Monday, January 20, 2014 -

Hola Mi Familia! So before starting the weekly email, I would like to make a request please! Seeing as how next week will be my final email, I would like you all (if you can) to take a little bit of time and tell me about these last 2 years. I want to know how you all have grown personally and in your testimonies. I may have been the one away on the mission but I have always heard that it is the family's mission too and that everyone benefits and so I would like to hear what you all have gotten out of these past two years. (For blog readers too!) I place this at the beginning of my email so that it doesn't get overlooked. :) Elise! I am so sorry to hear that you are sick. It hurt to read of all your afflictions. I am so sorry and feel so bad for you! You will most certainly be in all of my prayers! Have you gotten a blessing yet?! The power of the priesthood and is real and powerful! Well, this week...I don't even remember what happened. Hmmm... well nothing too exciting at least. There is a little news. This coming transfer (the transfer I leave) we will be 5 leaving, but there will be like 30 coming in and so they are having to open a ton of areas. One of those areas will be Satelite C. Yep, our ward will be getting another set of missionaries--most likely sister missionaries-- so there will be 6! So this week we have been busy trying to find a house and figuring out how we will divide the area and all that jazz. Luckily Saturday night we found an apartment that looks really good and we have found out kind of how we will split the area. They will also be opening 2 other areas in our zone. We have had a slow work week this week unfortunately. The new family didn't go to church and have been a little busy this week so we haven't had a real good lesson with them but a few quick visits though. The 21 year old is just Awesome! I have never had another investigator like him in the mish! He is so prepared and so chosen by God to receive the Gospel at this time...it is just crazy! He read the Book of Mormon this week...well not all of it...just the part we left him and he is always super excited for our lessons. He went to church again yesterday and it was his first time with the normal 3 hour block services as opposed to the stake conference that he had last week. He seemed to really like it and he participated in all the classes. He has a date for Feb. 15 and is progressing wonderfully! We have been able to take a member to every single visit and that really makes a difference in teaching and fellowshipping. We found two new brothers this week. One is 23 and the other is 27. They both go to another church, but they are very open and loved talking with us. We sat there and they asked us questions for a good few minutes about how it was being a missionary and how we see the world today and how we battle it and all. It was really neat. They thought very highly of us and thought it was amazing us being young men out doing what we are doing being so far away from home. We shared with them the message of the restoration and they seemed to be impacted and interested. We left them with a copy of the Book of Mormon for them to read and they said that they would read it. Today has been quite a fun day! I am currently sitting here in the internet business of the a family in one of my last areas in Hermosillo. We came here in Hermosillo to do some visits and say goodbye to some converts and people that I wanted to see and here we are writing as well. It has been fun to see people and a little sentimental knowing that this will probs be the last time I will see them for who knows how long...maybe until the millennium.... I have mixed feelings just knowing that I have only 2 weeks left and just one more P-day. It hasn't really sunk in yet and so it just feels normal and we will keep working like normal. It is just sad to think that soon all this will be over with and I won't be able to continue with the magnificent work that I have been doing for the past 2 years. But right now all is well. Well, I hope this wasn't too much of a short and uneventful email. We still have a few visits I want to do before going home so we are off! I love and miss you all so much and we will see ourselves in just a short 15 days... ¡Yo sé que vive mi Señor! Con Mucho Amor, Elder Joyner