Hola mi Familia,

"Therefore, verily, thus saith the Lord, let Zion rejoice, for this is Zion "THE PURE IN HEART."

It's been a busy good week. We've seen lots of less actives we're working hard to find. A lot of people who haven't come in a long time came to church on Sunday. It was really exciting. Our investigators are all women whose husbands aren't interested...and of course it's the husband's cell phone numbers we have. So it's been hard staying in contact his week. But we're doing our best. We taught 4 lessons yesterday evening and the member that invited us for dinner had a friend that wanted to learn more. I used my Milanesa making skills and when we told her about the Book of Mormon she said, "God loves all His children...that makes sense." Amen hermana! It's so nice when things click without extensive teaching. That made my heart happy.

I'm getting chubby (gordita) in this ward. And there's a ton of Dominicans. I highly recommend fried plantains. So Lisa, they want to know what wards you served in and when and I'm going to need more journal entries :-) They thought it was funny I knew a little about huelgas and tigres. They're some of our most active members. One said when he first saw missionaries in the 70s he thought they were CIA agents.I can't think of any knock down drag out spiritual experiences this week to share. I've taken a lot of good little families on tour. I like teaching kids now. I didn't used to, because it's more of an adult tour. But it really is more fun when you play games with kids and get to think out of the box a little bit. This weeks creation is "Sister Missionary Says." It's gone over pretty well. I put the kids in the play cabin (similar in function to the toy room) at the end and lay the history and dates and names and places of interest on the adults. Most of the kids end up realizing that "Zion" means obeying commandments and being nice to each other. And my most common Preach My Gospel/Missionary commitment/challenge for them at the end of the tour is to not hit each other for a whole week, so they can have "Zion" in their mini-van. I wish I could follow up.

We had interviews with President and Sister Van Komen last week. They work so hard. They had only eaten a brownie each the whole day and refused to cut interviews short. They were so nice and so excited just to meet everyone. We went and got them lunch, brought it back to the stake center after our interviews and made them eat it. Greenies don't know the importance of HALT (hungry angry lonely tired). You gotta stop and take care of yourself sometimes. Their kids are all adopted and their daughter is a ski patrol rescue person who detonates avalanches and the dogs have to come find her in the snow sometimes. She jumps out of helicopters! Coooool, huh? We're going to hang out next winter.

One thing that was kind of hard this week is there's a golden family who can't get baptized, because they would have to return to Mexico to get divorces from their previous spouses to completely live the Law of Chastity. But they've been encountering other obstacles too, and the husband said he wasn't coming to church anymore for personal reasons. He's been more active that most members. And after that lesson I walked out of the house feeling like I lost of friend in battle. It's hard to explain. But the Gospel is urgent. We went straight to another appointment with other investigators and I testified that they NEEDED to read and NEEDED to pray and seek a testimony and COME to church. Because the war that was in heaven between good and evil is Here. Now. I hate casualites. But it reminds me this is important. Moreso than anything else.

Family, I love ya. Keep doing all the good you do. And recognize differences and made that you don't see. "Love endureth by dilligence..." (Moroni 8:26). Thank you.

Con carino,

Hna Deb

The date on the picture is wrong. Hna. Deb and other Sister Missionaries at the Visitors Center.

Querida Familia Mia,

"And again, verily I say unto you that it is your privilege, and a promise I give unto you that have been ordained unto this ministry, that inasmuch as you strip yourselves from jealousies and fears, and humble yourselves before me, for ye are not sufficiently humble, the veil shall be rent and you shall see me and know that I am—not with the carnal neither natural mind, but with the spiritual." (D&C 67:10)

I've met some amazing people this week. People whose struggles I couldn't even begin to understand. A woman called for a free Bible. We called ahead and after her daughter called off their 'friendly (face-eating) dog' we went in their home to drop it off and this woman was elderly with a cast and recovering from foot surgery. She lived with her daughter and had received a Book of Mormon before, but gave it to someone else. So we gave her another one and taught her about the restoration. But she taught us a lot about humility. She wants to come to church. We haven't figured out how yet. She's so sick. But next time we meet her we'll figure out something.

Our High Priests leader was sick and our ward mission leader had fallen off the roof of his truck hit the side, then the ground on Saturday. He's in his 60s. He claimed 'he just bruised a couple ribs.' He was there Sunday at 9am for Correlation decked out in gold suit and fedora like usual. I was so impressed. He didn't stay, so we taught his Gospel Principles class. We had 2 investigators come this week.

There's another sister in our ward who's wonderful and optimistic and a little mentally/socially challenged. We went to her apartment a couple weeks ago on accident. She helped us figure out where we were going. She also told us Bishop had given her the assignment to call everyone on the ward list to see if the number worked and if they wanted to come to church. She did it! She gave us two names of people who just didn't have transportation and we went to go see them this week. She also showed us her awesome unicorn collection and her plates. One the walls in her apartment, by the ceiling she has a line of plates. Each with a name. They represent family members and close friends who've died. She even had one with an extensive list of pets. She cares so much about people. So I was really worried this Sunday when we went to church and she was distraught. Her niece had cancer. No insurance. She was mad at God. Didn't want to come to church anymore. We didn't have much to say. Just that we loved her and hugged her. And I shared a couple scriptures with her during sacrament meeting. Talked a little bit about the plan of salvation. There was a special musical number and I think it was for her, too. By the end of the 3 hours I saw her gain hope. And that night she called me to tell us her niece started chemo. I hope it works out. We're going to go see her this week. I never thought people I barely know would matter so much to me.

That night we went and saw a sister with Diabetes. She volunteered to feed us. She lost her vision a month ago and I'm amazed how independent she is, but you can see she's still so frustrated. And wants to do more. She's been an active member of the church for about 30 years. I guess she used to take the missionaries around all the time. We need to find someone to teach in her home. But she told us she KNOWS if it's God's will. She will get her vision back. It's true. She's been thinking a long time about asking for a blessing. I felt so insignificant when she said that. She's inspiring. It's hard to explain but the Spirit was there and I know it, because I want to do better. I want to help more.

I've been thinking a lot this week about these people and I don't understand them. I'm sure how to. But last night Sister Gray came back to the visitor center for FHE. She's single and a little less accountable like Mandy. And she loooovvves to talk. She's stayed at the visitor center for 5 hours one time. So I didn't jump right up and volunteer for that tour. I was the one who took her around last week. But she wanted to see God's Plan for His Family (again). She talked through most of presentation. Well...she testified through most of the presentation. "'Happiness in Family life'-that's what I want", "I know when you obedient you always abound in in good works", "God loves us-always, always". I just nodded and smiled, but I felt my heart softening and in the last video. When I saw the picture of the Savior healing the leper in his tent I teared up. I've seen that video almost as many times as Sister Gray now, but didn't think I'd ever met the leper or the dumb or the blind like Jesus did. But I'm beginning to. And I'm trying to find faith like them. I'm the person in the back of that picture, peeking around the corner to see if Jesus will do, what He really says He will.

Anyway, thanks for letting me be here. I love you all and I hope you find the Lord's hand in this week.

Sister Deb

Dear Family,

It's been a wonderful week and serving in Riverview is becoming a littleless tornado a little more sun shower. I played piano in sacrament meeting (hehehe). Hymns made easy. I think I hit the majority of the notes. The second verse was fairly accurate even if the third was mostlyA Capella. The three investigators I mentioned in my letter last week were there with their friend.

I really enjoyed Relief Society. It was the highlight of my day. This week it was the combined Spanish/English again. And the teacher was teaching in English and not waiting for her translator, so she was talking at the same time and trying to translate answers to questions and everyone was participating, because the teacher asked, "What are some daily difficulties you face?" That's a loaded, but very therapeutic question to respond to. The southern African American sisters were going off and the Latina grandmas were like, "Lemme jus tell somsing to ju!" and the Utahns would stand when called upon and quietly give very long, entailed, profound responses that the sister translating had some issues coveying. At the end we were asked to read our scriptures and pray everyday this week, I quietly said, "Si, se puede." (Yes, we can.) with a smile and I accidentally set off the grandmas who chanted that with their fists in the air a few times. It really was a spiritual lesson. I don't know how, but it was. I think our investigator liked it, too. The testimonies weren't translated at the end and one sister finished the lesson with hers and I could tell our investigator was touched.

This week has been awesome. There were 9 nonmembers at church. This area of Kansas City has a lot of room to grow and it's exciting. People are humble and have to make sacrifices to come and so the regulars are so solid and blessed with so many missionary opportunities. I love teaching in Spanish and I'm learning a lot. Especially from my companion, Sister Werrett. She is a lot like Megan. I like her lots. So I we're very busy and I'm doing my best to learn the ginormous area.

Happy belated Independence Day from Independence Missouri! They have this huge fireworks display right behind the Visitor Center. There were a about 2000 people in attendance and lots of them had to come into the VC to use the bathroom so we took them on tour until the fireworks got started. I took a couple people to the Christus statue who wanted to meet with the missionaries when invited to do so. It was exciting. And one of the eternigators [eternal investigators] from 2nd ward brought in this huge picnic for all the sisters at the center and we went out on the back porch and had the best seat in the house to watch the fireworks. President Van Komen was there. It's a hard calling. Sister Van Komen skipped and went to sleep instead, they'd had such a crazy week. It was his birthday though, so hecame out and one of the sisters had made him a card.

There's been a lot of big names here. I got to take two former mission presidents on tour in Spanish and that was fun. One was traveling homefrom the Dominican Republic and the others were former presidents from Bolivia. They were really nice. They complimented my Spanish. So you know they're REALLY nice.

We're 3 for 15. President Uchtdorf, his wife and twins were doing their family vacation of the church history sites. Sister Williams came in from Lenexa, KS, because she was in his stake in Germany. She speaks about 5 languages. And it was neat to shake his hand and welcome him there. It sounds silly, but it is a testimony building experience. I've spent sometime with "Apostle Sheldon," one of the leaders of the Church of Christ-Temple Lot. I've helped teach the son of the prophet of the "Remnant Church of Latter-Day Saints." I've taken "Community of Christ" leaders and pastors of other denominations on tour. Some of them have been wonderful, because you can see they've filled their lives with service. Others have chips on their shoulders you can almost see. But no matter their personality, they are not called and set apart by the authority of God. When you talk to bishops and Stake Presidents and particularly mission presidents, you sense authority. When they speak it's by the power of the Holy Ghost. Elder Holland and President Uchtdorf both have a comforting aura of power and and attitude of kindness that can only come from someone higher.

I have a testimony that this is Christ's church on the earth today. "And also unto my faithful servants who are of the high council of my church in Zion, for thus it shall be called, and unto all the elders and people of my Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, scattered abroad in all the world; For thus shall my church be called in the last days, even The Churchof Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Verily I say unto you all: Arise and shine forth, that thy light maybe a standard for the nations; And that the gathering together upon the land of Zion, and upon herstakes, may be for a defense, and for a refuge from the storm, and from wrath when it shall be poured out without mixture upon the whole earth." Doctrine and Covenants 115

We've been promised that Christ's church will never again fall into darkness and that if we are prepared we shall not fear any calamity that may fall upon this country or around the world. We are set apart and peculiar and I know our leader are men of God set apart by His authority, His Priesthood.

Love you all. Thanks so much for being there for me. And for those that are getting this that aren't in my family and have written me I'm writing today.

Love Sister Deb