Week 5

Dear Hermana Lutze,

I cannot believe you've been out a month already and by the time you receive this... 5 weeks. One more week and you'll be leaving the CCM. Do you have your travel plans yet? Make sure you pack well like we did last time splitting items up between your luggage and keeping your shoes with you. Please remember to be careful in the airports-keep everything right with you. We'll be anxiously waiting to hear from you and know of your safe arrival in Torreon!

Besides work this week I made it to Emily's class, the temple, and two Relief Society meetings (Lehi 26th and Lehi 43rd Wards). Hannah is working on her college applications, Natalie and Jakob are busy with their various activities. Natalie sang in the choir concert tonight at the Junior High. She also got a 22 out of 25 on the pre PLAN test they now give in 9th grade. Wow! Jakob finished up his Animation MB yesterday and is one requirement away for his Communications MB. He's working on about 6 others right now. 

I've sent two articles ahead that I really like. The first one is "The Purifying Power of the Atonement" given by Bruce R. McConkie. This was his last talk and testimony of Christ in General Conference. He passed away just a couple of weeks later. I kept this talk with me on my mission. The other talk was given by F. Enzio Busche of the Seventy and is entitled "Unleashing the Dormant Spirit." I thought you would like it since you are already discovering the companionship of the spirit is the key to missionary success. Elder Busche was part of Hitler's Youth Program and eventually converted to the gospel.

Speaking of missionary success our RS lesson today was on missionary work. I was really touched by this lesson because President Benson signed my missionary papers.Truly the world is hungry for the truth but they don't know where to find it. This reminds me of the scripture in 2 Timothy 3:7 "Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth." As a missionary you are to help them find this truth. President Benson said, "The gospel is the only answer to the problems of the world, my brethren and sisters. Only the gospel will save the world from the calamity of its own self-destruction. Only the gospel will unit men of all races and nationalities in peace. Only the gospel will bring joy, happiness, and salvation to the human family." He goes on to say that "... the Book of Mormon is the greatest tool which God has given us to convert the world. If we are to have the harvest of souls, we must use the instrument which God has designed for the task-the Book of Mormon. We need missionaries who have a burning testimony of its divinity, and who by the Spirit can challenge their investigators to read and ponder its pages, knowing with complete assurance that the Lord will manifest the truth of it to them by the power of the Holy Ghost. The Book of Mormon is the great standard we are to use in our missionary work. It shows that Joseph Smith was a prophet, it contains the words of Christ, and its great mission is to bring men to Christ. All other things are secondary. The golden question of the Book of Mormon is "Do you want to learn more of Christ?" The Book of Mormon is the great finder of the golden contact. It does not contain things which are "pleasing unto the world, " and so the worldly are not interested in it. It is a great sieve." He ends with listing 4 requirements to be successful in missionary work-obtain the Spirit (which you talked about in your last letter), acquire humility, love the people, and work diligently. "One of the greatest secrets of missionary work is work. If a missionary works, he will get the Spirit; if he gets the Spirit, he will teach by the Spirit; if he teaches by the Spirit, he will touch the hearts of the people, and he will be happy.... work, work, work-there is no satisfactory substitute, especially in missionary work."

In Emily's class this week we talked about our own wilderness or middle moments when we sometimes wonder if the Lord is there. If He's helping us? (Remember these are the times when He is carrying us.) We talked about the importance of continuing to do the small things while we are waiting for the help or answers that we need. The small things are the oil in our lamps. Remember David... He was sent the lion and the bear first in order to prepare for the Goliath that would come. We must also allow the Lord to lead us into places we don't understand. We must fight our own lions and bears in order to be ready for our Goliaths. Do we move forward in life with courage or fear?

While I was in the temple this week, I was reading in Deuteronomy and came across this scripture that I love now... "And now, Israel, (Hermana Lutze) what doth the Lord thy God require of thee, but to fear the Lord thy God, to walk in ALL his ways, and to love him, and to serve the Lord thy God with ALL thy heart and with ALL thy soul, to keep the commandments of the Lord, and his statues, which I command thee this day for thy good." Deuteronomy 10:12 Everything He does and desires for us is for our good. We just often have a difficult time seeing it that way.

Finally, at the Lehi 43rd RS evening I was especially touched by the speaker. She talked about Christ and finding joy in this life. She spoke of doing three things each day-Tell yourself positive affirmations, Ask yourself "What went well?" and Mindfulness-examples, stop to smell a rose, really think about how a hug feels, etc. These are all ways we can stay positive even when things get hard.

I love you and I am so happy you made the decision to serve a mission!

Love,

Mom