Lindsey: Letter 27

Hello Mama!
How are you!? How was your sweet Anniversary?! I hope that you just had the best time. I truly cant tell you what a joy and thrill it was to read your words and sense the way you feel about my dad after so many years. Thank you thank you for keeping your marriage so solid and full of love and sweet experiences. I wish I could express my gratitude appropriately, but just know that it is one of the greatest gifts you could give to your children. Especially me. Not that I'm anything special. I just feel super sensitive about it right now and I want you to know how grateful I am that I have a family that loves and cherishes each other, that understands their relationship to their father in heaven, that understands, to an extent, the gift of the atonement of Jesus Christ. Whether we understand it or not, we use it and love it and we're so thankful for it! For him. For our Savior Jesus Christ. For his love and great sacrifice. For his understanding and compassion, for his desire for us to become like him. For his example and his teachings. I'm so thankful for him and my sweet family for striving each day to be better. That we can strive! We can be better. Mom, we get to repent and try again each day. We get to learn! We get to feel it out, to come to understand what truly makes us happy. What truly fills our souls with Joy. I'm coming to realize it more and more each day. That true happiness come by obedience to his commandments. My doing all that we can to cleanse ourselves and making it so the holy ghost can dwell with us. It is not an easy process but Isn't it so worth it!? Isn't it sweet? We truly get what we pay for. The price is high but it has already been paid for us! Our ticket is free and all we have to do is reach out and accept it. Accept the gift and is freely given. I hope that I can humble myself enough to grab hold of everyone of those gifts that only the spirit can provide. Mom, my feelings from before the mission haven't changed much. I still want to leap out of the flesh at times. Especially when I yield to the natural man and give place for the power of Satan but that is the learning process we are each going through. How thankful I should be for the time that has been allotted to me to learn. To learn how to combine body and spirit to form a beautiful, working instrument in the hands of the creator. I want to work right, I want to align my will with my fathers. I want to be better mom I really do. I fasted all day yesterday and I can testify to you that their is power in subjecting all desire, appetite, and passion into the bounds the lord has set. True power. I woke up this morning full of hope and excitement for what the lord may be able to do with me. It is a new week and it will be one of success.
Dad, Thank you for your letter to me in Spanish and for your sweet email. Your words are always so encouraging and I cherish every one. Thank you for sending Lances letter. My word, that was a treasure. Please keep them coming.
This week we have been working with a beautiful family. Well, they aren't married but that is the goal that we are working towards with them. The Moms name is Magdelina, The dad Rafael, and then their 3 year old Christian. They are the sweetest couple and have they've been great! We watched the restoration video with them the other day and bore witness of the reality of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. I think Magdelina was having a hard time with the authority and since hasn't answered our phone calls and hasn't been home. I pray the spirit will continue to work on her as she reads the book of Mormon and ponders on what the lord wants for she and her family.
Hermana Maxwell may get transferred next week but we won't know until Saturday. We are pretty sure I'm staying which would be a thrill considering all the things that I still want to accomplish here.
I hope all is well at home! I will sit down today and fill you in on a few more details through pen and paper. Love you love you!

Please tell the Nielsens that I was so thrilled to receive their thanksgiving card! They are too sweet. If they are sending a Christmas card out this year I would love to receive one. Tell them I love them and am so thankful for their support and prayers. How are Brady and Kip doing? Are they just about done with school? Is Britt just happy as ever? What is going on with each of them?