Week 51: La Rosa

Hi Everyone! This week I feel so grateful to be a missionary. We are part of the promised gathering of Israel in preparation for the second coming of the Savior. 

I was reading in Mormon 7 this week, which takes place about 400 years after the coming of Jesus Christ. At this point in the Book of Mormon, the people have turned away from God and are at war. The believers have been almost completely destroyed, and the only hope that Mormon has is that the descendents of his people (the people who I teach) will one day be brought back to a knowledge of the gospel of Jesus Christ. 

In Mormon 7:10, Mormon says to His descendents of our day: "And ye will also know that ye are a remnant of the seed of Jacob; therefore ye are numbered among the people of the first covenant; and if it so be that ye believe in Christ, and are baptized, first with water, then with fire and with the Holy Ghost, following the example of our Savior, according to that which he hath commanded us, it shall be well with you in the day of judgment. Amen."

In these last days of the battle before the second coming of the Savior, we need the covenant of baptism and the gift of the Holy Ghost to bind us to the Savior. 

And there are people who are prepared to accept this message and make covenants with our Savior!!

Like Edgar!! He is so prepared. He is reading the Book of Mormon and loves it! Hermana Palacios came with us to his lesson this week! She shared her conversion story, and the Spirit was so strong. Edgar said that when he knows more, he will be baptized. We are so excited for him. 

We also had a cool experience with Araceli this week, who hasn't been progressing very much. Araceli has 3 children who are members, one of whom served a mission and is now married in the temple. But although we've been having somewhat consistent lessons, she hasn't been keeping commitments or been willing to live the commandments. We had the faith to pause teaching her and put her back into the Lord's hands for awhile. We sent her a text explaining we were going to stop coming over and she IMMEDIATDLY responded saying "por que dicen eso hermanas?" And to come over the next day! (She never responds very fast so that was the first miracle).

We then read Moroni 7 with her and explained how although we love her and spending time with us, our purpose is to prepare her for baptism and confirmation. And (milagro!) she finally recognized how important this opportunity to learn about the restored gospel of Jesus Christ and commited to actually start reading the Book of Mormon, praying, and coming to church (no more excuses). And she and Dominick came to church yesterday! Yay!!

I'm so excited for the miracles in the coming days! I know that the gathering of Israel is real. As President Nelson has told the youth:

"Just think of the excitement and urgency of it all: every prophet commencing with Adam has seen our day. And every prophet has talked about our day, when Israel would be gathered and the world would be prepared for the Second Coming of the Savior. Think of it! Of all the people who have ever lived on planet earth, we are the ones who get to participate in this final, great gathering event. How exciting is that! Our Heavenly Father has reserved many of His most noble spirits—perhaps, I might say, His finest team—for this final phase. Those noble spirits—those finest players, those heroes—are you! I testify that the gathering is now, and it is real."

What a privilege we have to live in these last days and witness the greatest miracles the world has ever seen. Look for those miracles this week!

Love yall!!

Hermana Dudley

1. 4 sisters getting ready is always crazy. But we had our last night of craziness! Moved the sisters into their new apartment today. 

2. Saw my best friend! Hermana Young <3

3.Hermana Palacios came with us to visit Edgar Ramos. Her testimony is so strong.

4.mi compa! La quiero!

5. Exchanges w/ my former compa, Sister Clements

6. Fútbol! It started raining again. And Edgar came!

7.We found $10 on the street. We tried to give it to the people around us, but everyone said it wasn't theirs and we should take it. So we used it to buy flowers for Maria.