YOU Are Important to the Work!

Hey there my lovely family!!

Sorry that this email is coming in rather late... P Days are always hard when they want to have activities as a zone, because that is about an hour and half trip for us each way. We also needed to buy food, and so, yeah we got back here kinda later than usual, so sorry, It is late and I`ll be a little shorter than usual.

But I am so excited about all the FANTASTIC NEWS!!! The baby boy, the wedding, grandpa`s baptism, holy smokes I think those three bits of information were on the top of best Christmas gifts, even though they were a little early, haha! I wish the best for all of them, tell Landon and Aubrey congrats on receiving what I imagine to be God`s greatest gift to the family! For Tracy and Jason, best wishes on the wedding, especially in the Temple, I imagine you will remember that day for time and all eternity as you live all that time as the ultimate Tag Team! :) And Grandpa Russell, you have no idea how excited that news made me feel! Here in Sechura I have baptized members of families that have missionaries serving. Yeah, I figured they would be happy, but now I KNOW how great it feels. Now it`s time to Persevere to the Endowment and Temple, and live in keeping your covenants and I promise you, as a representative of Jesus Christ, that not a single day will go by where you will not receive blessings and have the best companionship of the Holy Ghost as a recognizable part of your life.

As for me down here in Peru, there is great stuff going down! Christmas trees are popping up and the LIGHTS are lining the trees! The heat here is starting to really come. It`s making me break a mission rule: I`m swimming daily. In my sweat. haha, but I love it here!

It`s crazy, our focus had been Hermana Mara and Elena and Jeanpier, but now they are members! We still visit them and teach them often, but I was really wondering where our new investigators were going to be. But BOOM! They just pop right up! We have new work to do, all just barely coming out of the woodwork. We have a daughter of a less active, that has been recieving great friendship from another young woman in the branch. Also, the cousin of Diana, our first baptism together, has come to church! We hadn`t even invited him, but if that isn't a sign to teach him, I dont know what is! haha! And also, his girlfriend is related to Elena and Jeanpier, and also next door neighbors. So we have her and her mother we are also starting to teach, who were references from Elena! And another reference from Branch members! So that is 5 investigators, all from the work of MEMBERS!!!! Do you see how important YOU can be to the work?! You are the most important step to getting our foot in the door! Don`t ever forget that the members have a very important role in this work.

Tell Primary 6 from the Stoddard Ward a big Gracias from me for the pictures. The notes were so amazing, I love the support I always feel from everyone back home!

Well, time to head out! I love you all so so much! Always remember your Heavenly Father loves you and always look to the example of your brother Jesus Christ. He lived his life for YOU! So this Christmas season do a little something in return for him. And the best way is a little like Mosiah 2:17 says, by serving others!! Always look outward to help others. I've learned it is so much easier to be selfless when everyone else is too, and it is hard to just keep going when it`s just you. But do it and I PROMISE you will be blessed.

Alright, I love you all!! Take Luck and Care, and I'll talk to you next week!

Atte.

Elder Russell