Week 3

So I tried to cheat and type up my email in the TALL program and copy/paste it... but it was a no go... soo this will still probably be pretty short. Send me emails throughout the week on Dearelder.com though and I will have more time to respond on email! ;)

Ok so this last week was probably the most significant one I've had so far. I was really sick so that was lame, but I kept on going. I did everything but go to gym and the temple since they don't want you spreading germs... Needless to say, that get well package from mom was heaven-sent. Thank you so very very much!!! Everything was absolutely perfect!! I am proud to say that I am now getting 8 hrs of sleep every night with my new fancy pink earplugs!!! :) haha But seriously... it makes life SO much easier when you're trying to learn a new language 12 hrs a day on a full night's rest.

Last Friday I had an interview with one of my teachers (like every week), and as I was explaining my frustrations with myself of not being able to comprehend let alone remember anything I was learning, he told me he'd been watching me closely from the beginning and he was 100% positive that I was doing everything in my power to learn and speak Spanish. He promised me that if I kept doing exactly what I was doing, then God would step in and make up the difference. He told me that God was not going to ask any more of me and to just keep going and wait on Him. That made me feel so much better because I really have been working as hard as I can and doing everything I can think of to understand and remember Spanish. Well, his promise is coming true, and my prayers are being answered. I'm understanding, I'm learning more, I'm REMEMBERING the Spanish I'm learning! Seriously, I went from being able to maybe say a few sentences in Spanish last week, to now having contacted and taught 3 lessons in complete Spanish. In a week. God is so good and so very merciful. I know He's answering my prayers and all of yours. So thank you!!!

On Tuesday our devotional speakers were Elder and Sister Kent F. RIchards, from the 2nd Quorum of Seventy. Sister RIchards shared a scripture with us--Hebrews 12:2-- where it talks about how everything Christ did for us was "for the JOY" and then went on to talk about how we can find joy in anything and everything. She said the two words that she hopes will characterize every one of our missions is "hard and Happy." I'm sure she'll be right! Elder Richards also had an awesome talk about how we are to teach by the Spirit, to the understanding, with the tongues of angels, in order to invite everyone we meet to come unto Christ and receive the blessings of the restored Gospel of Jesus Christ. It was absolutely fantastic, but I don't have time to get into it. Lo siento.

I am so grateful for the gospel in my life. On Sunday, our district leader, Elder Mark Gantt, found out that his mother was diagnosed with cancer last week. Boy, did that those words take me back in the blink of an eye to how my life changed forever the day I was told about dad's cancer. We held a district fast for them and I just ask each of you to please keep them in your prayers. I know that God will bless his family the same way He has ours!

Today I got to go to the temple and do baptisms and confirmations for family names. 15 more family members received the opportunity to accept the restored gospel and progress in eternity. I can't even begin to tell you what a powerful experience it was to help them with that today. I promise that as we each use the resources the church has for us to do family history, we will know greater joy than we've ever comprehended before. I love the temple and the promise that families are sealed together forever inside. That promise alone makes everything worth living righteously for!

I know that IF we open our mouths more and have that same love and respect for our family and friends in our lives right now to share with them that we KNOW God has a living prophet on the earth today, that We KNOW Jesus IS the Christ because the Book of Mormon is another testament of it, and that we KNOW we can be with our families together forever through making covenants and living the restored gospel, THEN God will bless us with peace and joy. He will bless those of you in the Indianapolis area with the promise of a temple to be built swiftly, without delay. But those blessings are up to whether or not we will share. So OPEN YOUR MOUTHS!!!! Go to the temple! Do family history work! BE GOOD!

The Gospel is true, and Jesus is the Christ. I love you all!!!

Hermana Blackburn

p.s. Tricia Saylor... please get me some addresses for you all in Mississippi so I can write to you! Loves!