My dear family,
Wow, I cant believe that Elder Russell finds himself there in the house again. I was thinking about it a bit this week as I realized that I there is only one Elder Russell left in the mission field. And this Elder Russell is doing all he can to get the work going here in Amilcingo. I will be fasting this week for Clayton and praying that everything goes ok.
I´m a bit nervous because I feel that I am going to have changes next week. I really really really don't want to leave this area. Right now we our ward is really pumped to do the work. The bishop is really excited and is preaching to all the ward that if we do what we have proposed here, we will have a stake here in one year. If the bishop continues with this excitement, there is nothing to stop us from obtaining this goal. This week we are planning our first major weekly service project. We are organizing the ward so that we will have shirts of ¨helping hands¨ with a bunch of wheel barrels, weed whackers, and shovels to get the work going. We are going to get this ward moving. I love it. We were talking to a member from another local ward and he asked us about what we are doing in our area. After explaining a bit of everything he stood in awe and turned to his wife and said, ¨wow, we are in the wrong ward.¨ That´s right! Amilcingo is so cool that not only are we setting the example for those in the community who do not know about the church but we are also bringing the other members!
This week was a rather emotional week for me. We have been working on a lot of projects and trying to get the ward ready to go all out with their goals, initiatives, family counsels, and callings. I feel like I am trying to put the last pieces to the puzzle here in this ward so that they can take everything that we have left with them and run with it. I have seen a change here I am never going to forget. I see how there are people who were rather down and without much interest in the church to become member missionaries who are asking us for the book of Mormon and time to meet with friends of theirs. I love so much this ward and the people that are found here. I laugh because I tell the people that absolutely nothing bad is going to happen to us in this city. Because if somebody was to try something, I firmly believe that the people of this town would leave their houses, organize themselves, find the people that tried something, and beat them up. I love missionary work :)
This week we had the opportunity to sustain Brother Alfredo as our ward mission leader. He is one of my first converts and after having baptized his own son, he is now going to be directing us, organizing the missionary efforts in the ward, and presiding in the meetings related to us. It was an experience very special for me. He is going to be an excellent ward mission leader and I couldn't think of anyone better.
Well family, if I don't get the chance to write to you next week you will know why. I am praying that of all the places that I could go, anywhere but the offices. We are going to see if the Lord has a bad sense of humor or no :)
Family, take care. Know that I love you all and never forget that you are members of the Church of Jesus Christ. We have taken upon ourselves the name of Christ to be his disciples. We are willing to serve Him and keep His commandments. We have made the choice to seek the true happiness in our lives and invite others to have the same. May God bless you my dear family.
Love,
Elder Russell
P.S. Elder Russell, si todàvia no se ha dado cuenta, los mexicanos tienen su propio lenguaje muy chistoso. Disfrúte todo lo que es ´chido´ ´qué tranza´ y ´no manches´. Disfrúte estar con esta raiz tan especial del pueblo de Dios. Esfuércese un buen hermano y le amo. Hizó bien, pero no ha acabado compadre :) Apenas empezamos.
