Letter from Curtis, July 18, 2011

Dear World,

 

Unfortunately I don't have all the time I would like to be able to write this week.  Allow me to explain why...

 

It is terribly uncommon for an elder to stay in the offices for more than six months.  I was no exception.  We thought that I was going to stay, as, because of an odd number of missionaries, we were to have a trio somewhere in the mission.  President got done with changes and I was still in the offices.  Monday came around and something unusual happened.  An elder from Chile had arrived at the MTC in Mexico for his instruction there.  As a result, we never received his flight plans in the offices and assumed he would be temporarily postponed.  I didn't notice his name on the MTC roster until the assistants picked him up.  That night I got a call that I was to have changes.  I've been called as an instructor (what we call trainers in this mission...President Chávez doesn't like the words "trainer" or "to train" because they usually refer to animals and don't appear anywhere in the scriptures) to Élder Valenzuela.  For lack of time I'll send you pictures next week.  The house where we were to live was not yet prepared, so we've been living in another companionship's apartment until we rent a house.  The owner of the apartment where we plan on living met with us and President Chávez this morning as we don't have a co-signer and she wanted to know why.  She was impressed with President Chávez and decided to rent us the apartment.  We're signing the contract in about fifteen minutes from right now, seeing when we can bring our stuff from the other house, and still have a district meeting in the night.  I haven't washed clothes in some time for the same reason and I'm not sure how I smell.  We'll find a way to make it work. 

 

It's been a busy week.  I always seem to get wards who don't believe in missionary work working.  I love those wards...more than that, I love proving them wrong and that God can do things there.  We have seen many mighty miracles this last week.  We have five people with a baptismal date for these upcoming weeks and are very hopeful for them.  One of those baptisms will be for this Saturday.  Her name is Angelica.  She's the ten year old daughter of a part member family.  She's very excited for her baptism, though she's a little shy.  We're excited for her as well.  God has been pouring out his spirit.  I feel we've already started to change the minds of a few people in the ward like the bishop and the counselors, and we hope to change minds of the rest of them.  We want their faith to grow and their ward to heal.  We want to be a blessing here.  The harvest here is truly white and ready to harvest in Tlalpan Ward. 

 

This letter is brought to you by: Be Still, My Soul

 

Be still, my soul: The Lord is on thy side.

With patience bear thy cross of grief or pain.

Leave to thy God to order and provide;

In ev’ry change he faithful will remain.

Be still, my soul: Thy best, thy heav’nly Friend

Thru thorny ways leads to a joyful end.

 

Be still, my soul: Thy God doth undertake

To guide the future as he has the past.

Thy hope, thy confidence let nothing shake;

All now mysterious shall be bright at last.

Be still, my soul: The waves and winds still know

His voice who ruled them while he dwelt below.

 

Be still, my soul: The hour is hast’ning on

When we shall be forever with the Lord,

When disappointment, grief, and fear are gone,

Sorrow forgot, love’s purest joys restored.

Be still, my soul: When change and tears are past,

All safe and blessed we shall meet at last.

 

I'm plum out of time, I have to make a program for a baptism and still get to that contract meeting on time, but I leave you with this.  I know this church is true.  This is God's church.  We believe in it and learning to perfect our lives.  I know that Christ is our Savior and loves us dearly.  I know that He wants people to have faith in His name, repent, be baptized and receive the Holy Ghost, and endure to the end.  I know He is helping us bring that, in love, to the people in Tlalpan.  I know my Lord is on my side.  I know that He is always faithful to me, and I hope to always be faithful to Him.  I know that the waves and winds of my life are always going to be in His control.  I know that one day, if I am faithful, I will return to live with Him.  All changes will end when one day I will be with Him and my Family forever.  I will live in Joy with Him.

 

All my Love,

Élder Sudbury

 

PS I really am out of time.  I love you all, I'll write next week.  Mom, the backyard looks great ;).