July 7, 2014

My dearest dearest family,

Finalmente, chegou a hora- We have a new mission president, President and Sister Dalton!! They are soooooo wonderful! We are very blessed! And how amazingly blessed we were to have Pres and Sister Pinho. Although it is sad to say goodbye to Pres Pinho, it feels SO great to say welcome to Pres and Sister Dalton. We had our first meeting with them this past week in a multi-zone conference in which he taught us about his vision for our mission/the work we are doing, and what should be our vision, and that is... THE TEMPLE!!!!! He talked about how many missions  in the world are either one of two things, a baptizing mission or a retention mission. Well, he said that we won't be either- Our mission will be a TEMPLE mission. We are not just here to baptize lots of people, nor are we here to help inactive baptized members come back to church. If we are to be missionaries who fulfill our FULL purpose, we need to be missionaries who baptize, and help ALL (members and recent converts) make it to the house of the Lord. This should be the vision for each of us, always- the temple. If we have been baptized into the restored Church of Jesus Christ, what are we doing to either: 1- prepare to make greater and higher, holier covenants with Heavenly Father in the temple, or 2- be and remain worthy to enter the holy temple??  I invite each of you to ponder about this. What covenants have you made already with our loving Father, and what more can you do to keep them and/or make more (i.e. receive your endowment/be sealed)? The greatest happiness we can have in our lives are those blessings that come only from making and keeping the covenants of the temple.

Another thing I love and learned recently is the reality of angels working alongside us. Just think- There are MANY souls waiting to be saved in the spirit world, ancestors of the many souls we are trying to save here. Do you think they are praying that we (as missionaries) succeed, so that they will succeed eternally be being found and baptized vicariously by their living family members here? Of course! There are those working on both sides of the veil for the salvation of all of God's children.

I love you all dearly, and just know we are never alone. Pray and converse with Heavenly Father. Study the scriptures, which is the word of God and a way He talks to us, and answers our every question.