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Pathways in Poznań
Hejka! Our first week in Poznań has been a blast!!! We’ve been super busy teaching several awesome friends (I promise I’ll write more about them next week!) 🙂 Cool experience this week: Since all three of us Sisters are new to the city, we’re still finding our way around. On the way to visit a…
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TRANSFERS and a TRIO!!! 🙂
Hey friends and family! 🙂 I have just a quick couple of minutes to email! I got transferred to Poznań, and I’m going to be a Senior Training Leader again serving in a TRIO with Siostra Aramaki and Siostra Gornichec 🙂 After a 7 1/2 hours of trains today I arrived in Poznań safe…
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WE are HIS Purpose!
Hej cześć everyone! It’s been an awesome action packed 2 weeks! 🙂 A couple highlights: -We were back in Warsaw this last weekend for our District Conference, when all the members in the cities around Warsaw gather together for one big meeting. It was so awesome to see everyone 🙂 – There was a baptism…
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Twinkie Twinkie, Exchanges, and PĄCZKI
Hej Cześć friends and family! So, as many of you have probably heard by now, missionaries can skype their families every week now. I promise I’ll try to to keep emailing every week though, but if these emails get any shorter you know why! 🙂 This week at the Dom Pomocy, we taught everyone how…
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Balloons, Motorcycles, & Good Health
Hej Cześć!!!! Well, it’s been an awesome week! Sister Jenkins feeling happy and healthy again, the sun came out this week, and overall it’s been a great week to be in Lublin! This is going to be a shorter email because I don’t have a lot of time, but I just wanted to share some…
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Warsaw trips & Becoming a Polish Master!
Cześć! Jak tam?! So the beginning of this week, we had a leadership training meeting in Warsaw, so we got to take a 4 hour train, sleep over in Warsaw, and go to the meeting the next day… BUT once we were in Warsaw, Siostra Jenkins was feeling too sick to go, so the morning…
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An Art Gallery & 30,000 Ulotki
This week was another good one! We have a great friend named Janusz who works at a dom pomocy where elderly people and disabled adults live. He’s an artist, and every week he hosts an art activity for the people who live at the dom pomocy, and on Friday, we got to help! We went…
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Faith is the ANTIDOTE to Fear
On Monday we went to Auschwitz! It was such a hard and sad experience but I’m so glad I got to go! I’m going to be writing more on the trip later, hopefully next week! Transfer calls came the next Saturday, and I was definitely expecting to stay in Katowice for another 9 weeks with…
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Onward to Lublin
Email 1 I might not have much time to email today (I have 10 minutes now) but I’m getting transferred to LUBLIN!!! EAST POLAND!!! I am so sad but excited. I truly love Katowice and my companion Siostra Harmon but I am excited for Lublin! Lublin has been closed to the sisters for a few…
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Initial Auschwitz Reflections
This morning we went to Auschwitz and it was an amazing but hard experience. I stood on the ground where over a million people were murdered not too long ago. It was unforgettable. I’m going to work on writing my thoughts down but it will take more time than I have now and I want…
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Pathways in Poznań
Hejka! Our first week in Poznań has been a blast!!! We’ve been super busy teaching several awesome friends (I promise I’ll write more about them next week!) 🙂 Cool experience this week: Since all three of us Sisters are new to the city, we’re still finding our way around. On the way to visit a…
Hejka! Our first week in Poznań has been a blast!!! We’ve been super busy teaching several awesome friends (I promise I’ll write more about them next week!) 🙂Cool experience this week:
Since all three of us Sisters are new to the city, we’re still finding our way around. On the way to visit a member—Bożena, we knocked on the wrong door and met a man named Joseph who asked if we could provide him address information so he could come to Church! It all worked out a little bit too perfectly to be a coincidence!

I want to share a favorite poem of mine that I was reminded of this week:
Good timber does not grow with ease:
The stronger wind, the stronger trees;
The further sky, the greater length;
The more the storm, the more the strength.
By sun and cold, by rain and snow,
In trees and men good timbers grow.
Life isn’t easy – but our Father in Heaven gives us trial and challenges so that we can learn and grow – and the hard things we do make us stronger!
General Conference is this coming weekend! Twice a year we have the awesome opportunity to listen to a living Prophet and 12 apostles and it is worth it listening to them!!! Last conference, I made a list of personal questions that I was hoping to find answers to; and EVERY single one was answered as I watched conference! I know that when we bring our questions to Conference we WILL hear the answers we need – whether by direct words from the speakers or inspirations from the Spirit!
You can watch General conference live at https://www.lds.org on Saturday and Sunday, March 6th & 7th, or go online anytime and watch afterwards 🙂
I love you all! I hope you have a wonderful week!!!
xoxo,
Siostra Baldwin
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TRANSFERS and a TRIO!!! 🙂
Hey friends and family! 🙂 I have just a quick couple of minutes to email! I got transferred to Poznań, and I’m going to be a Senior Training Leader again serving in a TRIO with Siostra Aramaki and Siostra Gornichec 🙂 After a 7 1/2 hours of trains today I arrived in Poznań safe…
Hey friends and family! 🙂I have just a quick couple of minutes to email! I got transferred to Poznań, and I’m going to be a Senior Training Leader again serving in a TRIO with Siostra Aramaki and Siostra Gornichec 🙂 After a 7 1/2 hours of trains today I arrived in Poznań safe and sound and I’m so excited to be here!!!

A quote I heard this week and absolutely loved-“I believe in Christ like I believe in the sun- not because I can see it, but by it I can see everything else.” – C. S. Lewis

Like we read so many times in the scriptures, Christ is the Light of the World! Because of Him, we can have hope. Because of Him, we can have JOY! He lived and He died for us, and because of Him we can live again. I am so incredibly grateful for the Atonement of Jesus Christ because it impacts me every single day and brings me such peace. I am so grateful to be a missionary here and I am grateful for the opportunity to share this beautiful message!
I love you all! I hope you have a wonderful week!!!
Siostra Baldwin
pics:
-Views from Kazimierz!
-The Lublin District 🙂
-Marlena! She is AMAZING!
-The Vistula River
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WE are HIS Purpose!
Hej cześć everyone! It’s been an awesome action packed 2 weeks! 🙂 A couple highlights: -We were back in Warsaw this last weekend for our District Conference, when all the members in the cities around Warsaw gather together for one big meeting. It was so awesome to see everyone 🙂 – There was a baptism…

Hej cześć everyone! It’s been an awesome action packed 2 weeks! 🙂
A couple highlights:-We were back in Warsaw this last weekend for our District Conference, when all the members in the cities around Warsaw gather together for one big meeting. It was so awesome to see everyone 🙂

– There was a baptism after conference! It was an absolutely beautiful experience. It is such an amazing blessing to be able to be baptized under the same power and authority in which Christ was baptized!!
– Dzień Kobiet! In Poland they celebrate International Women’s Day on March 8th and while we were at the dom pomocy that morning, a bunch of cute elementary aged kids came and gave us all cards 🙂 It was adorable!
-CULTURE NIGHT!!!
For culture night we went to the Lublin Castle and toured the museum inside, including the beautiful chapel!

Yesterday I gave a talk in church on one of my favorite subjects: God’s love for us! One of my favorite quotes by Elder Uchdorf is:
“And while we may look at the vast expanse of the universe and say, “What is man in comparison to the glory of creation?” God Himself said we are the reason He created the universe! His work and glory—the purpose for this magnificent universe—is to save and exalt mankind. In other words, the vast expanse of eternity, the glories and mysteries of infinite space and time are all built for the benefit of ordinary mortals like you and me. Our Heavenly Father created the universe that we might reach our potential as His sons and daughters.


This is a paradox of man: compared to God, man is nothing; yet we are everything to God. While against the backdrop of infinite creation we may appear to be nothing, we have a spark of eternal fire burning within our breast. We have the incomprehensible promise of exaltation—worlds without end—within our grasp. And it is God’s great desire to help us reach it.”

The same Heavenly Father who created the universe created us- and He loves us SO MUCH, knows us so individually, and wants the very best for us. His work and his glory is for us to have eternal life with him! I can’t even express how incredibly grateful I am for that. I am so grateful for this gospel and for the incredible opportunity to be in Poland sharing a message I love!
I love you all! I hope you have a wonderful week!!!
xoxo,
Siostra Baldwin
pics:
– reunited with Siostra Jones!! love her!!!
– the siostry @ mlc!!
– The Lublin members and all the missionaries who have served in Lublin at District Conference 🙂
– The Lublin chapel!


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Twinkie Twinkie, Exchanges, and PĄCZKI
Hej Cześć friends and family! So, as many of you have probably heard by now, missionaries can skype their families every week now. I promise I’ll try to to keep emailing every week though, but if these emails get any shorter you know why! 🙂 This week at the Dom Pomocy, we taught everyone how…
Hej Cześć friends and family!So, as many of you have probably heard by now, missionaries can skype their families every week now. I promise I’ll try to to keep emailing every week though, but if these emails get any shorter you know why! 🙂
This week at the Dom Pomocy, we taught everyone how to sing “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star”. It was so much fun! I came up with a quick arrangement on the piano, we taught everyone the words, and then we all sang together. Everyone is learning English so they pronounced it “twinkie twinkie” and it was the funniest thing! Everyone absolutely loved it and we can’t wait to go back next week! They asked us to teach them some more songs so they can have a concert soon!
Another big day this week: This past Thursday was tłusty czwartek, aka Fat Thursday, the day before Lent. Everyone eats a ton of Polish donuts called Pączki and a lot of people choose pączki as their thing to give up. I think missionaries celebrate harder than the Polish people! We had a North zone vs Warsaw zone vs South zone competition to see who could eat the most donuts… and the Warsaw Zone came in dead last hahahah! I couldn’t eat more than 2 at a time, but there was one Elder in the North Zone who ate 33 donuts! CRAZY!

And this week we had exchanges!!! Basically since Siostra Jenkins and I are the STLs, or “Sister Training Leaders” for the Warsaw zone, we got to host the Łódż sisters in Lublin and spend a day learning new ways to do missionary work from each other! It was AWESOME! I learned so much from them.

Something I’ve been thinking about this week:
Sometimes, actually a lot of the time, missionary work is hard! Not everyone wants to listen to our message, and sometimes it’s kind of crazy to think that the Lord would want me, a 19-year old from Texas to share this Gospel with the people in Poland. This week, I reread one of my favorite passages in Jeremiah 1:5-8:
“Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations. Then said I, Ah, Lord God! behold, I cannot speak: for I am a child. But the Lord said unto me, Say not, I am a child: for thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee, and whatsoever I command thee thou shalt speak. Be not afraid of their faces: for I am with thee to deliver thee, saith the Lord.”
Yes, I’m inexperienced. And yes, I am young! But recently I’ve been recognizing more and more that the Lord is there with me every single step of the way. From learning Polish, to knowing how to answer the hard questions, He helps me overcome my inexperience and my doubts. We never have to be afraid because HE is with us! I testify of this!
I love you all!! Kocham was!
Siostra Baldwin💙
The top picture is Zamek Lubelski (The Lublin Castle!)
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Balloons, Motorcycles, & Good Health
Hej Cześć!!!! Well, it’s been an awesome week! Sister Jenkins feeling happy and healthy again, the sun came out this week, and overall it’s been a great week to be in Lublin! This is going to be a shorter email because I don’t have a lot of time, but I just wanted to share some…

Hej Cześć!!!!
Well, it’s been an awesome week! Sister Jenkins feeling happy and healthy again, the sun came out this week, and overall it’s been a great week to be in Lublin! This is going to be a shorter email because I don’t have a lot of time, but I just wanted to share some of the people and experiences I’m so grateful for this week!
The other night we were out inviting people to the English class we teach! We met the sweetest girl, Inna. She absolutely LOVED that we teach English and she had talked with missionaries before back in Ukraine! She happened to be holding a balloon animal and she GAVE IT TO US when she said goodbye(but not before promising to come to our English class! 🙂 It was so funny and we had to get a picture!

And this week Marlena, a member in the Lublin branch had us over for dinner! She is absolutely one of the coolest people I’ve ever met! She made us delicious food and then showed us pictures of her recent trip to Israel. And then after dinner, she showed us her motorcycle!!! SO COOL!

Siostra Baldwin
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Warsaw trips & Becoming a Polish Master!
Cześć! Jak tam?! So the beginning of this week, we had a leadership training meeting in Warsaw, so we got to take a 4 hour train, sleep over in Warsaw, and go to the meeting the next day… BUT once we were in Warsaw, Siostra Jenkins was feeling too sick to go, so the morning…
Cześć! Jak tam?!So the beginning of this week, we had a leadership training meeting in Warsaw, so we got to take a 4 hour train, sleep over in Warsaw, and go to the meeting the next day… BUT once we were in Warsaw, Siostra Jenkins was feeling too sick to go, so the morning of the meeting we ended up having a temporary exchange and I got to go with Siostra Johnson and it was so fun!!

Once we got back to Lublin, Siostra Jenkins was still feeling way sick so we went to the doctor and she found out she has bronchitis and we had to stay in the apartment until she wasn’t contagious anymore… long story short, we’ve been in our apartment for 4 days straight! While she’s been resting, I’ve stayed busy with a lot of scripture study, practicing hymns on the ukulele, reading Jesus the Christ (I love that book!), and SO MANY hours of language study… but hey, I’m a few steps closer to being a Polish master! 😉 The last couple days have been a kind of weird change of pace, and it makes me appreciate getting to go out and talk to people about the gospel that much more! One more exciting thing this week: as of tomorrow, I’m finished being trained!
Yesterday I was practicing “Come thou Fount of Every Blessing.” The lyrics of the first verse read,
Come, Thou Fount of every blessing
Tune my heart to sing Thy grace
Streams of mercy, never ceasing
Call for songs of loudest praise
Teach me some melodious sonnet
Sung by flaming tongues above
Praise the mount, I’m fixed upon it
Mount of Thy redeeming loveI especially love the last couple of lines! They remind me a lot of one of my favorite scriptures in Helaman:
“12 And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall.” (Helaman 5:12)
When we make Christ our mount, our rock, and our foundation, we can find comfort and strength to overcome our challenges. He loves and cares so deeply about each one of us, and He WILL help us succeed!
I am so grateful for this gospel. I hope you have a wonderful week! Kocham was!
Siostra Baldwinpics:
- The warsaw city skyline
- Surprise exchange!
- Reunited with Siostra Aramaki in Warsaw 🙂
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An Art Gallery & 30,000 Ulotki
This week was another good one! We have a great friend named Janusz who works at a dom pomocy where elderly people and disabled adults live. He’s an artist, and every week he hosts an art activity for the people who live at the dom pomocy, and on Friday, we got to help! We went…

This week was another good one!
We have a great friend named Janusz who works at a dom pomocy where elderly people and disabled adults live. He’s an artist, and every week he hosts an art activity for the people who live at the dom pomocy, and on Friday, we got to help! We went to an art gallery here and we spent the morning helping with the art project of the day! I made a new friend, Anna, and together we made several pieces of art. It was an awesome experience!

During a finding activity this week we were talking to people on the street about the Book of Mormon 21 day challenge. Basically it’s an awesome challenge to come closer to Christ by reading the Book of Mormon and finding answers to questions like, “How can I find joy?” and ,” How does God communicate with us today?”. I met the sweetest lady, Ania. She read through the questions of the challenge and agreed with everything she read, so she asked me to tell her more about the Book of Mormon. I explained what it was, and then I opened the Book of Mormon up to 3rd Nephi 11, where Christ visits the Americas! She thought that passage was beautiful! I testified to her that it is the word of God and that I have been able to find so many answers to personal questions by reading it. She ended up accepting a Book of Mormon and the challenge!
Funniest thing this week: We’ve started a service night here in Lublin, and to advertise it we came up with an ulotki(flyer) design and decided to have 3000 printed as a trial run. When the Elders went to pick up the ulotki at the print shop, they realized that they hadn’t printed 3000 ulotki… they had printed 30,000!! We have a lot more than we anticipated, but I guess our service night is going to be that much more successful haha!

I am so grateful to be a missionary!! The Lord loves us so much!! This gospel brings me so much JOY! It is so true!
I hope you have a wonderful week! I love you all!! Kocham was!
Siostra Baldwin
elizabethinpoland.wordpress.com
To find out more about the Book of Mormon Challenge: https://www.lds.org.uk/the-book-of-mormon
pics:
1. The Lublin Dystrykt (with our portraits by Sister Jenkins!)
2. Anna and I at the Art Gallery
3. Game night with Sylwia 🙂
4. 30,000 ulotki!
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Faith is the ANTIDOTE to Fear
On Monday we went to Auschwitz! It was such a hard and sad experience but I’m so glad I got to go! I’m going to be writing more on the trip later, hopefully next week! Transfer calls came the next Saturday, and I was definitely expecting to stay in Katowice for another 9 weeks with…

On Monday we went to Auschwitz! It was such a hard and sad experience but I’m so glad I got to go! I’m going to be writing more on the trip later, hopefully next week!
Transfer calls came the next Saturday, and I was definitely expecting to stay in Katowice for another 9 weeks with Sister Harmon (usually trainees finish their training with their first trainer), but I found out I was moving to LUBLIN, and Sister Harmon is training again in Katowice! The whole weekend was pretty sad – I said goodbye to Ola, Sandra, Agnieszka, Patryk, Łukasz, and several of our other friends who made Katowice so wonderful for me. Bardzo smutno mi!!!
On Monday morning Sister Harmon and I took a bus to Kraków and from there took a train to Warsaw, where I met up with Sister Jenkins, my new companion. Sister Jenkins has been serving in Warsaw the last several transfers! We took a 4 1/2 hour train to Lublin and the Lublin Elders picked us up at the train station and helped us move all our luggage to the new apartment. Our new apartment is absolutely beautiful!

On Sunday we got to meet the members of the Lublin branch and they are AMAZING!! Siostra Jenkins and I bore our testimonies and introduced ourselves in sacrament meeting, and I was the pianist for the meeting. We also taught Relief Society and it was a BLAST! The sisters in the Lublin branch are fantastic!
The funniest experience this week:We were out on the street inviting people to our free English class when we met the coolest guy from India named Sing! He’s here in Poland for work and he lives in a village outside of Lublin. He loved hearing what we do and he was so interested in our English class! It was so funny because halfway through the conversation, his boss facetimed him, and all of a sudden Sister Jenkins and I were talking to his boss too through facetime! We introduced ourselves as missionaries and he said that he had actually met missionaries before when he lived in England!! After the facetime, Sing was so excited that he had met us and invited us back to his village for dinner! We couldn’t go, but the Elders got his number and hopefully he’ll be in English this week!

One big thing I learned this week:
Change is never easy! But through it all, we need to have FAITH!! I love how our friend, Bogdana, put it this week in Relief Society. We were discussing Elder Rasband’s last General conference talk, Be not Troubled and she said, “Faith is the ANTIDOTE to fear!” And that’s so literally true! We don’t always know what’s up ahead or even what will happen the next day, but we can find comfort and strength when we turn to the Lord!
Be not Troubled (Read it!!!) https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2018/10/be-not-troubled?lang=eng
I love you all!! Kocham was!
Siostra Baldwin
Letters/packages:
Kościół Jezusa Chrystusa świętych w Dniach Ostatnich
ul. Wiernicza 135
02-952 Warszawa Polandpics:
1. English contacting in Lublin!
2. Goodbyes (feat. our matching scarves!)
3 & 4 The CASTLE we visited this week!
5. SISTER JENKINS & NATALIA! ❤
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Onward to Lublin
Email 1 I might not have much time to email today (I have 10 minutes now) but I’m getting transferred to LUBLIN!!! EAST POLAND!!! I am so sad but excited. I truly love Katowice and my companion Siostra Harmon but I am excited for Lublin! Lublin has been closed to the sisters for a few…

Email 1I might not have much time to email today (I have 10 minutes now) but I’m getting transferred to LUBLIN!!! EAST POLAND!!! I am so sad but excited. I truly love Katowice and my companion Siostra Harmon but I am excited for Lublin!

Lublin has been closed to the sisters for a few months so Sister Jenkins (my new companion) and I will be reopening the city to sisters and joining a pair of Elders (one of which, Elder Long, I knew at BYU!) We are going to be the Sister Training Leaders (STLs for the Warsaw Zone, which means I get to go to all the leadership zone meetings!) I might have more time to email later, but if I don’t, know that I love you so much, I am praying for you, and I KNOW this gospel is true!!
Email 2: Sister Jenkins and I arrived in Lublin safely (after 6 and a half HOURS of trains!) and the elders picked us up from the train station, gave us our phone for Lublin, and helped us take our luggage to our apartment. Our apartment is brand new and so nice!



We are having a huge influx of missionaries in the mission currently and so right now every single sister is training or being trained. I will be a trainee for 3 more weeks, and the I’ll be a “normal” missionary! Sister Jenkins is amazing! We like all the same books and the same music. She has been serving in Warsaw for the last 6 months, and I’m so excited to see what I will learn from her.
all my love,
Siostra Baldwin 💙
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Initial Auschwitz Reflections
This morning we went to Auschwitz and it was an amazing but hard experience. I stood on the ground where over a million people were murdered not too long ago. It was unforgettable. I’m going to work on writing my thoughts down but it will take more time than I have now and I want…

This morning we went to Auschwitz and it was an amazing but hard experience. I stood on the ground where over a million people were murdered not too long ago. It was unforgettable. I’m going to work on writing my thoughts down but it will take more time than I have now and I want to give it the reverence it deserves. Siostra Harmon and I both went on the guided tour.
Transfers are next Monday so I’ll find out if I’m getting a new companion or moving to a new city then! I hope I stay in Katowice with Sister Harmon for one more transfer but we’ll see!!!!
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Hola a todos!
This week went very well. Happy Mother’s Day Week!
My Mother is the light of my life. I am where I am because of her love and encouragement! She has taught me what it means to put God first in my life. I love you Mami!!!
Words of Wisdom about Motherhood:
“Motherhood is not a hobby, it is a calling…it is not something to do if you can squeeze the time in. It is what God gave you time for.” Elder Neil L. Anderson
“Few of us will reach our potential without the nurturing of both the mother who bore us and the mothers who bear with us.” Sheri Dew
“What Mothers do is an essential element of Christ’s work.” Elder Jeffrey R. Holland
“There is no role in life more essential and more eternal than that of Motherhood.” Elder M. Russell Ballard
“There is no limit to what a woman with a Mother’s heart can accomplish.” Julie B. Beck
I don’t know where I would be without the knowledge that families are forever. This goal begins with the Mother who brings children into this world and teaches them right from wrong, to always put God first, and to serve those in need. Mothers are the most important part of a family. They are the ones who nurture and help the family grow into becoming the family Heavenly Father wants them to be.
We are preparing this week for a baptism. This will be the first baptism I will attend in person on my mission! Zoom is not the same! 😊 What an experience it will be to see the joy of this young friend to experience what it’s like to have the Holy Ghost with him always. In 3rd Nephi 11:33 it says “And whoso believeth in me, and is baptized, the same shall be saved; and they are they who shall inherit the kingdom of God.” This scripture is so true! If we want to return to our Heavenly Father, then we must take the first step which is to get baptized.
I encourage and invite each of you to reach out to the missionaries where you live and take lessons from them because what we teach is something so cool and so powerful that it will change your life forever!
I like the quote by Marcus Aurelius: “What we do now echoes in eternity.” Now is the time, my friends, to share the gospel of Jesus Christ and the joy it brings into our lives. Share the good news that Jesus is the Christ!

Thanks for everything that has been done for me while I have been out here serving! I love all of you and hope this week is a blast! STAY SAFE OUT THERE MY FRIENDS AND FAMILY! Buena Suerte tambien! ❤
May the good Lord bless you all! ✌🙏✨❤ Until next week!
Elder Baldwin
Mothers are Important
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HOLA A TODOS! What a week it has been! Am I right? A lot of changes happened this week in this part of the vineyard.
Change #1: To begin with, this week I hit my 7th month in the mission field! Isn’t that Crazy? I have been out for 7 months already and I have been able to see and experience much. I have sweet memories of people, places, and situations that remind me of what I am about and who I am becoming.

Change #2: On transfer day, Tuesday April 26th, I saw my companion, Elder Walton leave for his new assigned area. We spent 3 months together seeking out people to teach, visiting those who called upon us to receive a blessing, praying with those whom we visit regularly and who feed us, and discovering new places during our P-Day (preparation day). I enjoyed his leadership as a District Leader, and his friendship. As I saw him leaving I became a bit sad. 😥 I didn’t know that these two transfers would teach me so much about love and how to care for someone else. Thank you “Compa”!

Change #3: I was also excited to receive a new companion. His name is Elder McBride and he has been out in the mission field for 20 months. I am impressed with the language skills he has gained while serving out here. A mission can do a lot for one person. It’s Crazy!!! I am grateful for the chance to have a companion who has been out here 14 months longer than I have. He comes with a lot of experience and because of it I have already learned so much from him!
Change #4: With this new transfer I may get to drive now because I know the area. I will enjoy this very much.
Change #5: One thing I have learned while out here is to become a hard worker. My perception of hard work has definitely changed! Hard workers earn joy and happiness and that is what I have today because of the choice I made to serve a Mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I like to call it the BEST TWO YEARS because it is true, these are the best two years of my life! My life continues to change everyday as I serve. I am grateful to my sister Elizabeth, who served her mission in Poland, for her example of hard work. She just recently achieved a high ranking status at BYU Provo Utah, where she was picked to be on the BYU EMT (Emergency Medical Team). Isn’t that so cool? At least I think it is. She works very hard and is achieving her dreams. She continues to save lives—as a lifeguard in her youth, and now as an EMT. She is one of my heroes! Just like my older sister, I am also saving lives here in the mission, spiritually speaking.
It’s so much easier to make the right choices when you are doing good for other people, so I invite you to do good for other people and find joy and happiness. Change your lives for good, change your heart, change your perspective, and turn to the Lord. “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” (2 Corinthians 5:17)
I love you all and please please please send me emails, letters, stickers you name it! 💗 love you all and hope this week is a blast!
STAY SAFE OUT THERE FRIENDS AND FAMILY!✌
“The Only Constant in Life is Change”
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Hello y’all! From the dusty, desert streets of Scottsdale, Arizona!
This past week was our last week before missionary transfers—#5!
To finish off this past transfer, I gave my first talk in Spanish in the Camelback Spanish Branch. I was quite stressed about it because it required much more preparation than talks I had given before. I was surprised that my speaking assignment was a minimum of 10 minutes. I took 12. I practiced it in Spanish, and it seems to me that the talk went very well. A few members came up to me afterwards and thanked me for my efforts and the message. All the members here are super kind and sweet to us. I have felt at home ever since I started serving here. My assigned topic was: “Member/Missionary Team Work,” which is the best work there is! I spoke about how members can assist missionaries in the work of the Lord.

Some of the ideas I shared include:
- We need everyone to help!
- We can’t do this on our own.
- Members are a key element in the processes of conversion and retention.
- Members and Missionaries make a powerful team.
- Members/Missionaries (together) can reach out, give service, invite and share.
- The Spirit speaks to us in many instances.
- Feeling overwhelmed is natural but remember what Elder Uchtdorf said: “The Lord has never required expert, flawless missionary efforts. Instead, “The Lord requireth the heart and a willing mind.” I also quoted President Thomas S. Monson: “Now is the time for members and missionaries to come together to labor in the Lord’s vineyard to bring souls unto Him”
I know that if we work together, the Lord can work with us to bring many more souls unto Jesus Christ. I encourage each one of you to reach out to the missionaries in your area and go on visits together. I know we can make this happen. I have a strong Testimony of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I know it can change lives. I know that President Nelson is a true prophet of God. I know The Book of Mormon is true and testifies about how we can find peace and happiness through the Atonement of Jesus Christ. As a missionary, I want to better myself and become even a greater disciple of Jesus Christ.

We have also continued teaching and our young friend says he is ready for the next big step! HE IS READY TO BE BAPTIZED; MAY 7TH IS HIS SET DATE!!! We have also continued talking to Jr’s mother. And she wants him to get baptized on the same day as his friend. Isn’t that just so exciting!! This week we will be working on preparing for those baptisms.
I am so grateful for the time I have spent on the mission so far. I have learned many different things. This week my mom taught me to make Green Mexican Salsa! Also, my companions have been great teachers to me. For example, my last companion helped me expand my understanding on how to communicate with members more effectively.



It has now become my turn to lead this area! It’s kind of nerve racking! All the work we have put in has to continue on to reach out to those who are interested in learning about Jesus Christ. I am grateful again for the service and love you all have provided for me. You are all in my prayers 🙏❤. Thanks for being Awesome! and have a good Week!

Love you all and Buene Suerte!
(Good luck)
Elder Baldwin
Tasty Green Salsa & My 12-Minute Spanish Talk 🌶
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This past week was a long week. We have continued teaching those who are seeking to learn more about the Gospel. Our young friends are always excited for our next visit. That’s how we should feel about Jesus Christ when He comes again.
This world is in turmoil right now and it needs all the love and support it can get. Easter Sunday brings that love. We had a wonderful Easter here in the Camelback Spanish Branch. Everyone who attended was so happy to get back together and celebrate. The joy I feel when I am around the members of the Branch is immeasurable. Some of the children ran up to my companion and me and were like ” Oh!! The Elders Are Here!” That made me feel very welcomed. I can truly see that I have made a big difference in the lives of these members of the branch, and they have made a difference in mine. I honestly feel at home.

I have continued to learn a lot while I have been out here. Patience has been on my list all this week. Daily situations demand patience. Not easy, but necessary. Some experiences cannot be readily shared but I am grateful that we have President Smith to help us navigate our mission.
As we celebrate THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS CHRIST, let us remember that it is because of Him that we can find peace and joy in this life. I really like the scripture (John 11:25.) “I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live” This scripture promises that death is not the end. It encourages me to become a better person and teach those who would like to be taught the same principle I am learning.

Thanks to all of you for the love, care and support! I would not be out here with out the encouragement I received and will continue to receive! I LOVE AND CARE FOR YOU ALL! ❤💙💜
BUENE SUERTE!
ELDER BALDWIN
EASTER THE GREATEST GIFT OF ALL!
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Family and friends!

What a week it has been! Learning and growing to become a better person is well worth it! We recently had one of the Twelve apostles, Elder Neil L. Andersen, speak to us in person here in the Arizona Scottsdale Mission. It was a mission-wide gathering. All the missionaries from the Mountains and the missionaries in the Valley got together to hear one of God’s chosen apostles.

What he taught was very meaningful to me. He thought that staying in an area for awhile is good sometimes up to 6-8 months because it will help us get to know the members very well. When you get to know the members well, you develop relationships of trust, and you can serve better because you learn about their real needs. He also taught us that learning the names of all the young men and women we serve is important because we are helping mentor them, and hopefully—through our example– encourage them in the right direction and even to serve a mission.
Recently I heard that we are going to receive the visit of another apostle of the Lord. We do not know who it is though. I hope is President Nelson! Wouldn’t that be a cool story to share? Indeed! I think it would. If he comes this will be my second time to be in close proximity to the Prophet of God!!! So exiting!

My cousin – Jared and I walking into the Conference at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas The first time I saw the Prophet—President Nelson– was back in November 2018. He came and spoke at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas. Sister Wendy Nelson, his wife, Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and his wife, and Elder Adrian Ochoa, a General authority Seventy and his wife were also present. We traveled from Dallas to San Antonio and attended this meeting with family and cousins. The youth were allowed to sit very close to the podium and my cousin Jared and I were seated on the third row. When the meeting finished, President Nelson walked next to where we were sitting and literally, he was like two feet away from me! I remember him shaking the hand of a child who was seated in front of us, and I wanted to shake his hand too. What an eventful experience that was for me! I was so excited to see him so close to us!

When I was in the Primary, I used to sing the song “Follow the Prophet”.
“Follow the prophet, follow the prophet, follow the prophet; don’t go astray.
Follow the prophet, follow the prophet, follow the prophet; he knows the way.
My testimony is that by following the Prophet, we too can win spiritual, physical, and mental victories against the adversary. I know the Lord calls prophets, and when we listen to their words and act upon what they ask us to do, we are blessed.
Elder Walton and I have continued teaching Bro. Gonzalez. Learning the principles of the Gospel is important. Before anyone can be baptized, we always make sure they understand the first principles and ordinances of the gospel which are: Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, Repentance, Baptism by immersion for the remission of sins, and Laying on of hands for the Gift of the Holy Ghost. We plan to review them again this week with him. His baptism is planned for April 16 the day before Easter. I think that is a perfect time to be baptized, so family can invite friends and relatives to witness this ordinance and partake of the Spirit of the Lord.
Thanks for all the love and support you all have shown me. If you would like to write any personal emails to me my email, send them to: Joshua.baldwin@missionary.org For letters send them to:
Elder Joshua S. Baldwin
Arizona Scottsdale Mission
6265 N. 82nd Street
Scottsdale, AZ 85250
THANKS SO MUCH Y’ALL AND HAVE A BLESSED WEEK! 🙌🙏💕


An Apostle Visits our Mission
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This week was quite interesting. We had General Conference, we met a lady in the laundromat, and we found our apartment door wide open.
General Conference: This past weekend we enjoyed listening to the General authorities of the church. It was awesome. For me, the general theme was: “Continue to preach the Gospel.” I really liked President Nelson’s talks: “Preaching the Gospel of Peace, The Power of Spiritual Momentum, and Now is the Time. In his Sunday morning talk, President Nelson focused on encouraging the youth to serve missions because the mission field is a learning ground.
The talk from Elder Dallin Oaks was also very interesting as he spoke about the family and the stance of the church on marriage: “we affirm that the family proclamation, founded on irrevocable doctrine, defines the kind of family relationships where the most important part of our eternal development can occur.” I find great comfort in knowing that this doctrine will never change.
These talks taught me a lot. What did you learn from General Conference?
Lady at the laundromat: We began talking to her and she asked us about our teaching. We shared with her the Book of Mormon and she rejected it immediately. I find that many people will flatly say: “The Book of Mormon is all a lie” without haven’t ever read it. I wish people would take the challenge to read it, as I have done it and ask God if it’s true. The Book of Mormon is another testament of Jesus Christ. Moroni, a prophet from The Book of Mormon invited all to read, ponder and pray.
“Behold, I would exhort you that when ye shall read these things, if it be wisdom in God that ye should read them, that ye would remember how merciful the Lord hath been unto the children of men, from the creation of Adam even down until the time that ye shall receive these things, and ponder it in your hearts. And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost. And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things.” (The Book of Mormon, Moroni 10:3-5)
The invitation is for all of us. You too can find out as you read, ponder and pray if the book is true.

Finding our apartment door wide open: Upon returning from one of our regular days, we found the door of our apartment wide open. My first thought was to check if anything was missing. Luckily everything was there. I was concerned mainly about our bikes because they were just right there leaning against the wall. I was also worried because one of the Sister’s bikes was stolen recently. I feel the Lord protected our place, and I am grateful for that.
The mission has taught me to work with others and it has shown me that not everyone you meet will want to talk to you. A mission is a tough time, but in the long run blessings will be given to you and your friends, and family for serving. Also, the mission has taught me how important the family is. I feel I love my family a lot more. Being away from the family for 6 months has given me a different appreciation for all my family members. I am planning to spend more time with family when I return home. I am looking forward to enjoying family relationships more. I know I am going to be a different person. I am planning on spending my time engaging more on activities.
We have continued teaching our young friends and are still working with Jr to get him baptized. His mom works all week so it makes it difficult for us to set a baptism date for him. He does sound like he is interested though.
I love being a missionary. The lessons learned out here are valuable. I am grateful for what I have learned. Thanks for all you guys do and continue to do your best.
Choose the right! There is peace in righteous doing.
Choose the right! There’s safety for the soul.
Choose the right in all labors you’re pursuing;
Let God and heaven be your goal.
(Choose the Right. LDS hymn #239)
Buena suerte amigos.

Elder D. Todd Christofferson is my Mom’s favorite Apostle! 🕶 Mission Possible 🕶
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“Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life. (The Book of Mormon, 2 Nephi 31:20)

Hello family and friends,
This week was a very great experience in the mission. Although It’s been hard being out here away from family and friends, I have been able to find many reasons to feel happy. It’s been a wild ride these past 6 months learning and growing and meeting new people. I have learned so much! It takes a brave young soul to decide to go and step away from his/her family for two full years and decide to serve. Because I have been out here, I have seen numerous blessings for my family and friends.
I would like to share with you some of the things I am learning:
📜 Talking to people more openly
📜 Asking for help when needed
📜 Experiencing the joy of serving others around me
📜 Making good friends for a lifetime
📜 Understanding that not everyone will want to listen to you
📜 Knowing that missionaries are truly Christ-like people
📜 Gaining comfort with being on my own for long periods of time
📜 Speaking Spanish more regularly
📜 Knowing that God loves me and that He works on His own timing and not mine
📜 I HAVE THE BEST PARENTS IN THE WHOLE WORLD, WHO GOT ME TO THIS SWEET POINT IN MY LIFE


Many great things happened this week. We have continued to teach our 9 yr old friend. We had scheduled his baptism on April 2nd not realizing that General Conference was that weekend, so we pushed it back a week. We have planned his baptism for April 9th. So exciting! The lesson we taught him this past week was on Temples, and obtaining a Temple Recommend (permission card that Church members use to access the Temple and its accompanying blessings. The card is given to those who demonstrate their faithfulness and commit to honoring their covenants with God). He asked us: “How can I get one of those?” We sadly told him he has to wait until he turns 12 years old, but I’m sure he will continue preparing for that special day. We also have continued to try to teach other people, but they worked all week long and it’s been hard. This week we plan to involve more members of the branch to help with these families.
WHO IS LOOKING FORWARD TO GENERAL CONFERENCE WEEKEND???? because I sure am! Come join me in watching the Prophet of our day speak about how you can find peace and happiness in this HARSH world we live in!
I am grateful for the Mission experience I have been able to have, and the friends I have made. 6 months is a big step in this stage of my life. I sometimes wonder what would have been like, if I had not chosen to serve a mission. I am grateful for the positive impact my parents and family have had on me. I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO THESE NEXT 6 MONTHS! And the joy and happiness they will bring to me, my friends, and my family!
Thanks again for all the love and support ❤ I love you all and wish a blessing of protection as I am out here serving at this time.
P.S. GENERAL Conference Here we Come!! 🥳🎉🎊
BUENA SUERTE!!

PRESSING FORWARD!
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I am finally out of my Teen years! I have waited so long for this to happen!! I had a great birthday thanks to all of you who wished me a happy birthday. Thank you for the cards, the gifts, the food, the cake and all your love. My mom told me this would be a special birthday for many reasons, and she was right! Having a birthday in the mission field is different, but great! I enjoyed the day thoroughly!!!!!!


This week I was able to ride my bike more and I enjoy that. I had my bike shipped from home and I feel great. Also, this week we had a lesson with our young 9-year-old friend. This kid is promising. He is super excited to continue learning about the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the joy and happiness it brings.
My thoughts about death and the resurrection have continued to linger in my mind, and I am grateful to know that after we die, we go to the spirit world where we wait until it is time to be judged according to our desires and service here on Earth. Our family members that have passed on are there in the Spirit world learning about the gospel and waiting for us to join them. “For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: by which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison” (1 Peter 3:18-19). Missionary work is organized in the Spirit world. Everyone is learning about faith, love, covenants, baptism and more. This knowledge brings great joy into my life.

I am grateful for each one of you and for the knowledge that I am loved while being out here during this difficult time in our world today. The world is an interesting place! I had some experiences this past week while we were out riding our bikes that show what I am trying to say.
🚗 A car drives up to the apartment complex where we were at, and a guy rolls down his window and asks my companion and I if we have any candy. I said, “no we don’t.” Then I thought about the CTR rings, and I thought that it would have been hilarious 🤣😆 to give him a ring as candy! (CTR rings are commonly worn in our religious culture as a reminder to ‘Choose The Right.’)
🚙 Another guy gets out of the car and walks up to us and starts saying, “man, I love you guys. I don’t believe what you are teaching is true, but I call you guys my “brothas” in the gospel. Then he says “Hey, that name tag you guys are wearing does not mean a thing! Take it off.” I am there watching him and he continues to say “they are brainwashing you guys.” He continues talking to us and points to me and says “I’m older than you and you’re older than him.” In my mind I think: “Wow! this Dude got it right.” He then talks about the Book of John and I ask, “you mean the Book Of Mormon?” and he says “no, the Book of John”. He gets super close to my face and I think “OK, please God make this fast. If he punches me make it quick.” Luckily he did not. Five seconds later he says “ugh” and walks off into the distance of the apartment buildings. Truly, this experience tested my ability to stay calm in an unpredictable situation, but I was reminded that Heavenly Father watches out for us.
My foundation of the gospel of Jesus Christ is firm. I now know for sure that this Church is true, that the prophet is truly a prophet of God, and that he is our friend here on earth. I encourage and invite all the family to take time out of your day to read at least a chapter or two out of The Book of Mormon, and you will feel the joy and happiness it brings into your lives. I LOVE ❤ YOU ALL! and THANK YOU again for the BIRTHDAY CARDS, LOVE, and SUPPORT!
P.s A big shout out to my Mom And Dad for all they have done for me and the love and support I have received from them! ❤💙💜
BUENE SUERTE ESTA SEMANA!!!

My 1ST BIRTHDAY in the Mission Field!
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“LIFE is good when you find happiness in all things.” – Elder Baldwin

What’s up y’all!
This week has been a great week. This is the end of my 3rd Transfer! I am literally coming up on 6 months of my mission. It’s surprising to see how fast time flies when you are in the work of the Lord for the right reason. During this week we visited and taught a few people. We had the two boys we are teaching, and their families came to Church again this past Sunday. It was a blessing to see them and their families learning about the Restored Gospel. Isn’t it wonderful to invite friends to come and partake of the Sacrament each Sunday? I am grateful to have that opportunity. We had exchanges this week and as usual, we had interesting experiences. So, we are riding our bikes and a guy sees us and yells: “LDS GANG!!! YEA!!!!” I started to laugh. 😅 It made my day hearing him say that.


Every week in the mission has its own special experiences. This week back home my family attended the funeral services for my dear Uncle Gene. He was special to me. He supported me in my Boy Scout journey by helping me fulfill the requirements to earn merit badges. He shared with me his love for trains, he taught me how to refinish wood, and he was a great example of determination. He experienced many hardships while serving our country in the Navy, and he was one of the few who traveled to the North Pole in a submarine. I love Uncle Gene and will miss him.
As I expressed my condolences to my Tia Elia, I felt impressed to share the scriptures found in The Book of Mormon in Alma chapter 40. In this chapter, the prophet Alma wrote about “Christ bringing to pass the resurrection of all men—The righteous dead go to paradise and the wicked to outer darkness to await the day of their resurrection—All things will be restored to their proper and perfect frame in the Resurrection.” I am grateful for this knowledge and the hope that brings to my soul. To know that death is not the end, brings me peace. I will see my Uncle again one day thanks to Jesus Christ our Savior.


As I shared my love with my Auntie Elia I quoted the following “there is a space between death and the resurrection of the body, and a state of the soul in happiness or in misery until the time which is appointed of God that the dead shall come forth, and be reunited, both soul and body, and be brought to stand before God, and be judged according to their works” (Alma 40:21). I was able to bear my testimony that I know this is true and that Uncle at this time is in good company with my Abuelito Salva and Grandma Betty who passed away a few years ago and Achilles—my cousins’ dog, whom I loved so much. I reminded my Tia Elia that now Uncle is free of physical pain.

I am grateful for the Fowlks family, for giving me the opportunity to share my love. 🙏❤. My thoughts and prayers go out to them at his time. It is of most importance to always know that we are not here on this earth forever. We are sent here to learn and grow and complete a purpose which is to become more like God the Father and his son Jesus Christ.
I wish I were there to support the family, but this is not the time. I am about to hit my 6 months mark this March 27th. Can y’all believe that! I remember just barely getting off the plane to meet my Mission President and his wife. I am grateful for the time I have had to be out here. This experience is shaping me into the person I would like to become. Life in the mission is hard but the friends you meet and people you talk to help you grow and achieve greater things in life. Thanks for being the best and continue to do so. I love you all and talk to you soon 💛

Striving without Shrinking
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Hola a todos!!!!! This week was awesome because I had an up-close-and-personal encounter with Heavenly Father’s and Jesus Christ’s creations. Yesterday on P-Day (Preparation Day), we went to the Phoenix Zoo, which is the largest privately owned, non-profit zoo in the United States. It was amazing to see all the awe-inspiring animals our Father and Christ have made. One of my favorites was the Bobcat. It’s mind-blowing to me to see how each animal has its own personality. I enjoyed my visit tremendously and left the zoo feeling grateful for this opportunity to enjoy myself.


We have continued teaching a few kids. Last week we taught The Plan of Salvation lesson to a small family too. As I finished talking about the three kingdoms of glory, I asked Damion, the kid we are teaching the following: “So is Baptism something you want to work towards?” He said “YES” with great excitement! In my whole entire life, so far, I have never seen such an excited child want to have the blessings and be baptized to become a follower of Jesus Christ. Every time we share with him the principles of the gospel, he explains to us that he loves Church, and that he learns a lot as well. I am so happy for him because he is having the opportunity to enjoy the company of the Holy Ghost constantly as he continues to learn how to pray, read the scriptures and obey the commandments.


We are all in many ways just like Him, we are children of our Heavenly Father learning about prayer, scriptures, commandments, and all His creations. The Mission is a great experience to have because it gives you the opportunity to remember who you are and share this knowledge. Also, the mission field is a place where you learn how to steer clear of negative things, feelings, thoughts and actions as you focus on serving and sharing the pearl of great price: “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls: Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it” (Matthew 13:45-46). I invite you to CHOOSE to come out and SERVE those who have not had a chance to hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
I am grateful for and pray for each one of you! It’s so good to get letters from family members and emails as well. It brings me great joy to know that there truly is a loving Heavenly Father and that He has given us the blessing to return to Him through the merits of Christ our Lord. Thanks for the love and support ❤
BUENE SUERTE MI FAMILIA!

Finding Joy in God’s Creations