The Air Was Glass

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What a week What a week It has been!!!

Our proposal for the missionary concert in Calbayog has been approved!!! We're gonna Light the World and I'm so excited! There's still a lot of things that need to happen for it to run smoothly, but the members in Calbayog are excited and dedicated and essential to making this happen. They're the best! 

The Light the World Initiative is a great way to introduce people to the church. We've really tried to take advantage of it as missionaries. A lot of people are excited for Christmas and this is a way to make it the best one yet. 

We've had a lot of crazy experiences this week. A mission is such an adventure. Sister Portin and I were able to go on exchanges this week with 2 companionships that are both in training. I got to work both times with the new missionary - the trainee. They amaze me every time because they have what we call the "MTC Glow" - fresh out of the MTC and they shine with the Light of Christ. The MTC is a spiritual experience unlike any other. Anyways, I got to learn a lot from them too in the process. The sisters are wonderful and will make amazing missionaries. 

I am continuously amazed by the people Heavenly Father is sending our way. It's been fun to see what how our area is blessed when we give it our all. We were completely exhausted this week from hard work all day every day. The mission is finally starting to wear on my body haha. But miracles happen, and every day we wake up fresh and ready to go. This week we've reached higher key indicators than I have my whole mission and had 14 investigators at church - 4 of them being their first time. We're expecting 6 baptisms this month, hoping for 10 if one of our familes can get married. I love being a missionary!

Though it has been a great week, I experienced quite a bit of rejection this week, more so than normal. It's funny how much the mission has changed me. Before I probably would have cried myself to sleep and now I can just brush it off my shoulder. No matter what experiences like this come our way, there's always other experiences to come that make it all worth it. One of them happened this week that I'd like to share with you. 

His name was Henry. 22 years old. A referral from one of our branch missionaries. Had some questions about the church and had to sneak out of the house so his parents wouldn't know where he was going haha. This young man is one of the many I've seen throughout my mission that just are prepared. There's no other better way to put it. They're ready for the gospel and are missing it in their lives even though they may not yet realize it. Teaching him was a spiritual experience unlike any other. During the lesson as we moved from apostacy into the first vision, the spirit became so strong and it was as if the air was glass, like every word was chosen so carefully and spoken so gently. It was the strangest sensation, and we were all so still in giving this message. I didn't even want to move afraid to change the atmosphere in the room. We concluded the lesson having him commit to read the Book of Mormon after telling us that he knows the message was true. We're looking forward to teaching him again. 

Here's my spiritual commitment for you all this week. Pray for desire to share the gospel, pray for an opportunity, and pray to know what to say when the time comes and then....just do it. Heavenly Father knows His children and He knows who in your life is ready to hear the gospel. Everyone needs this gospel and at some point in their lives will need to accept it if they are to obtain all the happiness God has in store for us in this life and the next. 

I love you all so much! Happy Christmas season! Missing you always:)

Sister Russon

Light the World!

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Hello!! Happy Christmas Season!
What a week!!!

We had District Conference this week where we heard some wonderful talks from our District Presidency and our Mission President. My companion and I were also surprised with the request for a musical number, which we sang for over 400 people. Salamat for the heads up. Oh well, it turned out well. And we had tons of new investigators that came! It being their first time at church!!! All these people are preparing for baptism! 

Something is happening this week that i'm So excited about............the new Christmas Initiative by the church. It's awesome! This year is Light the World! The church has come out with the best video which you can see on https://www.mormon.org/. It's all about serving others and being the light to the world this Christmas season like the savior was. Each day starting Dec. 1, there is a different act of service that Christ did, and ways that we can be a light in that same way to others around us. This is my assignment for you all for Family Home Evening. Plan how you can light the world with your family. Watch  the video! It's the best!

Being a missionary is the best:)

Love you all! Make this Christmas extra special:) Remember why we celebrate. 

Love,

Sister Russon

Happy Thanksgiving America!

Family, you are missed!

It's been a great week this week! I received a wonderful new companion! - Sister Portin! Another Philippina! Sister Healey is really missed - we will party with each other in America. But Sister Portin and I have really warmed up fast to each other and I'm super excited for this cycle. She's 24 from Luzon. Tons of fun! I'm training her to be an STL, but I don't have to do much, she's a natural. She's an amazing teacher, singer, cook, you name it. Any talent. She's got it. I'm gonna have to do my best to learn as much as I can from her. 

A lot of great things have been happening hear in Catbalogan. We killed it this week in the work! Just a good week of pure hard missionary work:)

An RM came home from his mission. He's got the glow of a hard working missionary. It'll be exciting to see how he can help the branch with us.

District Conference is next week. After being asked a month ago to lead the choir for our branch because I of all people am oh so qualified...(sarcasm if you didn't get it), I turned it down and asked if a member could do it so that we wouldn't need to take so much time out from missionary work. We attended practice yesterday, and guess who is now the choir director for Catbalogan branch....me. Hahaha. We hurried and threw together something and will be performing it for the District and President Maurer on Sunday. 

We're working on getting a lot of investigators married so that they can FINALLY be baptized! 

One thing I've been contemplating on a lot this week is the freedom the gospel gives us. You can tell when a missionary worked hard on their mission. That confidence you see often comes from the work they put forth during their mission in overcoming the natural man. They worked hard when they wanted to sleep, or relax, or break mission rules. Even for members who are not missionaries, this applies. Nothing but our following of the gospel can bring us such confidence, self purity, and perspective on life. We are blessed! 

Love you all so much! Serve those around you. You will find yourself when you lose yourself in others. Promise:) From Jesus Christ:)

Love Sister Russon

Master Chef Pinoy Edition

Happy Tuesday family!

Happy Tuesday Family!

Happy Transfer week as well! I am losing my companion:( Sister Healey is transferring from Catbalogan. She will be missed. I find out later who my new companion is and will receive her tomorrow at Grand Tours - the van place. Changes are not always fun at first, but I'm looking forward to it all the same. This next cycle is going to be really fun, especially with all the Christmas activities going on:)

We had Specialized Training this week in Tacloban with just the sisters in the mission. The Elders' training will be held on a different day. This was a training unlike any other. Sister Maurer called it, "Master Chef Pinoy Edition"....we got to cook!!! We were all put into groups and given a shopping list and some money and sent to the grocery store and the wet markets. The goal was to get back as fast as you could with everything on the list and the least amount of money being spent. We came back together with our team afterward and cooked up some of the most delicious things I've ever eaten - chopsuey, chiken fried rice, and banana turon. And what do you know, guess which group won the prize for Most Delicious.........wooooo! We did. I'm ready for marriage. Hahaha jokes. I'm gonna go home only knowing how to cook Philippino food haha. 

We had a great FHE activity that Sister Healey and I planned. The Branch got together and had a great time. At one moment, all of a sudden all the nanays and tatays were having a dance off! Hahaha! It was the funniest thing I had ever seen. Love Catbalogan:)

I got to go on exchanges this week with some pretty great sister missionaries and work in our area to evaluate them and see how their doing in their callings and also learn from them as well. I love going on exchanges. It's so fun getting to know the sisters. I learned something this week that I would like to share with all of you. I heard a statistic the other day that each day, on average a child hears close to 350 negative comments, and only 40 positive comments. There was a talk I heard from John BytheWay this week as well on 'praising more'. Everyone needs a little praise in their lives. A compliment. Recognition. We all can remember things people have said to us over the years in that aspect. It can really influence. Just like negative comments can influence too. Being a missionary is not even CLOSE to easy, and all these sister missionaries could do with a little boost. It's something I've been trying to work on this week. So I invite you all to apply this concept to your lives as well - in school, or work, at home with your kids. Give praise more often:)

The Christmas season is upon us here in the Philippines and everyone's getting really excited. I hope youre all making goals to make this Christmas the best one yet and centered on the Savior:) 

I have a testimony that He lives. He loves us. And because of Him, we can find happiness in this life like non other and in the next life as well. 

Love YOU ALL!!!!

Sister Russon

Day In Day Out - Traveling

Hello Hello!

What a week it has been! Not too much to report on this week - most of it has been spent in the van vans driving. :P Wednesday and Thursday - MLC in Tacloban > We received a great training from President Maurer and Siser Maurer on helping the misionaries in our zones be more centered on the work:) Friday - Zone Training in Calbayog > We trained the zone on everyhing we learned at MLC. Today - Calbaog Zone Activity> Played a bunch of games with zone. Tomorrow - Specialiazed Training in Tacloban > Sister Maurer will give us a training on health and cooking!

Other than that, the branch has been doing awesome in their improvement from when I first got here. It's so exciting!!! On Saturday we organized an aciviy wih the Relief Society to clean the chapel, wash the baptism clothes, and organize the library. The members are happy with their chapel looking clean and everything in better working condition!

One family I've been super excited about this week is progressing like crazy! They are huge! Their are 10 children, all grown up who now have their own children, and most of them have been listening and accepting us for some time now. Sister Healey and I found them a couple months ago and they are just so receptive. This family has everything - Catholics, Born Again, and Jehovah's Witness members. This last Saturday when we visiting them, many of them invited friends and neighbors to listen as well as we taught them the 10 commandments out of their own Bible. It's amazing how many of them did not even know they haven't been following them. Sister Healey and I were able to teach a group of over 40 squished in this little house. And the message just...clicked with them. They get it:) Sweet moments of mission life.

This week my testimony has really grown on the Law of Chastity. It's amazing the confidence I've seen recently come into people's lives as they repent and commit to follow this commandment! I heard a quote the other day by one of our General Authorities that went something like this, "Do not do anthing to make your soul any less pure than it was meant to be". I love this quote. It's so true. There is a new light and confidence that comes, and a weight to be lifted when we fully commit to live his commandment. That means living a Godly sense of cleanliness and purity. That means clean thoughts, clean actions, clean words. It means put yourself as far as you can from pornography and don't look back. It means commit now to be temple worthy at all times.

God loves all of us. He gives us commandments BECAUSE He loves us. 

Commit to live the way our Savior did.

Love you all:)

Sending hugs,

Sister Russon

How Great Shall Be Your Joy

Hello Fam!

Another week has gone by in the Philippines. The time is just flying. I feel like I email, go to sleep, wake up, and look at that! I'm emailing again!

Something wonderful happened this week. It happened yesterday at church. Mind you, Sunday's for me are always the most stressful part of the whole week. Trying to give enough people attention and welcome everyone on top of striving to make sure everything runs smoothly and new investigators are welcomed and treated well....that's not even the half of it. On top of that, Sister Healey and I were surprised yesterday 2 minutes before sacrament meeting started when we were told we would need to be the ones giving the talk. Haha. The Philippines is so fun;)

No worries though; the spirit was with us and we had some heavenly help:) This is where the wonderful part comes in...we finish our talks and are sitting up on the stand singing when we realize in the congregation are THREE Less Active families that haven't been to church in the last three months. WOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!

There is a scripture in D&C 18:15

 

 15 And if it so be that you should labor all your days in crying repentance unto this people, and bring, save it be one soul unto me, how great shall be your joy with him in the kingdom of my Father!

This is the reason a mission, even though hard, can be some of the best 2 years (18 months) of your life. The joy is overwhelming when you get the privilege of seeing these families progress in the gospel. Why? Why is that? Because you know how much it can bless their life! Hello! This is why we serve missions! Leave families, work, school, we receive no salary for our work, no extra presents. Why are their so many missionaries especially here in the Philippines? So we can get a good tan? NO! The gospel is true and every family needs it if they are to receive a fullness of joy. True joy comes from living a righteous life, from knowing God is happy with your actions, from knowing your clean from every mistake you've made in the past, from knowing the Plan of Salvation, and that whatever happens, your family will be together forever in the temple:)

That is true joy my friends. 

Sending love:) Magnify your callings - whether that's a calling in the church or your place in your family. 

Love Sister Russon

The Elect

Miracles are happening and happening and happening. 

We had interviews this week with President Maurer. It's always great to talk to him and get his advice and insight about things in the mission and life. 

I've got 3 weeks left of time with Sister Healey here in Catbalogan. I'm trying my best to enjoy it while it lasts. I'm gonna miss her tons! She's been by far one of my best friends in the mission and I've learned tons from her. It's amazing to see Heavenly Father place you with the people that will help you grow the most. He knows everything:)

This week, we met a woman who is, "Searching for the truth". I love it when we actually get people like this because they seem rare. Most people are stuck in their religion, which is mostly Catholicism because it's culture and tradition. It's been in the family for generations. This particular lady though, I spoke with while on exchanges with another missionary while we were riding a tricycle going to an appointment. She had so many questions and has been investigating other churches. 

Doctrine and Covenants 29: 7, 8 says:

 7 And ye are called to bring to pass the gathering of mine elect; for mine elect hear my voice and harden not their hearts;

 8 Wherefore the decree hath gone forth from the Father that they shall be gathered in unto one place upon the face of this land, to prepare their hearts and be prepared in all things against the day when tribulation and desolation are sent forth upon the wicked.

Heavenly Father knows where the 'elect' are - those who will soften their hearts to the message and follow the Savior. Some are truly looking for the truth, and others haven't yet realized that the gospel is missing in their lives. And the only way we're going to find them is if we open our mouths and prayerfully ponder each thing we do. 

One thing we've been focused on teaching lately is the process of repentance. Most people know it's important but don't know much about it. This is something I've definitely learned more about being on the mission. It's SUCH an important part of our lives!!!! We should be repenting every day. This means each night, we review with Heavenly Father our day and the things we want to work on and improve upon in our lives and our selves. We ask for forgiveness of the things we've done wrong, and follow through on plans we've made with Him to do better the next day. We fix things we need to with other people we've wronged, and if needed, talk to the bishop about things we've done that are weighing on us. The result of this continuous process is tremendous. None of us are perfect and we each need to actively apply the atonement to our lives every day. Every day every day every day:) The freedom and lightness we receive is tremendous, and I'm grateful to have seen repeatedly throughout the mission how people have changed through the Atonement of Jesus Christ. 

Apply the Atonement. Live the Gospel with ALL YOUR Heart. "Be Not ashamed, for the Lord thy God is with thee, Withersoever thou goest". 

Love you tons:)
Sister Russon

And the Typhoon Season Begins

Family!!!

Oh how I miss you all!

It's been a pretty crazy week! One of my favorite families was able to attend church and we've been able meet a lot of new people this week. 

We met a pretty 'golden' family recently. They haven't got much; two little kids, a rickety bamboo home with a dirt floor, and a little tindahan outside their home. The father has a rare sickness that causes him to cough up blood occasionally and he is unable to work for their family. This trial has put a lot of stress on their family, particularly because their not sure whats wrong with him or how to help him. Despite these trials however, they have welcomed us missionaries with open arms! They came to church 2 weeks after we met them and were able to attend General Conference. On the side they read the Book of Mormon often as a family. This wonderful sweet family experienced quite the miracle recently. In one of our visits, they explained to us why all the stock and supplies were gone from their tindahan. After hanging up inside their tindahan the picture of Christ we gave them, they had so many customers the following 24 hours that all of their stock was purchased! ALL OF IT! Miracle! With the money, they are sending Brother to Manila to get special treatment from a specialist to see if they can find what's wrong. We and they know this was a miracle from Heavenly Father himself for their family. Blessings come when we have the gospel in our lives. 

We had our first 2106 typhoon this week! Typhoon Karen. It was not much here in Catbalogan, just a lot of rain. But Leaders titled it a signal 2, which means we were not allowed to work. We stayed in, updated our journals, and couldn't wait to get out of the apartment after being stuck in there all day long!

Another small miracle happened last night. We locked ourselves out of the apartment and didn't realize it until we came home at 9:30 at night. We did not have an extra key and our landlord is in Manila. So I attempted to implement one of the wonderful skills I have learned on the mission - how to pick a lock. Then I tried the second wonderful skill I have successfully learned on the mission - how to card a door. After failing, Sister Healey and I said a prayer, she attempted to card the door, and success!!!! We got that baby open! We probably had a bit of angelic help on that one, that lock on our front door is pretty solid. Thank you Heavenly Father. 

Pray, read the scriptures, have family home evening as often as possible, go to the temple!

It's pretty hard to not feel God in our lives if we're doing all those simple things. 

Love you all! Sending love and prayers always, 

Love Sister Russon

Shiny Bows and Diamonds

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Conference! Conference! Conference!!!

I hope I'm this excited for it when I get home. It's like Christmas for missionaries. A bunch of new spiritual quotes from God's representatives all wrapped in shiny bows:) I LOVED IT! There were some great talks in this one. 

The one thing I loved was how many talks there were about families. These were some random things I remember from their talks in general:

1. Your family are your investigators

2. If all your children knew about the gospel came from you, how much would they know?

3. You should bear your testimony as often as you can!!! In this increasingly chaotic and sinful world, your children can't afford to go without it. 

Conference was perfect timing for a lot of our investigators. For THREE of the families that attended, it was their first time at church. Miracles are happening and the branch is growing:) 

I think my favorite talk of the whole thing was Elder Uchtdorf's talk in the Saturday Morning session - the first talk of conference. He spoke about the miraculous state of the truth we have from the gospel in our lives. WE HAVE SO MUCH AND IT IS AMAZING! He went on to say, "We tread a path covered in diamonds, but they are often views as tiny pebbles beneath our feet." Do we fully appreciate all we have? 

The mission here in Tacloban is slowly changing. Over the past couple months with the guidance we've received in how to work harder and smarter, the overall 'magnifying-of-our-callings' is going up and it's so fun and exciting!!! I'm lucky to stay with Sister Healey again this cycle and we've got lots of goals and plans for helping the sisters and the branch and our area. Sometimes I think to myself, "How am I possibly able to do all this without melting from the heat, passing out from exhaustion, or running to the mental asylum because of stress?" Haha the answer is because of the divinity of my calling. It has nothing to do with us but rather with the priesthood power by which we are called. Probably in the in-between parts of my setting apart blessing came, "You will not melt, you will not stress and become an insane person, you will be able to walk the stairway to heaven up the mountain side and not fall off the edge from exhaustion, etc". My point is, whom God calls He qualifies. You can do any calling well because of the very fact that you are called.  

Sister Healey and I have had quite a few experiences this week where we've testified to the crowds. It helps that we're white. People realize we're speaking waray waray and they automatically think a miracle has happened. They gather. I love experiences like that. It's like the saying goes, "Sing your heart out"...we've changed it to, "Preach Your Heart Out". 

This church is the only true church on the face of the planet because it is our Savior's and is the ONLY one that has His fullness. It is the only way for us to return to live with Him and our Heavenly Father and at some point, every single person on this Earth will need to be given the opportunity to accept it, or turn away from it. The time will need to come at some point, better sooner than later for those that will accept it so they can enjoy the blessings of the gospel in their lives now. 

Share your testimony. Pray for opportunities and to be guided to people who have been prepared. "Every member a missionary" - Gordon B. Hinckley. 

Love you all!!! Hope you can feel the hugs I'm sending:)

Love Sister Russon

Pictures!

The Growth is Unreal

Hey Hey Family!!!

Hey Hey Family!!!
I'm missing you all lots and am sending hugs:) I am 21 today! And wow have I grown more this last year than probably any other year of my life.

It's been one crazy week. We were in Tacloban for Mission Leadership Council for a couple days. Always super great to see all the other missionaries and hear President's most recent revelation and training for the mission. It pumps me up! And it's always so fun to apply it. I'm always before thinking, "Of course there's room for improvement, but what more could President train us on? What else is there?" Well he always finds something. And it's something that always makes a drastic difference. 

These last couple of months we've been focusing on teaching like the Savior. It's made quite the difference in the lessons we've had. We've been striving for greater participation from the investigators during lessons instead of us doing all the teaching and talking. They should be talking at least 50% of the time. How does this happen? Inspired questions on our part. If we can get them to bear their testimony or share their thoughts, they'll likely learn 10 times more from that then from just sitting and listening to what we have to say.  Teaching like our Savior is a skill to be developed over a lifetime, but it's something we can apply in most every aspect of our life, not just missionary work. 

Two days after Tacloban, we went to Calbayog! Back to Calbayog again, this time for a Zone Training Meeting in which we and the zone leaders gave the zone the training we received from President Maurer several days before. 

If I could make a list of the life skills the mission teaches you, it would be as thick as the bible.

We are excited for this next cycle!!! Transfer day is tomorrow. I'm not sure if Sister Healey will stay my companion, but I for sure will probably stay in Catbalogan. I love Catbalogan:)

I have a random assignment for all of you in Family Home Evening this week. Find the talk, "Turn off the TV and Get a Life" by John Bytheway, Listen to it! Listen to it, don't read. It's awesome and gives a good perspective on how much time we waste in life not doing things to get us closer to our goals.  

Sending LOTS OF LOVE!!!

Love Sister Russon

Witnessing a Priesthood Miracle

Hello Hello!!!!!

Hello Hello!!!

How much I love you all!!!!!! Miss you all tons and love getting updates always; THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU! 

Can't believe it, but I hit my one year mark. I only have 6 months left!!!! Is that enough time??? Probably not. I'm just glad I'm loving it and that we're finding so much success! People are prepared. We just have to find them:)

One big thing I have learned in the mission is that the harder I work, the more miracles I see. It's so TRUE! Read Ether 12. Faith comes before the miracles. And part of faith is work. Faith without works is dead. When Heavenly Father knows we will share the gospel with everyone we come in contact with, He will guide the elect right to us! Or us right to them! It's amazing! The mission is amazing. What I would have done in life without this experience I do not know. Probably would've just withered away being an unproductive little soul with absolutely no influence on the world. Just living and breathing. Hahaha, that's a bit extreme:) But my point has been made. I love the mission. 

Many miracles have been seen this week. We have a family FINALLY getting married so that they can all be baptized. We have 4 baptisms of a return less-active's children this saturday, woohoo!!!!! The branch is strengthening itself and callings are starting to be carried out, activities are being planned, meetings with auxillary are being held. I can't wait for the day when I hear that Catbalogan actually becomes a ward. In this area, more than any other area, I have tried to magnify my love of planning activities, and we have had AMAZING results! This is because activities weren't a regular thing before. Sister Healey and I have taken it head on, trying to build up the branch. We've done 3 pretty big activities so far; one of them was just for the relief society. They had never had anything like it and they loved it! Even just getting an invitation for the activity the week before lit up these sweet nanays haha. This last week, we had one big branch activity and a bunch brought friends! New investigators! Hehehe I'm so happy I can just hardly even contain myself. 

One miracle I witnessed this week seemed as if it came directly from the New Testament. I've never witnessed anything like this before. One family we have been teaching - they are golden! Pretty much sitting in the baptismal font haha - called us this week asking if we could bring the Elders to give a blessing on their grandma. The lola (grandma) has already been in pretty bad condition for the last couple of years - not being able to talk or move well - because she had a stroke. As of recently she caught pneumonia, and when we went in to see her, she was lying on the floor of her house, body shaking, one eye closed shut, the other twitching, and I she was struggling to breathe, her body heaving up and down. We called the Elders and while we waited, taught them about Priesthood blessings. The Elders finally came over and game this poor lola a desperately needed blessing. Okay, I have a huge testimony of priesthood blessings; always have believed that they help in some way as long as faith is there and the desired outcome is ultimately the Father's will. But my testimony has greatly been strengthened after that experience.  Immediately after the blessing, the lola was still. Her breathing was completely normal. Both eyes were open just looking around. The result was instantaneous. Her body and brain are still not all there because of the stroke a couple years ago, but considering, she was moving fairly easily, readjusting the blanket on her and just kind of looking at us as we introduced ourselves and smiled at her. The family around her was just kind of in shock. And THEN! The Elders get up to leave and say, "Okay we're gonna go now Nay", and she managed an, "Oo", which means "yes". She spoke! Her family was dumbfounded. She hasn't been able to speak in a long time.  

Amazing amazing. Thank you parents for raising me in this gospel. I'm SO grateful. In a couple weeks is GENERAL CONFERENCE. I'm more excited than I've ever been. I invite you all to start preparing now. Prepare spiritually. Try to listen to conference with a question or concern in your heart. It's what our leaders suggest of us to that we are better able to receive personal revelation. 

Love you all! Hug each other for me:)

Sister Russon

How Do We Glow?

Hello Hello!!! 

Another great week here in Catbalogan!!!

This morning we had the wonderful opportunity of attending a wedding!!!!!!! This was a special one. The wedding of the A Family - investigators and definitely future leaders of the church. Their baptism will follow in October, which can now successfully occur because they are lawfully wedded and following the Law of Chastity. They've been investigators about 2 months and the one month I've been with them,it's been amazing to see them grow! The gospel changes people. It humbles people. It brings them closer to Christ. 

How is that so? Because it's His gospel. 

What better way to become more like someone than to learn of Him and follow Him. 

We had 4 baptisms this week - the D family. The nanay has returned during the cycle I've been here from being less active and her grandkids were the ones baptized this Saturday. What a priveledge it has been to see her change as the light of the gospel in her life has grown brighter and continuous. SHE GLOWS. She radiates joy every time we see her. This is a woman who works and works like crazy trying to support her family and the little they have. This is a woman who gets home late each night from work to a small house, usually a drunk husband, little food, no furniture, but a smile on her face. How does she do it? Her life, and the rest of her family are focused on the Savior. 

Below is an excerpt from the talk, "Light in Their Eyes", by James E. Faust: 

I recently recalled a historic meeting in Jerusalem about 17 years ago. It was regarding the lease for the land on which the Brigham Young University’s Jerusalem Center for Near Eastern Studies was later built. Before this lease could be signed, President Ezra Taft Benson and Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, then president of Brigham Young University, agreed with the Israeli government on behalf of the Church and the university not to proselyte in Israel. You might wonder why we agreed not to proselyte. We were required to do so in order to get the building permit to build that magnificent building which stands in the historic city of Jerusalem. To our knowledge the Church and BYU have scrupulously and honorably kept that nonproselyting commitment. After the lease had been signed,one of our friends insightfully remarked, “Oh, we know that you are not going to proselyte, but what are you going to do about the light that is in their eyes?” He was referring to our students who were studying in Israel.

What was that light in their eyes which was so obvious to our friend? The Lord Himself gives the answer: “And the light which shineth, which giveth you light, is through him who enlighteneth your eyes, which is the same light that quickeneth your understandings.”1 Where did that light come from? Again the Lord gives the answer: “I am the true light that lighteth every man that cometh into the world.”2 The Lord is the true light, “and the Spirit enlighteneth every man through theworld, that hearkeneth to the voice of the Spirit.”3 This light shows in our countenances as well as in our eyes.

There's a reason the Plan of Salvation is also called The Plan of Happiness. Think about and ponder that. What can bring us true joy in this life? It comes by living the gospel. Becoming someone new. Holding family close. Living in such a way that we are clean and confident and have a proud Heavenly Father watching from above. 

Getting so excited for Conference in these next 2 weeks!!!! I want to hear what your favorite talks were! Remember, try to prepare yourself this week. Ponder spiritually on questions or concerns in life that you have and watch conference being mindful of those things. It's a good way for the Lord to speak to you through His representatives. 

Can't express the love! Love you all so much! Sending buckets full:)

Love Sister Russon