Another wonderful week in Paddad!

Hello my Mother that I love so much! How are you?

So, work first, play later.

This is an excerpt from the letter that I wrote to President Carlos this week:

This week was a good solid week. Both Elder Ardon and I stretched ourselves. We learned some new skills, and also one undeniable truth. That is even though we all have agency, not all people will use their agency to come unto Christ. We had a lesson this week with a less active member. In this lesson, Elder Ardon and I bore some of the most powerful testimonies that we have ever expressed. The Spirit was so strong in the lesson that it made us both physically shake. We said exactly what that less-active man needed to hear. We spoke as boldly and bluntly as we could about what would happen to him and his family if he continued on the path he was on. He just sat there with a mocking smile on his face while we were talking to him. We brought the Spirit unto his heart, but it was not able to penetrate into his heart. That was his choice. It made me really sad that the Spirit could be there that strongly and he could still chose to not accept it. Even with that happening, I was still rather happy afterwards. That was just one more testament to me that we receive guidance through the Holy Ghost. I know what I am teaching here is true. I have tried and tested it in my own life. I am very grateful for this opportunity I have to continue to learn and strengthen my testimony, but even more grateful that I can help others discover this joy and guidance in their lives. I know the Lord is guiding me and preparing the way for me to continue learning and growing here on the mission. If I didn't become district leader, if I didn't get this opportunity to train Elder Ardon...I’m not sure this great change would have happened in me. I love being a missionary and I can't imagine any other life. If you had asked me about that a year ago I still wouldn't have been sure I was coming here, even though I was already at the MTC...

Right now my heart is just full of thanks to God for all He has done for me. All I have to give back to him is a life of service...and that is what I am going to do.

This really was a great week. Elder Ardon and I hit 27 lessons and 16 OYM's. That exceeded our goals for lessons and oym's. We also...wait, nope, it was just Elder Ardon! That’s my kid. :) (We were on splits) Elder Ardon taught a first lesson to the Nanay in a part member family this past Sunday. She is a miracle. She actually came to church the past couple Sundays by herself. Her husband is disabled and inactive right now. When Elder Ardon taught her yesterday, he kept being led to a baptismal commitment. Finally he just gave in and did it. :) Good thing too because she accepted the commitment right away and was very happy about it. Funny thing is, we couldn't even count her as a progressing investigator in our ki's yesterday. She needs to have 2 lessons and be keeping commitments to be considered progressing. lol.

Our other with date is doing ok. She is really looking for the truth, but she is having a hard time receiving an answer about the truth of the Book of Mormon and Joseph Smith. She wants it to be true, and she has said she has felt the Holy Ghost in our lessons and when she comes to church. She just hasn't received an answer yet about the BoM and Joseph Smith.

This past Sunday we also had a miracle with our less-active/returning members. We had 7 members return to activity this past week. It is just a ki (key indicator) but we are having progress with them none the less. We also got one tatay to come back to church for the first time. His wife is amazing. She was really weak and sick, but Tay was willing to go to church so she forced herself to go to church with him so he could go back for the first time. She actually is one of our returned members that we had this past Sunday. Love that family. We are trying to get them ready to go to the temple. Tatay is also fighting a word of wisdom problem, but despite that, he is forging a path back to the "straight and narrow."

That’s the majority of our work this past week. We are fulfilling our purpose as missionaries. :)

I'm glad you guys got some great time with the family. :) sounds like it was a ton of fun. The kids are sooooo CUTE!

That’s awesome! :) I’m so happy for them! I just love Becca to death, and I’m sure Danny is just as fun. Good for them. (Elder Lundy’s cousin and her husband became proud parents of a baby boy this past week)

I love you guys!

Glad you had a great week last week!

Have another this week!

-Elder Lundy