Week 34: Raymond

Wow! Time is flying by. It's hard to believe I'll hit 8 months this week. I just want time to slow down!!

This week...

☆We finally got in contact with the chicas. Sky, Lupita, Ivory, and Leilani are all neighbors. They came to the Youth Activity and we had an awesome lesson with them!!

☆I had such a fun and miracle-filled exchange with Hermana Votaw. We felt prompted to visit Bianca, a teenager who was taught in the past. We got to her apartment complex and we didn't have her door number. We had stopped to try to call some missionaries to figure it out when this sweet old lady came up to us! Turns out she's a member visiting her friend who is Bianca's mom! Milagrooooossss!!! So she led us to Bianca and we had a really powerful lesson with her and now Hermana Votaw & Hermana Garcia are going to start teaching her!!

☆President's Interview and MLC (Mission Leadership Council)! President gave some great advice in my interview and in MLC about prioritizing that I really needed. He shared advice that President Hinckley gave to the leaders of the Church years ago about priorities

1)Relationship with God

2)Relationship with Spouse

3)Relationship with Children

4)Job

5)Church Calling

Being a missionary is a little different...but our priorities are basically same. We first have to priorities our relationship with God (personal study). And then #2-4 are my purpose as a missionary, which is inviting others to come unto Christ (comp study, language study, weekly & daily planning, finding, teaching, baptizing). And then #5 is my assignment right now (zone meetings, taking care of the Hermanas, etc.) It made me realize that I don't have to do everything and not let the urgent get in the way of the important.

☆On Thursday we felt prompted to put visiting our friend Ariana in the schedule. We haven't been able to get in contact with her much. But then she accidently called us so we ended up being able to go over for a few minutes and testify of the Book of Mormon. She was taught by missionaries a while back but Hermana Cordova mentioned after the lesson that she's changed so much and she is truly hungring after this knowledge.

☆A few weeks ago when we were visiting Hna. Patiño from our ward, we taught her the Restoration and asked her who she knew who needed this knowledge. She told us about her friend Rosita. So this last week, she invited us and Rosita over for dinner and we became best friends with Rosita. She is so cool!!! We were able to teach her about the Book of Mormon and how it testifies of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. The Spirit was probably the strongest I've ever felt it in a lesson. I am so excited to continue to help Rosita on her journey!

☆Carlos, our recent convert, received the Aaronic Priesthood yesterday. Noemi was so happy that her husband has the priesthood. She is so excited that he will be able to baptize their children some day <3

☆Mario from the Rio Vista Ward received his endowment in the Newport Beach Temple. Mario joined the church one year ago and is preparing to serve a mission. He's best friends with all the missionaries so there was a ton of us there. It was so special to be able to be inside the Lord's house and be there with my friends :))

This last week I have been studying about the Book of Mormon. The Book of Mormon was written by the ancient prophets of the Americas and teaches us about Christ and His gospel. The last Prophet and Believer in the Book of Mormon, Moroni, was instructed to bury the Book of Mormon and promised that it would come forth in our day. At the end of his writings, he said (Moroni 10:3-5):

3. Behold, I would exhort you that when ye shall read these things, if it be wisdom in God that ye should read them, that ye would remember how merciful the Lord hath been unto the children of men, from the creation of Adam even down until the time that ye shall receive these things, and ponder it in your hearts.

4. And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost.

5. And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things.

I know that if we truly read the Book of Mormon with a sincere heart, faith in Christ, and real intent (meaning we will act upon the answer we receive), God will answer our prayers. He is the source of all Truth.

In our days, Joseph Smith was directed by Heavenly messengers to the Book of Mormon and translated it by the power of God. Because of this, the Book of Mormon is the keystone of our religion. If the Book of Mormon is true, then Joseph Smith was a Prophet, and this is Christ's church. 

President Hinckly taught: "No matter how many times you have read the Book of Mormon, this promise applies to you. Without reservation I promise you that if you will prayerfully read the Book of Mormon, regardless of how many times you previously have read it, there will come into your hearts … the Spirit of the Lord. There will come a strengthened resolution to walk in obedience to his commandments, and there will come a stronger testimony of the living reality of the Son of God."

I invite each of you to read the Book of Mormon and pray to ask God if it is true. I know that as you do this, you will become Witnesses of these prophetic promises.

I love you all. Have an amazing week:))

Hermana Dudley

1.The Chicas and the YW and youth activity

2.Dinner w/ Hno. Ortiz y los Wrights

3.Exchange w/ Hna. Votaw. Dream Comp!

4.Jusr another picture from Día de Hispanidad of Hna. Cordova & me

5.Missionaries & Chase outside of temple

6.Hna. Patiño, Rosita, y las hermanas misioneras

7.SAW Morning Ball

8.Dinner lesson w/ Hna. Patiño y Rosita