Tuesday, September 14, 2010

September 14, 2010 MTC ....... week 8

Dear my wonderful family,
Thank you so much for your letters. I love hearing how everything is going. I give you my best wishes and love across the miles. I would also like you to give my special thanks to Brother Marks, Minor, and Sister Nay for their letters. I haven't always been able to respond to them but please let them know that theirs as well as yours are very appreciated. Before I forget, I don't have anything on my mind that I'm thinking of in terms of a package. The only thing is to just have a few extra dollars if I decide to buy some more books.

Well family, this past week has been miracle after miracle. It has been a continual round of where are the Mexican missionaries going and who is able to go. There are about 150 missionaries who are expected to leave a week from today to Mexico and we were informed that there are only about 50 who are going to be able to obtain their permisos. Long story short, Elder Egan and I are on the list to obtain them. Thus, they are going to keep us here to meet with the Consulate with the hope that we will be leaving on time or a little bit later. All of the Cuernavaca missionaries and I believe Merida missionaries are obtaining permisos and the rest is random. Thus, we don't know exactly our timing but we do know that we are leaving for Cuernavaca if not in a week, shortly thereafter. It truly is nothing less than a miracle. I'd like to tell a bit why this is so special to me.

So these past few weeks I have been changed and molded in ways that only the Lord knew how to do. Each day I am tossed into a furnace for something else that needs to change or needs tweaking. I have felt that the time I have here is precious and I feel that if I continue to use it as I have been, the Lord will magnify my ability to do His work. For some reason, I have always felt that the time here is small but if I utilize it, I will be blessed tremendously. I have felt such a strong drive to give it everything. When I heard yesterday about my permiso, I was at ecstatic beyond belief. However, I found myself been deeply moved almost to tears. The Lord's work is the same everywhere but I had been called to serve the people of Mexico. For all the talk of not being able to go there was hard and led me to great introspection. Each day with different news brought more desire to serve these people. I hoped and prayed silently in my heart to let me serve these people. From the moment I opened my call until now, I don't want to be doing anything else or be anywhere else. I struggle to write what these people mean to me. I have waited my whole life to serve them. All my talents, abilities, and desires have been cultivated and facilitated to teach these people. I felt it so strongly when I met Elder Nunez. When he told me about his home, the progress of the church, and the missionaries who have served there, I wanted nothing more than to be there. This is everything to me. This gospel, these people, my family. I feel as if the Cuernavaca missionaries are being sent because there is such a need within this mission. I will never take for granted this amazing blessing that the Lord has provided. I have more determination to work for the Lord for these people right now than at any other time. The MTC has fulfilled something very sacred for me. Through it, the Lord has taught me to want it more than anything. To desire to teach the Gospel with everything you have. I am so blessed for it.

May the Lord continue to bless you my dear family.

Love,
Elder Russell

PS Mom, I will never forget your quote at the pear farm. "50% do 200% of the work." Lets get to work!