Hi,

We found two new investigators this week. Jose and Glenda. I had found their names on a sticky note cleaning the apartment. They weren't in potentials, so I called not knowing anything about them. We went over. They had been committed for baptism at one point, but stopped coming to church when a man, not a member of the church, but whose kids do attend church, tried to kill him. I found his teaching record and he still has many of the same concerns as he once had. But he said whether he joins
our church or not, even if he had slammed the door in the face of Sister Rounds and Hernandez, we have done what Heavenly Father wants us to do and worked out our salvation.

That's similar to what President Van Komen told me in interviews this week. He said, “Sister, what makes a successful mission?” and I thought he was asking about the mission of Independence, MO. So I said, “Baptisms and reactivation.” And apparently he meant like, “What makes MY mission successful?” So blonde. Anyway, he said, “It's the conviction of your testimony. If I see you in twenty years and you are still active...you had successful mission.” I thought that was great, because
this is my last email. And looking back and judging old emails, won't tell me if my emails were successful. We're to look forward and outward, not back. And when I said that, I felt more emboldened and in control.

Climbing a mountain, it doesn't make any sense to feel bad that 2 hours ago, I wasn't at the altitude or as far as I am now or that I didn't take a better way. But praying for strength to make up for any lost time and to enjoy and the journey ahead does. God doesn't ask us to climb mountains because He needs us to, it's because we need to.

I've learned a lot from my sisters here and Sister Stowell says, “The Gospel is Joy.” That's profound and true. For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ for it is the power of God unto salvation. I know that faith in the Savior Jesus Christ and in His atonement will bring us happiness. I know that relying on His grace will bring us a peace. Through Him we are made clean and whole. That is why the Church is true, because the keys to that atonement and that cleansing power are
restored.

I love you. Thank you.

Hermana Deb