Monday, August 12, 2013 - 18 months!!!

Hola Mi Familia! It so feels like I just barely wrote because I practically did....only like 5 days have passed by. I also had an anniversary this week.....a day I thought would NEVER COME, but that I have been looking forward to for quite a while now.....18 MONTHS!!!!!! That is correct! I have completed 18 beautiful months in the mission that I am just loving and wouldn't change for anything in a beautiful place with the most amazing people and culture I have come to love dearly. Just 6 MORE MONTHS folks....trying and earnestly praying that I won't get too trunkie too soon.... Well, I feel like I don't have a whole lot to report on this week because I just wrote a few days ago, but I will fill you all in a little. This was a week a traveling for me. Hermosillo Monday and Tuesday, and then on Friday I had to go to Cananea (a small town an hour away from AP) with the Elders there to do a baptismal interview for one of their investigators. I actually like Cananea a lot. It reminds me a ton of Nacozari because it is a mining town found in the mountains and it is quite a beautiful little enchanted town. So I have basically only had 3 and a half days this week to work in my own area. My poor little comp has been a good sport being with other Elders while I travel too much. Bless his heart! Thursday we had a neat little lesson with the two cousins whose mothers are members and we want to baptize them. When we first started teaching them about a month ago, they were hesitant about baptism but said they wanted to learn more. We have been teaching them for a while and they have been coming to church often and we felt that we could put a baptismal date for this weekend before changes. We had a neat little lesson with a few activities to explain concepts. I even used the rat trap you sent me mom! Thanks! So I don't know if you remember me telling you about another lady and her family. They are relatives of some less actives and we have been teaching them. This sweet lady is so open and we only have about 2 weeks teaching her, but she has loved everything so far. She loves the Book of Mormon and wants to learn more and more. This week we had planned to teach her "The Gospel" about faith, repentance, baptism, etc., but when we began talking in this lesson and seeing what she thought about what she read, I felt inspired to change the lesson and teach "The Plan of Salvation" (my favorite lesson). We began and everything was good, she seemed interested and liked what we taught. The big moment, however, came when we taught The Atonement of Jesus Christ. We began asking a question to see her knowledge of Christ and everything and she began talking about this life and then went and talked about The Atonement. She basically taught us! She was telling us how he suffered and died for us and she began to cry while explaining. A super sweet spirit entered the room and I could really see how much of an impact Christ has made in her life. We began where she left off and added a few things to what she already said. I love a technique that they teach us as missionaries--it is asking inspired questions! We asked her a question about how she felt Christ has helped her and what the Atonement meant in her life and she really opened up and the spirit was so strong in this lesson. We continued with the lesson and ended with the celestial kingdom and how we all want to arrive there. She loved the lesson and we did too! She commented how every time we are there she loses track of time and the hour goes by so fast and she just feels so peaceful and tranquil while we are there. This lesson was definitely the highlight of my week. I totally feel like she will be baptized soon. I am so grateful for the power of the spirit in our lessons. Yesterday, Sunday, was probably one of the worst days of my mission for a lot of reasons. I won't go into detail, but a few things just started falling apart and a bunch of trash! End result—the cousins couldn't make it to church and so their baptismal date fell through for this weekend. We are desperately trying to look for more options and to do our all to have a baptism this week. I know God can and will work miracles if we just ask and plead and then do our best to make it happen and so that is the plan for this week--plead for a baptism miracle and do our best to make it come through. Sunday was a treat! I had an American Meal made by an American. There is a brother here from Utah whose wife is Mexican and he is working in Douglas and they are living here so that they can get his wife's papers worked out and they put us down for dinner yesterday. We had mashed potatoes and gravy and grilled chicken and other good stuff and a pudding dessert! I was in heaven! It was nice to get a little piece of home! Well, that is about all I got for this week! Last week till transfers and who knows what will happen. I am pretty sure we are splitting up, but I am unsure if I will go or my comp...we will just have to see! Thanks for the packages and the meds and I will to looking out for them. I love and miss you all tons.....6 MONTHS LEFT!!!!!!!! ¡Yo sé que vive mi Señor! Con Mucho Amor, Elder Joyner