How's the best family in the world doing? I'm good. This week has been interesting. To start off there has been some big changes here in the area Sudamerica Sur (South America South). Pte Gonzalez has changed the focus completely here and now we are to focus 2/3 of our time working with Recent Converts and Menos Activos. That's a very big portion of our time. It's a little weird having so many changes at the end of my mission, but I've already seen that it's revelation and inspiration. I've noticed throughout my mission that what was lacking in uruguay was retention of the new members. There were a lot of baptisms, but of those, few stayed active longer than 6 months to a year.
So as of now we've had to drop some of the people that weren't progressing and put more attention on those that have strayed from the path. One of our missionaries here in the mission shared something with all of us and I'd like to share it with you.
"Cuando llegué a la misión mi mayor deseo era poder fortalecer la obra en mi país, antes de tomar la decisión si serviría una misión o no mi preocupación por la fuerza que la iglesia tenia en Uruguay era muy grande, cuando me enteré que serviría mi misión en Uruguay yo lo tomé como una oportunidad grande de poder ayudar a mis hermanos. Cuando llegué a la misión mi visión estaba un poco frustrada debido a que su objetivo principal era solo Bautizar!!!, lo cual no era malo pero los barrios en Uruguay poco a poco se estaban desintegrando yo lo estaba viviendo en mi propio barrio y en mi propia familia, soy el numero siete de ocho hermanos y el único activo junto con mis papas en el evangelio, cada día que pasaba en la misión mi única esperanza en mis oraciones era que alguien se preocupara por ir a rescatar a mi familia y que me dejaran hacer lo mismo por las familias que estaban perdidas y que necesitaban volver a tener esa luz, después de casi veinte meses de mi misión y solo sintiendo que la misión tenia un espíritu de competencia, el cambio a través de la revelación llegó, por fin la obra misional va a poder ayudar a edificar con metas realistas y con objetivos que ayuden a los barrios a ser edificados desde su punto mas débil los menos activos, estoy agradecido al Señor que escuchó mis oraciones y que la obra misional ahora actuará como los ángeles salvadores de almas que somos, mi deseo por ser parte de este cambio es muy grande porque se que hay alguien que se preocupa por mis hermanos que ahora ya no serán mas los menos activos de la lista de miembros, sino que serán las almas que debemos rescatar, siento tanto gozo cuando enseño con un objetivo mas elevado, el poder reactivar y lograr que familias lleguen al santo templo para mi es lo mas hermoso que puede existir en la obra misional. les prometo que el éxito vendrá al seguir estas enseñanzas, pero esta ves vendrá con mas seguridad y con todas las bendiciones que el Señor tiene preparadas para sus hijos gracias por sus esfuerzos y trabajo la recompensa es eterna las amistades que ganemos en nuestra misión deben llegar a ser eternas." Elder Silveira
Translation: When I reached the mission my greatest desire was to strengthen the work in my country , before deciding whether or not to serve a mission, my concern for the strength that the church had in Uruguay was very big, when I found out that my mission would be in Uruguay I took it as a big opportunity to help my brothers . When I reached the mission my vision was a little frustrated because the main goal was just Baptize! , Which was not bad but Uruguay wards gradually were disintegrating I was living it in my own ward and in my own family , I'm the seventh of eight siblings and the only active along with my parents in the gospel , with each passing day in the mission my only hope in my prayers was that someone cared about going to rescue my family and that they let me do the same for the families that were lost and needed to have that light again , after almost twenty months of my mission with the mission feeling like it only had a spirit of competition, change through revelation came. Now the missionary work will be able to help build realistic goals and objectives that help the wards to be built up from its weakest point the less actives. I am grateful that the Lord heared my prayers and missionary work will act as the angels saviors of souls that we are. My desire to be part of this change is great because there is someone who cares about my brothers who now will no longer be the less actives of the membership list , but are the souls that we rescue , I feel such joy when I teach a with higher objective, reactivate and help families go to the holy temple, for me is the most beautiful thing that can exist in missionary work I promise you that success will come to follow these teachings , but this time come with more security and all the blessings the Lord has prepared for his children thank you for your efforts and work the reward is eternal, friendships we win in our mission should become eternal . Elder Silveira
I really just loved what he expressed in his letter and I feel the same for the oportunity that we have now to actually help the Church grow here in Uruguay.
Good to hear that everyone is doing good at home and having a good time. Busy as usual ;) Tell Mango that I'm definitely going to help when I can. I hope this show is great!
I can't believe that Sarah and Kaili are going to dances together! Before neither of them could even date! How time flies! You guys should feel really old, Mom and Dad! lol!
Josh and Lauren, keep it up with doing good in school and just being like the best ever!
Emily, Love you! I wrote you already so I'm not going to add anything here.
I hope that you all have a great week and that everything goes well! I love you and want you to know that this work is true and the Gospel that we teach every day is the real work of God. I love being a missionary and I'm grateful for the time I have left, I'm determined to make it the best part of my mission experience. Love you all!
Love,
Elder Jordan Duke
P.S. I think I'm fine, only problem is that my suit is a little dirty from mold that it got in Artigas and since then I haven't been in an area that has had a drycleaner....so I might show up with a used dirty suit...oh well.
