October 1st, 2013: Week 102: Penultimate email from the mission field!

How is everyone? I'm great! We had a good week and I have a lot to share. So first off yesterday I didn't write because we had interviews. It was great and we also had a capacitation where I learned a lot. In my interview with Pte. Smith we talked a lot about how to apply what you've learned in the mission for after and I really like some things he said. Part was about not having to stop being a missionary when the plack comes off and also about applying these things to now be the member that is there to help the missionaries in what they need. I have no desires to stop working when I get home and any time the missionaries need me I'll be there to help and be a friend and support to all who need it. He also talked about after the mission and a little about how the next biggest step is finding an eternal companion. He said you need to find someone who loves God more than they love you. I know that it's true and I've seen it in Pte Smith and his wife and you Mom and Dad, even through hard times and problems your love for the Savior and God is what kept you together. I want a marriage like that. Not trying to sound trunky at all I just appreciated that thought that President gave me.

Another thing that I like is how he talked about the atonement of Christ and something he said stuck with me, he said "it's not the nails that kept Christ on the cross, it's the love that he had and has for his father and his brothers and sisters that kept him up there." I know that it really is like that and that Christ really has a love without end for all of us.

 

This Sunday was great! We saw higher assistence (attendance), almost 60 again, and a miracle happened. We were standing in front of the church waiting for people to come up to greet them and a man walked up we didn't recognize. He asked if he could come in and we thought he was just a less active member. We asked some members who he was and some said that he came before. We talked to him and set up a lesson for later that day and we invited him to come to the ward choir practice that we had that day. He came to sing and we had a great lesson after. We found out that he wasn't a member and that about 5 years ago was the last time that he talked to the missionaries. He told us that changes of missionaries happened and he was forgotten, something that sadly happens sometimes, and he was having trouble in work and had fallen into depression and problems. He passed by the churh on Saturday and remembered how he had felt there years before and wanted to feel that again, so he showed up to church on sunday and now is super excited to come to all the sessions of conference and be baptized. He is a great man and I'm excited for him to start his journey as a follower of Christ.

 

That's about this week in a nutshell, just a lot of great moments and full of the spirit. I also have been praying about my mission the last few nights and as we were coming home on the bus from the interviews I was just meditating and thinking about the things I'd done and what I had accomplished and I just felt peaceful, I knew then that I may not had done it all perfect, but I knew and know that the Lord accepted my work and now that I have about a week left to actually work as a missionary I want to continue feeling that peace and knowing that I didn't flake out at the end, like Bro Shamy said, "Sprint to the end."

 

I'm happy the hear that all is well and that everyone is doing good, I love you all and will talk to you a little next week, I doubt the email will be long, but I'll still write to let you know I'm good. I love you!

 

Elder Jordan Duke