Letter from Curtis August 29, 2011

Well, sounds like you've all had an interesting week in the States...Hurricanes, earthquakes, marriage proposals, job offers, and more...I'm glad I'm here in quiet old México. ;)

We had a hard week last week. We only had 6 lessons in all. The elders before us didn't leave us even one progressing investigator...so we're starting from scratch...again. It's a very long area. It takes us about an hour and a half to walk from one end to the other, but only fifteen minutes lengthwise. It's relatively square, thin, and long. We're adjusting well. Our area borders on Benito Juárez and Iztapalapa. It's considered a somewhat dangerous area, but not too bad, all things considering. We don't have any part of our ward prohibited to visit for danger concerns, so it's not too bad at all.

Our ward seems excited to do missionary work. They're a little unsure of exactly what is a Ward Mission Plan and only have Ward Council once a month, but they are progressing, which is what's important. We're finding where we fit with them.

We are opening a new house again. We got the gas connected today and all is going well. It's the rainy season here in México due to the same hurricanes that are hitting the States, so it's a little cloudy and wet, but all is well.

That's really all. We had a week of almost pure contacting with not too many results. I'll let you know how it goes next week. :)

A strange thing happened to me yesterday. We were in the Zone Leader Meeting and we were introducing ourselves. I was the one who had the most time in the mission. That has never happened to me before. Time is blowing by...

This week's letter is brought to you by the hymn Let Us All Press On:

1. Let us all press on in the work of the Lord,

That when life is o’er we may gain a reward;

In the fight for right let us wield a sword,

The mighty sword of truth.

[Chorus]

Fear not, though the enemy deride;

Courage, for the Lord is on our side.

We will heed not what the wicked may say,

But the Lord alone we will obey.

[Chorus: Alto, Tenor, and Bass]

Fear not, courage, though the enemy deride;

We must be victorious, for the Lord is on our side.

We’ll not fear the wicked nor give heed to what they say,

But the Lord, our Heav’nly Father, him alone we will obey.

2. We will not retreat, though our numbers may be few

When compared with the opposite host in view;

But an unseen pow’r will aid me and you

In the glorious cause of truth.

[Chorus]

Fear not, though the enemy deride;

Courage, for the Lord is on our side.

We will heed not what the wicked may say,

But the Lord alone we will obey.

[Chorus: Alto, Tenor, and Bass]

Fear not, courage, though the enemy deride;

We must be victorious, for the Lord is on our side.

We’ll not fear the wicked nor give heed to what they say,

But the Lord, our Heav’nly Father, him alone we will obey.

3. If we do what’s right we have no need to fear,

For the Lord, our helper, will ever be near;

In the days of trial his Saints he will cheer,

And prosper the cause of truth.

[Chorus]

Fear not, though the enemy deride;

Courage, for the Lord is on our side.

We will heed not what the wicked may say,

But the Lord alone we will obey.

[Chorus: Alto, Tenor, and Bass]

Fear not, courage, though the enemy deride;

We must be victorious, for the Lord is on our side.

We’ll not fear the wicked nor give heed to what they say,

But the Lord, our Heav’nly Father, him alone we will obey.

I know I have used this hymn many times before, but it is the one that describes how I feel right now. I must press on. I must wield the sword of truth with courage. I know that the Lord is on my side. That's not an idle statement, as many people use it. I'm not saying that the Lord always helps those that do good, rather that I know, personally and sincerely, that He is at my side. I can't describe the feeling of complete surety that I have about that. I know that The Lord, the King of Heaven and Earth, the Great Redeemer both lives and fights at my side. I know He lives because I counsel with Him daily and He gives me daily direction. I know He lives because I have felt His healing Power. I know He lives because He has protected me continually. I couldn't be more certain of His existence, His live, His power, His divinity, His love, and His reality than I am of my own. I know He lives. I know that He will prosper the Cause of Truth and that I will obey Him alone.

All my Love,

Élder Sudbury

PS Mom and Dad, thanks for the short notes. I hope you weathered the storm well. Melanie and Tim, my fly home date is the nineteenth...it's going to be interesting. SalleeAnn and Matt, please write with those ideas. I hope you enjoyed your retreat from the storm. Noella, I'll send a note in a bit, though you probably won't be able to read it... JuleeAnn and Chris, I'm glad you survived the tropical storm.