Letters posted from October 21 through December 4, 2011 - next few posts

Dear Family,
I hope all is well with you. This week was a little slow. I came down with a very nasty cold and we didn't do as much work as I would have liked. I hope this week goes a lot better. I have set myself some goals and I hope to keep to them.
This week Élder Gómez started a tradition of saying two good things to each other every night. It has helped us have a much healthier relationship overall than before.
This last week we started inviting people to let us do family history for them. One older gentleman accepted. We are going to do his family history tree this week. I need to start investigating on how to do that ;). All in all it was an interesting week, but a little bit slow for me. A lot of people had committed to come to church but, in the end, only one came. :( There were a lot of parties and illnesses this week. We're progressing and had some miracles. We put five new baptismal dates this last week. If all goes well, we'll complete our goal of six baptisms this month. We're praying for miracles.
We saw the first presidency devotional yesterday. It was lovely. I love Christmas!!! What a wonderful time to remember Christ and His life and birth! I am so happy to have this time of year to remember him. The first presidency has made a video about the life of Christ and it is fantastic. I was so pleased to be able to see part of it.
Well, that's about all in the news this week. Just trying to work hard and teach well.
This week's letter is brought to you by the hymn Put Your Shoulder to the Wheel

1. The world has need of willing men
Who wear the worker’s seal.
Come, help the good work move along;
Put your shoulder to the wheel.

[Chorus]
Put your shoulder to the wheel; push along,
Do your duty with a heart full of song,
We all have work; let no one shirk.
Put your shoulder to the wheel.

2. The Church has need of helping hands,
And hearts that know and feel.
The work to do is here for you;
Put your shoulder to the wheel.

[Chorus]
Put your shoulder to the wheel; push along,
Do your duty with a heart full of song,
We all have work; let no one shirk.
Put your shoulder to the wheel.

3. Then don’t stand idly looking on;
The fight with sin is real.
It will be long but must go on;
Put your shoulder to the wheel.

[Chorus]
Put your shoulder to the wheel; push along,
Do your duty with a heart full of song,
We all have work; let no one shirk.
Put your shoulder to the wheel.

4. Then work and watch and fight and pray
With all your might and zeal.
Push ev’ry worthy work along;
Put your shoulder to the wheel.

[Chorus]
Put your shoulder to the wheel; push along,
Do your duty with a heart full of song,
We all have work; let no one shirk.
Put your shoulder to the wheel.

This church is a church of work. I don't have much time left in the mission (as far too many people are keen to remind me), but I want to work to the very last hour of the very last day. This church, this gospel, is all uphill. One must continue upward and onward. I want to be that kind of missionary. I want to be that kind of person. As Christ said once (this is a translation from Spanish, so it may not be exact) "My Father still works, and I work." If, four-thousand years after the fall of Adam the Lord and the Father still had work to do, I can still work. What's more, they are still working. I know they live and are working because they work in my life and bring about many miracles in both my life and in the lives of our investigators. As long as they work, I will work.

All My Love,
Élder Sudbury

PS Mom and Dad, I hope you had a marvelous anniversary. Melanie and Tim, I hope to hear the news on the little one on the way. SalleeAnn and Matt, I appreciate the note, I wait (as they say in Ukraine, with impatience) for your end-of-the-mission counsel. Noella, I hope to receive your invitation ;). JuleeAnn and Chris, you'll have to let me know how you pass your Christmas this year. I love you all! One O'clock mountain time should be fine Sunday.