Wow wow wow, I am writing to you this with more excitement than I believe I have had in all of my mission. Right now we are beginning to see the fruits of our all our work in the past 6 months. The ward in Amiltzingo is really stepping it up. We are talking about a ward that 6 months ago was indifferent to the missionaries and the missionary work to a ward that is going to have almost every family committed to live the Gospel of Jesus Christ and families with their organizations which are striving to be unified in order to bring about the salvation of those who are found here. Being absolutely honest, Elder Pineda and I are becoming more and more animated each and every day. We are seeing the Lords hand in our work every day. Our bishop who has passed through very difficult things is excited and starting to demonstrate an excellent example for the ward. I would like to relate a story about an experience that we had this Sunday.
Right now we are unifying the organizations of the ward under the banner of the mission plan. I was reading today about this and I love the example of Captain Moroni. He raised the title of Liberty when it seemed like his people was about to fall. He created a mission plan for his people. Elder Pineda and I have felt the same. For your families, for your freedom, and for the ability to help those who need of your help, live the Gospel of Jesus Christ! With all of our coordination with the ward, we have started to have Family Home Evenings to help activate, maintain, and invite people to come. Elder Pineda and I prayed about which families we should speak with to be the leaders of this FHEs. We felt strongly about the families and this Sunday we passed by the house of one of them to commit them to fulfill this responsibility. It was an amazing experience. We have worked with this family for about 5 months, trying to prepare them to enter the temple. We arrived at their house and we found them swimming in the pool with a bunch of their family who are member as well. The majority of this family has not assisted church in the past few weeks and this Sunday wasn't an exception. We arrived at their house, pulled aside the parents, and started with a prayer. We spoke to them that we had been praying to know the families which God wants us to give this responsibility. This family is a family that works very hard and they don't arrive at the house until 8 or 9 in the night. We knew that this responsibility would be a rather large sacrifice for them. Nevertheless, we did not doubt for a second that it was what God was asking them to do. While we were teaching them, the two parents began to tear up. The wife spoke to us and asked us "Elders, how is it possible that would have such a responsibility. Look around Elders, its Sunday and we are swimming and doing nothing that is really of any worth. We are not worthy to do such things." A bit of advice for the future, if there is anything that brings emotion to Elder Russell more than this type of dialogue, I don't know what it is. We testified to this very repentant family. God does not call the strong and the intelligent to do His work. He calls the weak and the simple who have desires to serve Him. We left this lesson with the Spirit very strong. We are going to see how they respond in these days.
And let us not be aweary in well doing: for in due season we shall breap, if we faint not.
As well as what is found in DC 64:33
Wherefore, be not aweary in bwell-doing, for ye are laying the foundation of a great work. And out of csmall things proceedeth that which is great.
I can testify that these are promises of the Lord. I have seen in the past months here how the small things proceed that which is great. We have passed for very difficult times in our duration here but we are beginning to see the season of the harvest. And the truth, we are so excited. We need a few more weeks but afterwords, this ward is going to become the glory of this mission. They already are the glory my mission. There is no greater joy than see the lives of the people change under the Gospel of Jesus Christ. This is His Church. We are members of the only true church of Jesus Christ, with His authority with the correct doctrine and ordinances for our salvation. I know that Christ is the Head of this Church and leads and guides us through a living prophet. I know it because God has witnessed unto me through the Holy Ghost that the fruit of these prophets is true. The Book of Mormon is the word of God. It is my testimony in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
Love,
Elder Russell
P.S. This picture is a poster that I saw the other day in the street that I stopped and began to laugh really hard. For some strange reason I thought of Troy. Make sure to send it to him and the rest of the family :)
