Written by Elder Dallin Remund, serving in the Virginia Chesapeake Mission of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, speaking Spanish. Dallin is currently in Albertson, North Carolina.
Greetings ya'll!
The work is picking up here in Albertson, NC. I am having a great time down here. Saturday marks three months in the field, which is insane! It feels like home down here. The Chicken Coop I stay in, the friendly 'Harper' ward, the trailer parks, and of course the whole spirit of missionary work! I will try taking pictures this week so you all can actually see me for once.
This week I had the opportunity to take part in five blessings!! I don't know why they all happened at once, but they went really well. I got to give my first blessing in Spanish last Saturday, which was a wonderful experience. With all those experiences, it brought me an added sense of gratitude for the duty that I have as a priesthood holder to help out those people in need. Holding the priesthood is not something that benefits you or your status, it is only for the benefit of others. Just like God's power is not to exalt and better Himself, but to better His children.
We got four new investigators in the past two weeks, which is really great! Teresa and Juan are an older couple that we have been teaching. It's a little bit harder to teach them because they have a hard time remembering/soaking in the message of the Restoration, but with time and the Spirit, they will grow to understand the importance.
And we have now started actively teaching Javier Florez. Javier is a Mexican man who is around his 50's. His wife is bed ridden and his sister, who we are teaching as well, lives there. He has two children and this Saturday we got to meet with him and teach about the Restoration again. It was a powerful lesson and he has desires to be baptized, but needs to know it is true before he will accept a date. We will continue to work with him as well. One of the members from the ward came over and mowed his lawn because Javier's mower was broken. Service like that softens hearts and creates friendships.
We have been unable to get up with Sergio because he doesn't have a car, and his sister is not super supportive of his decision to be baptized. It is really frustrating sometimes, but I know that the Lord will provide a way for him to receive the gospel. He has desires, so we are going to have the missionaries in the Raleigh Mission, serving in Wallace, meet up with him since they are right next to his area. It will be better for Sergio to be able to meet up with them down there. He can still come up to the Albertson Ward when he finds a ride. We continue to pray for him to stay strong and keep reading and praying!
This week was wonderful, and I got to see how great it is to just get out and stay busy. It's been cloudy and stormy all week down here! I think it's from that hurricane that hit down in the Gulf of Mexico, but really nothing too bad!
I love the mission field. Las semanas vuelan! Se extrano mucho! (The weeks fly! It's very strange!)
Mucho fe, esperenza, y caridad, (Much faith, hope and charity)
Elder Remund
Remember, the Lord Loves You
The Lord's Hand is in His Work
