished my Atonement Book of Mormon on my one year missionary birthday. I was going to share with you what I wrote, but I felt like I should give you the opportunity to learn it for yourself. The atonement means different things for each one of us, we apply it to our lives in different ways. I love my Savior. I know He lives. I know He loves ME. I know that He can and will and DOES help me with everything...with my trials, with my weaknesses, with my imperfections. He is there, always. I know that. And it is because of that knowledge that I do what I do. I am honored to be His Representative. And I will be it forever. I love it. I LOVE it! Will you come to know your Savior more? Will you get a brand new copy of the Book of Mormon, read it from cover, mark the verses that talk about the Atonement, write your thoughts in the margin...and then will you write a one page summary of what the atonement means to YOU? There is no better way to learn of Him.

Family, I love you. I'm sorry I'm a little bit short on time...but I LOVE you. I'm SOOOOOOO excited for you to go to the temple on Saturday. I'm counting down. I know it will bring our family closer to our Father in Heaven...together. It will help us see the potential we have as a forever family. I know it. So LOVE it! Enjoy it. Write down your experiences...I'd love to hear about them.

Keep it up out there. Don't you ever give up...the alternative route will never be worth it. So, just DO it. Deal? I love you.

Love,
Hermana Word

UPDATE EMAIL FROM MISSION PRESIDENT

Date: Monday, August 29, 2011, 7:03 AM
> NEW JERSEY MORRISTOWN MISSION
>
> Monday, August 29, 2011
>
> Brothers and Sisters, parents of missionaries in the New
> Jersey
> Morristown Mission:
>
> Well, we all survived. I’m happy (and relieved) to
> report that all
> our missionaries are safely back in their own apartments
> with the
> exception of a few companionships who are still residing in
> members’
> homes due to potential flooding in their areas. Even
> though the storm
> was not as bad as initially thought, all the precautions
> were
> necessary and effective. Now, hopefully, we can
> quickly re-focus on
> our purpose and get back to doing missionary work.
>
> Thank you, again, for sharing your wonderful sons and
> daughters with
> us. We love them all.
>
> President and Sister Jeppson
>
Delete ReplyReply ForwardSpamMovePrint Actions NextPrevious

EMAIL FROM MISSION PRESIDENT

Thursday, August 25, 2011
Brothers and Sisters, parents of missionaries in the New Jersey
Morristown Mission:
First, let me tell you what a privilege it is to serve with your sons
and daughters in this great work of bringing souls to Christ. Without
a doubt, our missionaries are the very best in the entire church.
Thank you for your support of each of them.
As you may know, Hurricane Irene is headed in our direction and is
currently forecast to arrive in the New York/New Jersey area by late
afternoon and evening of Sunday, August 28, 2011, lasting into the
early morning hours of Monday, August 29, 2011. We have alerted all
our missionaries of this impending storm and asked them to prepare
accordingly, including identifying a location to go to for safety,
i.e., a member’s home or one of our church buildings.
Rest assured we are doing everything necessary to ensure the safety of
your missionary son or daughter. We are staying in close contact with
all of them. Please do not call the mission home, the mission office,
or your missionary. Following the passage of the storm, we will send
out another email confirming their safety.
Again, thank you for sharing these wonderful young men and woman with
us. We love them all.
President and Sister Jeppson

New Jersey Times - encontre me amigita!

Monday, August 22, 2011

FAMILIA Mia, querida que es,

How are YOU?! Ash, WEiRD that you were in JERSEY! Isn't it beautiful? I love it here. Fall is going to start soon and I cannot WAIT! Lauren, thanks for your email. Mommy, thanks for your letters. Jace still hasn't sent me his so I haven't too much of an idea as to what's been happening. Shelby, thank you for your CARD! Papa and Grandmother, thank you for YOUR cards! Really, you all mean so much to me and I LOVE hearing from you! If I'm forgetting something, forgive me. My memory isn't so great these days. BUT, I DO remember that a year ago TODAY I gave my farewell talk and was set apart that night as a Full-time Representative of my Savior Jesus Christ. I remember that night. I remember that setting apart. I remember the change that took place within me as President Richards laid his hands upon my head. I remember the added measure of the Spirit that I felt. I've gotten kind of used to it...and it makes me a little sad. But, I'm grateful to my Heavenly Father for helping me remember. To Represent my Savior is the greatest thing I've ever done in my life. The absolute most REWARDING thing I've ever done. (Sorry I don't have a better word for thing ;-). "Anyone who is worthy to go on a mission and chooses not to is making the biggest mistake of their lives" (Elder Murray, The District 2). I almost made that mistake...like 25 times over I almost made it. BUT, now I'm here...and I'm GRATEFUL I didn't make it. It really is a choice. Life is all about choices. We ARE who we CHOOSE to be. Think about that. Do you choose to recognize yourself as the child of Heavenly Father that you are? If not, you should...and everything else will fall into place. It's AWEsome!

New companion: Hermana Mysha Lowry from Mcgrath, Alberta, CANADA. She was originally called Enligsh speaking and was asked 2 and a half weeks ago to be reassigned to speak Spanish. SO, I GET TO TEACH HER! I prayed for that. I actually really did. I prayed that I might be able to be companions with Sister Lowry and help teach her Spanish. What's interesting is I didn't know at the time what that really meant, what I was truly asking for. I am so grateful to know that I have a Mission President who seeks for the guidance of the Holy Ghost, who humbles Himself in order to do the will his Father in Heaven 100% of the time. Hermana Lowry was one of my dearest friends before I came to this earth. I have FELT that very strongly throughout this past week. It has been brought to my remembrance time and time again. We knew that it was going to be hard; but, we knew that if we did it together we could make miracles happen. That's what we promised each other before we came here. I was asking Heavenly Father to help me find my friend...and I didn't even know it. I thought I was being selfish, but I really actually wasn't. When we seek to do the Lord's will, when we CHOOSE to be humble, our desires begin to become the desires of our Father in Heaven (or His begin to become ours). Companionship studies have been the most spiritually uplifting studies I've had my entire mission. She has an incredible amount of faith and a true LOVE for her Lord. She talks with Him. She leans on Him. She TRUSTS in HIM. I just WANT people to hear her testimony. I just DO. Even if they do not understand her, I want them to hear it. It's powerful. She's powerful. And from her, I've learned how to BE myself. I don't have to fear that my companion is going to judge me, I don't have to fear ANYTHING. (Really, I shouldn't ever HAVE to fear, but sometimes I do). I can completely BE myself. The Spirit is in our apartment, it is in our studies, it is in our car and in our appointments and in our contacts. HE is there. I've learned so much. I've GROWN so much. I LOVE this work...a bazillion times more than I did even just last week. It's incredible. SO, I'm grateful that I was able to find my friend..

The work in Paterson is great! We're truly seeking to find those prepared people. I need to work on opening my eyes though. We're surrounded by, oh, a million people here...there are at least 5 of them prepared each week. :-) We're focusing a lot on working with the members. Just yesterday Minerva Lugo (a convert of about a year) came up to me after Sacrament Meeting and said, "I think Carolina is ready to learn. She wants to be baptized. Can you come over tonight?" Heavenly Father is preparing these people. He's preparing His children around the WHOLE world. "The truth of God will go forth boldly, nobly, and independent until it has penitrated every clime, touched every continent, and sounded in every ear. Until the work of the Lord shall be accomplished and the Great Jehovah shall say, 'The Work is Done.'" I'm honored to be apart of that cause.
I will do the Father's Will. THAT is why I am here. If I didn't want to do it, I would've just stayed home. It's not always going to be easy, I'd prefer that it wasn't. I'm grateful that it's possible. I love this work. Family, I. LOVE. this. WORK! I really do. I don't ever want it to end...and I can promise you it never will in my little heart.

Sorry I haven't got much more for you today. BUT know that I love you. If you're having a hard time (who's not in one way or another? ;-), take it to your Father in Heaven. Tell Him EXACTLY what you're feeling. Prayer harder than you've ever prayed before. Do it outloud. Be humble. Converse with Him. Pause. Listen to what He TELLS you. He knows what you're going through, but tell Him anyway. Remind Him of the promises He's made with you. Tell Him what you're going to do so that you can receive those blessings. If there's one thing, above EVERYTHING, that I've learned this week it's how to pray. How to really, truly PRAY. Heavenly Father LOVES you. The very CREATOR Himself loves. YOU! He wants to answer you. He LOVES to answer you. So just ask.

I love you! Keep it up...for FOREVER! I'll see you SO soon!
- Hermana Word

New Jersey Times - trabajando con los miembros

Monday, 8/15/11

Mi FamILIA!!!

I cannot believe another week has flown by...nor that we've come to the end of another transfer! And I hear it just keeps going. ;-) Yup, we got transfer news late last night...(drum roll, por favor)...Hermana Arnaud if off to another awesome area and I will find out tomorrow who my new companion is! It's weird. I have this fear that when Hermana Arnaud leaves I'm going to forget all the things I've learned from her...and I don't want to. She has been such a great example to me of humbly seeking for the Lord's guidance, of patience with others and with ourselves, of LOVE towards all men, of faith and hope that Heavenly Father will make His servants equal to their calls...of a bazillion different really great things. BUT, I know she's going to help another Sister missionary (and all the thousands of people in her new area) to come to learn those things as well. I'm also super excited about transfers! One, I love getting to work with different missionaries, to see how they do things, to get to know them. Two, I love going to transfer conference. 11 new missionaries are coming in today...and 8 "old" ones are leaving here on Wednesday. And the work shall go forth. I love it!

Anyway, how are you?! Thanks family for taking me to Disneyland with you!...and for letting me ride Space Mountain. (That's my favorite, did you know? ;-). That picture is awesome. Way to go with the screaming face family unity. I knew the mission would bring us closer together. Sorry I was a little clingy though, Lauren. I hope it didn't bug you. Haha. I'm SUPER STOKED THAT YOU ARE GOING TO THE TEMPLE...on SEPTEMBER 3! I wrote it in my planner...so that I remember. 50 family names?!?!?! That's going to be amazing! Call me selfish, but when you told me that, I thought about how my little family army on the other side of the veil was going to get so much bigger and missionary work here so much greater. I pictured it. I'll no longer be little ole me here in Paterson, but I'll be little ole me plus 50 some odd others! I'm SOOOOOO excited! (and I can promise you they are too!) I will be requesting a report of any and all spiritual experiences had in the process. Please and thank you.

SO...on to missionary work as I know it. This last week has been wonderful! Hermana Arnaud and I feel as if we worked the hardest we've worked this whole transfer, that we truly had our hearts 100% in the work. It was a great feeling to come to the end of the week, look back on our efforts, and be able to say that we did our very best, that we had given it our all. I can only imagine what it will be like when we stand before our Father in Heaven, our Savior Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost. What a wonderful day that will be!

For quite some time now, Hermana Arnaud and I have been trying to work with our Branch Mission Leader in order to help him fulfill his calling. Because of work and other family priorities, we weren't seeing very much of him. Things had happened with different missionaries in the past and because of that it has been hard for missionaries to gain his trust...at least that's how it felt. SO, we wanted to try and put ourselves in his shoes, to support him in any way we could. With each baptism we had, we saw the changes in him, little by little. It was him that we asked to baptism Danny last week because we felt as if it would truly help him feel the missionary spirit. Last Friday morning, he called us. He had gone to the doctor and was told he was not allowed to go to work for a couple days, so he wanted to see if he and his daughter could come out on team-ups with us!! Saturday night we talked with him and he said he'd be at PEC the next day, and that he had come up with a plan in order to better involve the members in missionary work. He showed up to the meeting on time (before he'd come in that last 5 minutes or so) and he was super excited to share the revelation he had received. We talked more with him about it after church. He had been praying to know what to do. He knew he had the responsibility to help move the ward missionary effort forward and he wanted to know what the Lord would have him do. Yesterday when we met, we could just feel of his desire to DO, to ACT. He gave us an assignment, and we're going to do it. Hermana Arnaud and I left the church yesterday with smiles as big as you could imagine and an immense amount of gratitude in our hearts. It brings me peace to know that he trusts us, to be able to FEEL that trust. Great things are about to come forth here and Paterson...greater than ever before...because we have a Branch Mission Leader who wants to fulfill his calling. Isn't that wonderful? I'm sooo excited! My testimony of member missionary work has increased exponentially within the past couple weeks. For a while now I've believed the best way to do missionary work is through the members, but I had not truly seen the fruits of that belief until recently. Where there is unity, the Lord's purposes are fulfilled. (Remember our photo-taking family unity...;-). I know that.

Daddy said he wanted to hear more about the day to day things of missionary work...sorry I haven't been so good about that. I very much love the details, they just take me a long time to write (and they aren't always as spiritually inspiring). ;-) I will have you know, that I did get up this morning...at 5:40 (Sundays and P-days we get up earlier so we can get all our studies in). We went walking today for the first time in 3 weeks. I've been ordered not to run nor walk due to a foot problem. Doctors seem to think everything is just fine, but my foot doesn't seem to stop bugging me. Bless Sister Jeppson's heart, she asked special permission in order to allow me to use one of her workout dvds until my foot feels better. (Shh, none of the other missionaries are supposed to know...I've sworn to secrecy). It helps alot! I've since gained a testimony of the importance of stretching (it's 25 minutes of different 'stretching' workouts). I'm certainly not as stressed as I used to be (I recommend it!). Anyway, so up at 5:40. We studied today for only 2 and a half hours...usually it's 4 (1 hour of personal study, 2 hours of companion study, and 1 hour of language study). Um, we put our laundry in and then we left the house and drove to the library. North Haledon Public Library. Google it. Haha. Hermana Arnaud is getting her hair cut by one of our members today. I will sit and HOPEFULLY write some letters. It will be great. (Daddy, I have yet to be chased by a dog. One of the Sister missionaries here, that's her dream. Haha. I'd venture to say that she might provoke the dogs just because she wants to be chased by one...or is it bitten by one? I'm not sure. As for me? I do everything I can to avoid that. Haha).

Anyway, time is about up. Know that I love you. Know that I love this work. There is none greater. It is the driving force in helping our Father in Heaven help His children return to live with Him. It is the reason we are here. Christ is the reason it is possible.

Keep it up! The Church is TRUE!

- Hermana Word

Fw: New Jersey Times - los milagros diarios

Monday, August 8, 2011

Familia MIA!!!

Wow. I feel like I could leave you with that and it would explain everything I felt and experienced this past week. Everyday I write down a miracle, a manifestation of the hand of the Lord in this great work. As I went through them, I thought to myself, "Yup, that was amazing. Oh, and that one, too...and that one...and that one..." This is the work of the Master. No one else could do it as He does. Monday: The lesson with Cristian. THAT is what it feels like to be led by the Spirit. It was incredible!. Tuesday: Seeing Maria Del Valle and watching the Spirit work within her. Wednesday: Javier read the first page of the Book of Mormon!!! Thursday: Martin told us one of his deep iceberg concerns about going to church. Friday: That we could teach seven lessons :-) Kianna is still reading the Book of Mormon. Saturday: Erasmo waiting for us...for a long time. Seeing Juana. Sunday: Danny. Hermana Galvis bearing her testimony. Being able to translate Sister Jeppson's testimony.

Really, the couple of words I write down each day don't do much justice for the great experiences that they were nor the overpowering Spirit that was present at each one of them. Heavenly Father is wonderful! I am SO grateful for the opportunity I have to be His servant. I've felt a change inside me. It's been very very gradual, but I've felt it--the becoming an instrument in the hands of God. I know I'm not perfect, nor am I anywhere close; but, I am grateful to be able to do the will of One Who IS Perfect. In doing so, I feel His love and the Miracles. Just. Happen.

One of those greatest miracles was Danny. Family, the sisters started teaching him over a year ago. When they started he had super long hair, he smoked, he drank, he had four different earrings in each ear...he was different. When I met him nine months ago, he had cut his hair to his shoulders; however, he still smoked, he still drank, and he still had a number of different earrings. He had been set for baptism, had been interviewed, but gave in to temptation 5 days before his date. We worked with him and worked with him and worked with him, but he didn't seem to be making a whole lot of progress. We gave him to the Elders, then he moved out of our area and different Elders started teaching him there. They stopped teaching him because he wasn't making changes. He eventually moved back to Paterson and the Sisters started teaching him again. When I arrived, I was excited to see we were still teaching him, but sad because it still didn't seem as if he was making much progress. I remember sitting down for weekly planning three and a half weeks ago and saying, "We'll give him one last chance. If he's not ready right now, we'll stop visiting him so much and eventually other missionaries will be able to teach him when he is ready. We're going to teach him about the atonement." We went that Saturday and taught him about the atonement. It felt as if Satan was trying so hard to keep us from doing so, but we did and it was so powerful. He had told us he wasn't going to be able to go to Church the next day because of work. When we left, Hermana Arnaud said, "We'll see you at Church tomorrow, Danny!" The next morning we got a phone call. It was Danny. He said, "They called me and it turns out I'm not going to work today...I want to go to Church. Can someone pick me up?" That day was Antelmo's baptism. Danny stayed...and because he stayed, the Spirit was able to touch his heart. He was changed. It was at that baptism that Danny came to truly understand the atonement, to know His Savior. The ATONEMENT equals LOVE and LOVE equals the MOTIVE. He stopped drinking. He stopped smoking. He gave up coffee. He took out his earrings. He bought clothes to go to Church. He cut his hair. Satan tried. OH, did he try! But, Danny was immovable. His gait was set. His goal was clear. And yesterday, he was baptized. Miracle? I think so.

President and Sister Jeppson came to the baptism. They sang the musical number with us...in Spanish! (Did I tell you he used to be in the Mormon Tabernacle Choir? Talk about a powerful experience in and of itself!). After Danny had been baptized and changed his clothes and what not, President Jeppson got up and said a couple words. (I just WISH you could hear him speak...because when he does, he looks into the eyes of those with whom he is speaking...and you can just FEEL the love he has for them.) He said, "I'm going to remember this baptism forever...for two reasons: 1. Because it was the first time I've ever sung a song publicly in Spanish and 2. Because after you came up out of the water, you walked over to the steps. you stopped about halfway, and then you turned to us and gave the most beautiful smile I have ever seen." Danny was SO happy. He was SOOO happy. That's what happens. When you truly are cleansed of your sins, when you take upon you the name of Christ by means of the Priesthood Authority of God, you Just. Feel. Happy. Doctrine and Covenants 18:13, "And how great is His joy in the soul that repenteth!" It is incredible. And we can feel that every Sunday when we partake of the sacrament by means of that same authority, authority that has been restored to the earth, whose fulness is found only in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It is real. It is SO. Real. I encourage each of you to repent each and every day. And if you have not, to be baptized by one who holds the Priesthood Authority of God...so that you too can feel that happiness. I'm sure you've got plenty of reasons why not to do it...but I can promise you that that happiness is at least one reason why you should. You'll never know until you try. (Daddy, isn't that what you used to tell me? ;-).

Anyway, I love you all. I hope you know that. I really. Truly. LOVE. You. Keep it up out there...hasta el fin.

Los Amo!!
Hermana Word

Also, thank you Grandma Rosaline for your letter!!!! And TEEN!!! And Robyn Covey!!! And Sister Addington and Sister Cruz and little Paige and Makenna!!! You all are awesome!

Oh, and Family, any word on August Temple trip? I keep praying that you'll let me know something, but I have yet to receive anything. :-)

8285 - We were SO happy...
8286 - ...and so was he!

Fw: New Jersey Times - cosechando el estado jardin

Monday August 1, 2011

Querida Familia MIA!!!

First of all...Welcome Home Elder Trotter!...or, welcome home in a couple days. WEIRD!

What an awesome week! I'm amazed at how quickly the time flies by. Sometimes I wish it would just stop...and then I could get a whole lot more accomplished. :-) However, when Elder Bednar visited in February he said, "You shouldn't ask the Lord to take your 'cargo' away, because it is what helps you to be able to overcome the obstacles of life. As long as you have the right kind of 'cargo' you can use the atoning sacrifice of the Savior to accomplish great things." It reminds me of Ether 12:27. I'm coming to learn more and more about the importance of the trials we face, of the weaknesses we have, and how we can use them in order to become stronger through the atonement of Jesus Christ.

This week Sister Arnaud and I have been trying to focus more on the Spirit--praying by the Spirit, studying by the Spirit, planning by the Spirit, teaching by the Spirit. "Every morning...missionaries should get on their knees and plead with the Lord to loosen their tongues and speak through them to the blessing of those they will be teaching..." (President Hinckley, PMG 94). When we have the Holy Ghost with us, we don't need to worry about whether or not we're doing the Father's will. Missionary work doesn't need to be as hard as I quite often make it to be. I'd like to think I'm good at simplifying things; however, I'm coming to see that I'm really good at making them more complicated. :-) As I read that quote from President Hinckley this past week, I thought to myself, "That's it? That's all we have to do?!" The rest of that quote is chalk full of promised blessings made possible if we will but plead with the Lord that we might be led by the Spirit. Needless to say, I've set some goals. I'm trying to truly focus on the pleading...and then the going and doing. My prayers have improved. My worries have decreased. The work is moving forward. I encourage each of you to do the same. The promises are real, but you must first act. Faith is only truly FAITH if we put forth all our effort. Yesterday in Relief Society we talked about the difference between DOING and BEING...and the essentiality of the two. You cannot BE a Disciple of Christ if you do not DO what He has asked you to do. And yes, you are all Disciples of Christ. You covenanted before you came to this earth to represent Him. You do not have to be baptized in His church nor wear His name every day. Yet, if you have been baptized, that covenant is even greater. If you've gone through the temple, the covenant is even greater. The word Disciple includes all of your names. I encourage each of you to be the Disciple, the Representative of Him that you promised your Heavenly Father you would be. If you don't remember that promise, read your scriptures and I promise it will be made clear to you. You must DO your part. And if we all DO our part, we will then be united and the strength of our unity will encourage others to DO the same. Read your scriptures. Study them personally. Pray to your Father in Heaven in your families AND on your own. My mommy wrote me a letter the other day and reminded me how wicked the world is getting, and how absolutely crucial it is that we prepare ourselves now. If we do not begin now, we will perish, for we will not have allowed our FAITH to grow through putting forth our efforts. These are the last days. We ARE as the army of Helaman. We have been taught and we must now DO. Will you? Will you read personally from your scriptures each day? Will you communicate personally with your Father in Heaven each. day.? I promise you will be strengthened through doing so. You will see your faith grow. You will be more receptive to the Spirit. You will find that you are coming to DO the Father's will and with that, your joy will be full. Promise. I love you.

...I also love my companion. Sister Arnaud is amazing! Ever since her group of missionaries came to the mission, I've noticed a change in the Spirit of the Mission. And I know that as the new missionaries come in, that Spirit will get stronger and stronger. It is a very real raising of the bar. I'm grateful to be able to serve with her, to learn from and grow with her. She has faith like the brother of Jared, she has humility like Alma the younger, she has charity like Mormon, she has diligence like Nephi, she has courage like the sons of Helaman. It is incredible. SHE is incredible!

With that faith and humility and charity and all the other wonderful Christlike attributes that Sister Arnaud exemplifies, Darlin Sophia Aguillon Angel was baptized yesterday. What a blessing that was to me to be able to be her for her baptism! She said to us last Monday night, "I kept praying to know if I should get baptized and I wasn't really getting an answer. Then I thought to myself, 'I know the Book of the Mormons is true, I know the Bible is true, and I know the Church is true...why SHOULDN'T I get baptized?'" She's 10 years old. It amazes me the faith of these young people in these the last days. In November of last year, my companion and I went to visit an investigator named Rosana and her daughter Rosiel. When we showed up, her friend Damaris was at the house with her little girl. I remember thinking it would probably be better to just leave them be and stop by another time when Rosana didn't have company. BUT, we stayed. We taught all four of them a lesson. My companion got Damaris' address and phone number. We called the Elders in Fardale so that they could contact Damaris and help her move (she was going to be moving that weekend). Damaris was baptized in Paterson back in May and that little girl was baptized yesterday. It is incredible to me how Heavenly Father goes about preparing His children to hear and accept His Gospel. I was here when the seed was sowed and Heavenly Father allowed me to be here to reap the fruit. What a privelege that was for me! And next week, Danny Jimenez will enter the waters of baptism--another one of those fruits to be reaped that was sowed over a year ago. He had a complete change of heart 16 days ago. He's got 6 more days to go. I'm so excited! We truly never know what great a work the Lord has in store for us. We see in 180, but He sees everything in 360. For the Lord, it is one eternal round. He loves each and ever one of His children because they are His. He knows their potential. He knows what they need. He knows when they're ready. My duty is to help Him help them, and to do so by the Spirit...for there is no other way.

I love Paterson! I love missionary work. I'm excited to sow some more seeds and reap some more fruit and to help the work of the harvest move forward in the Garden State!

8244 - Hermano Russell Tanner, Kathy, DARLIN!, Damaris
8249 - all of us...plus ROSANA! (she's the next to be baptized...right after Danny ;-)
SO my companion fixed a toilet at a member's house. I told you she was awesome!
8240
8241