My dear family,
It sounds that you all have had some spectacular past few weeks. I am grateful that the Lord is protecting and guiding our family. Send my love particularly to Joy and Josh. I feel that they need it.
Well, where do we start? This past week was a week of giving absolutely every part of your heart, might, mind and strength to the Lord. We had a our Zone Conference, a lot of people to find, a lot of people to teach, and changes in the Zone today. This week we absolutely crashed as our heads hit the pillow. However the Lord blessed our efforts and we had many people come to church this week. In fact, more than I have had come to church in all of my mission.
This week a sister in the ward taught me something so simple but so powerful. We have been trying some new ideas about how to help the people that we are teaching to come to the point where they will progress on their own. We are seeing many positive results but this Sister taught me something so amazing. We have been thinking about how to help the members to take away their fear of doing missionary work. The Sister was talking about how she had shared the Gospel with others in the past. Don´t laugh but you know what was the great secret for her? Food. When an activity of the Church whether it be service, a devotional, a youth conference, or even a wedding reception has food, the people come. It was for me the secret to missionary work within a ward. I realized that it is so true. Just about every time when we have found someone through a member, it has been because there was an activity, a spiritual aspect, an invitation, and food. This has become a formula for us as to how to help the members to participate. I think in my own life. The truth, why did I ever go to a wedding reception? It was because there was always food. And even in my missionary efforts in the past, what were the easiest situations to help my friends learn about the church? They were the times when we ate at home or there was food in a church activity. From this, we are planning such activities within the homes of the members and with the ward. We are really excited and we feel that they will help us to find many more people to teach. And the best part, the members here in Mexico are never reluctant to invite someone over for food nor are they reluctant to go wherever there is food.
Apart from my revelation about food, we are seeing the Lord`s hand in our work. I would like to share a quick story of a young woman named Fabiola. She is a single mother who we met Tuesday. We set an appointment to talk to her Friday and we passed by. Elder Smith and I have been working on ways that we can better express our love for the people whom we are teaching. We have decided to write cards and letters to the people whom we come into contact. We made a card for Fabiola and when we gave it to her, her face shown with gratitude and sincere love for our consideration. We didn't say much about the church but by our simple act of interest, she wants to go to church and learn more of us. Through this we are seeing miracles in our investigators and the members of our ward. We are excited to get the rhythm going.
God lives. This is His work and His church. The Lord instructs those who diligently seek Him. We will come to know Him as we diligently seek to do so. May we do so more fully is my prayer in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
Love,
Elder Russell
