Dear Mama,
Man, these kids are gettin' way too big and
too old and new little guys are just coming out of the woodwork. I
can't believe how fast time goes by out here and also, how fast things
change back home. Tell the Kirklands, the Lindseys, and the De Costas I
say congrats and good luck.
Sister Lewis, Mission President's wife, was
asking me, once, what dreams I want to achieve when I get home (kind of a
trunky question, right? lol) and I told her I just want to finish school and get
into the spec ops team that I want to be in. She was stunned and said, "You don't want to be a Father?" I was, like, "Absolutely NOT!! I'm terrified
of the thought of being a Dad." Yeah, so my companion and I were invited
over to their house for dinner and it was pretty sweet. President
commented on that conversation, saying, "Now, now, Elder Sierra has a little
while to think about that, however it is a suggestion that you get
engaged 6 months after the mission." So, in short, I'm being bombarded on
all sides here, haha.
Anyhow, back to the work. Things have been
progressing. Our teaching pool is ever increasing and we had the
opportunity to take an investigator on a temple tour yesterday. Her name
is Linda Reynolds and she is a high-spirited 68-year old lady who truly
can recognize the Spirit. After the tour, she was crying, saying that, "I
know this has to be true, but I don't want to join for the wrong
reasons." I asked her what reason that would be. She responded, "To be
with my husband for eternity." My companion and I smiled. "Linda, there
is no greater reason than the one you just mentioned." Linda Reynolds
has a baptismal date for Nov. 12.
Hopefully, I can still be around for it (probably not).
We are very
excited about our investigators. We pretty much have many miracles just
waiting to happen. Our bishop and ward mission leader sent a letter to
our mission president asking him to allow us both to stay in the area
(I'm leaving for sure now). I was touched that the ward trusts us and
loves the work we do here. They have been very supportive and
missionary-minded from Day 1. I really don't want to leave Folsom, but I
am pretty sure I will be back in Spanish work next transfer coming up
in about 2 weeks. Speaking of Spanish work, we have been teaching 6 Spanish families and have invited each of them to church this coming Sunday.
If things work out, then we will have made the first Spanish group
here in Folsom and will have opened up Spanish work here for the first
time. Needless to say, I am exhausted.
Mom, my only advice from the
mission to you this week is that I have learned that, if we continue
forward, not thinking about all the work and challenges that must be
overcome, the Lord will naturally lift us up and remove them from us. It
is when we do not focus so much on our trials that we then become
happy, encouraged, and have a continuous desire to serve others. Do not
be discouraged. All will be recompensed soon, and more abundantly than
you could ever imagine. Continue to Rise up everyone.
Elder Sierra
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