Week 28 (Oct. 21, 2013 Congreso, Argentina)

Dear Eternal Family and Friends,

I know that my emails are getting shorter and shorter each week and I apologize! But there is lots to do and the Lord´s work is moving rapidly! I am so thankful to be able to see this work moving so rapidly first hand by being on my mission. My testimony of member missionary work and of the small and simple things that we can do to help others has grown so much and I know that the Lord´s work can be accomplished in many different ways. Each person has a testimony that someone needs to hear. Your testimony can literally help someone receive salvation. Jesus Christ and His Atonement are central to God´s plan and we are saved physically and spiritually through Him. He will always be the one that will save us. But we are the instruments! God´s work and glory will be brought to pass when we act and when we use the agency that He has given us to help others come to know of their Savior Jesus Christ and His Gospel. I know that each person that we see is a son or daughter of God and that we are all brothers and sisters! I know that when we have a firm testimony of this truth and of the Atonement, we will have the desire to share the Gospel! I know that I personally need to have a greater desire to share the Gospel with others and that I fall short so much! I have been studying the Atonement in order to help me have a greater desire and it has really helped me understand more and has helped me have a greater desire to serve and share, but I still lack! I am thankful for what the Holy Ghost can teach us and I know that it is through him that we receive a testimony of the things that are true. It is so amazing to see people understand a doctrine or principal of the Gospel in the moment that it happens. As a missionary, this is one of the things that I LOVE to witness the most...there is nothing like seeing someone come to the understanding that Jesus Christ is their Savior, or that the Book of Mormon is true, or that they have truly been forgiven, or that there is a true and living prophet on the earth, through the witness of the Holy Ghost. It is a beautiful thing! :)

Real fast, we found 6 new people to teach this last week and 3 of them have dates to be baptized! The Lord is providing miracles and has been so good to us! I will write more about each one of these amazing people next week because I am of time. But the thing that was super hard was that none of these 6 people came to church on Sunday and we tried SO hard with each one of them! We are praying to know what more we can do to help these people attend sacrament meeting because we know that they cannot progress without this! I am not sure why we are being blessed with new investigators if they are not going to progress but I know that God has a plan and all I can do is my best. I love these people and I love being a missionary! I know that this work is real and that we are His hands. I love you all so much and hope you have a happy week! Thanks for all you do!!

Love, 

Hermana Syphus :) 

Hello again Mom!

And happy mother´s day from Argentina!!! Ha Argentina has mother´s day on the 20th of October instead of in May. I am pretty sure that this is the only country that does this and I don´t know why haha. But Happy Mother´s Day ma and also to my grandma´s and aunts and sisters and all the mother´s in my life :)

Thanks again for your great and uplifting email. Really I just love to read them so much and take great interest in the things that you share with me about the family and such. Man I sure miss Shaun´s choir concerts and can only imagine how great it was. As well as his piano concerts!! Such talent in that boy. And Joel!! He is just so great and I sure love him so much. Those suits of theirs do sound a little strange haha. Sorry I am going back to last weeks letter because I wanted to respond to some things. But I bet All State was amazing as well and I am so proud of Joel for all that he is doing! What a great kid. How fun for you all to have had many exciting activities and experiences with the family. Tell Luke and Abby congrats for me! I love the story that you told about them in the temple haha :)

Oh yes and mom, you mentioned a little bit ago that after my mission we will be going on the church history tour! Well I didn´t respond to that yet but I think that that sounds like the best thing ever! I actually was thinking that that would be super fun to do when I got home. But then I thought about Joel and his mission. You say that he wants to wait until I get home? How does that make you feel? Like do you want him to wait or would you rather have him leave after high school? I agree with you that he should pray about it and PRAYERFULLY decide. Of course I would LOVE to see him before 4 years but I also know that if Heavenly Father needs him right away, that he should not hesitate to go as soon as he can! Has he decided yet?

I know that you tell me that I don´t need to worry about writing much because I can relate stories after my mission. But the problem is that I don´t know if I am going to remember!! I know that sounds awful and I don´t want it to happen but have leaned that I forget things very easily and I know that these experiences on my mission are sacred and special and I don´t want to forget them! I am trying to write in my journal but holy buckets I cant do it at night when we are supposed to because we are planning and doing necessary things until about 10:10 and then we have to get ready for bed. And the morning is a different story because there are 4 of us still in the apt. and so the time is short. At least when i get home I will be able to take a 5-10 minute shower! Haha. That is at least one thing I have learned to do on my mission :)

Also, thanks so much for sending that package! I haven´t received it yet but I have not said thank yet and I wanted you to know that I really am thankful. It is hard to imagine my life without you as my mother. What a blessing in my life! I love you so much mom and hope that all is well! I am doing great and am happy and healthy! I know that the reason that i can do this is because it is God´s work and that He is the head.

Ah one more thing. How is Kambree doing? I have been thinking about her lots and wanted to email her but don´t know her email. Is she happy and doing good things? I know she is a great example for her friends and that she has great standards but i also know that it is hard to be a newbie in high school and that there are many evil influences. Hope she is doing well.

Do you have any questions for me or do you want to know something that I haven´t told you? Is the rest of the family doing well? How are the Bennett´s doing and Celeste and other neighbors? Has anyone asked about why I have not written them? :/ I hope I will still have friends when I get home ha.

Well ma I just love you so much and am glad to here that all is well back home in the valley! Thanks so much for everything!!

Love, 

Hermana Syphus :)