The Baptismal Covenant ........week 62

Well I spent a ton of time sending photos and trying to get other things ready for the week today so I will have to make this email short.

This week we had a sweet experience with a stake activity we planned. We called the activity My Baptismal Covenant and we made a presentation of all of the photos of the recent converts from the stake with music and video. It turned out really well but it had its struggles. We had to do the project 3 times before it was all through and that is between spurts of lost information and the lights going out. but the people really liked it and the Mission President and Stake President spoke in the meeting. I felt the Lord was satisfied with our efforts.

As for the work, everything is great. There isn't a better cause to be engaged in. I invite us all to think of our past and it will surprise us how much the church and the gospel have influenced us. I know that whatever blessing I have received has been through obedience to the laws and ordinances of the gospel. I thank my Heavenly Father for giving me the great opportunity to serve Him and teach others the same.

In the Gospel Principles class this week we felt a great spirit and we had two more families come to church to listen. We should be able to see the fruits in the next few days and weeks of all the efforts we have putting in. Sean, it brings me an indescribable joy to know that you will be fighting in this cause no so very far away. I thank you for your example and may the Lord bless you for your service. Enjoy every minute. Oh and by the way, a sister missionary is leaving from Las Palmas, my ward right now and is reporting to the Provo MTC this week too. Keep an eye out for the sister. She knows me but I don't know how good her Spanish is. Anyway, maybe you'll see her and she say hi if she sees you. She goes to the Provo mission.

I love you all. May the Lord always watch over you and direct you.

I will always keep you posted...sorry for the short letter.

Elder Grant Russell

Like a Toddler, the Mission begins to Take it's First Steps...We Can Be Obedient and Be Better Every Day.........week 61

There is a strange phenomenon in the mission. Every day is filled with spiritual experiences that we more commonly call miracles. Every night as I go to bed I try to write them down. I do so all week long and then when Monday comes, I try to remember them all and I can´t remember anything. Ha ha, it just becomes one big blur. Let´s see if I can remember a few highlights.

We had our first Multi-zone conference with President Monestel and we met his family. They are great! He is definitely a change from President Fraatz so it will be a good opportunity to learn more and take advantage of his example and spirit. He is a great teacher and really knows how to relate with the missionaries. I look forward to working with him.

Like a toddler, the Nicaragua South Mission is beginning to take its first steps. We are learning in the way and the interesting thing will be to see how the leaders of the mission help the new missionaries to be obedient and hardworking. Many leaders leave in the next few changes so we will have to make the needed changes.

We are planning an activity to help the recent converts and invite new investigators to learn more about baptism and other church functions. We are going to put all the recent converts´ baptismal photos on the big screen so they can remember the big day and we are going to add in a few testimonies too. This Saturday it is scheduled. As a Zone Leader, we work closely with the Stake Presidency to plan the activities. It makes me think a lot about dad and all of the activities he has planned in the last few years in the high council. I know how much dad likes those activities. It is all part of the mission. I get a lot of experience working with church leaders and it is such an opportunity.

This week we had a chance encounter with a member from Las Colinas (Ticuantepe) from my area about a year ago. She told me that all the converts we baptized there are going to church. That made me so happy! I was thrilled to hear that one of the sons of the big family we baptized is preparing to leave on his mission soon. It is quite the experience! Sean, you are in for the experience of your life. The same young man that said he liked the way we prayed the first lesson we taught will teach hundreds to do the same in another land. Also, one family that moved from the area but that visits every once in a while says that they are attending the ward in another city and that is a very small branch. But for me, it doesn´t matter if it is small or big, if they just go to church and keep the commandments. Hopefully they can be sealed in the next few months because they are about to hit the year mark. Exciting huh?

One of the focuses of the new mission president is that we can be obedient and be better every day. That is my goal. I want to know that I am constantly becoming more like the Savior. I think many days we don’t recognize the small changes but the more time I have in the mission the more I realize that the Lord is shaping my character for future opportunities to serve. As for now my beloved family, do what is right and the Lord will always bless you! Sean, enjoy every moment. Be thankful for Mom and Dad (and for your siblings ha ha). We have choice parents. After meeting families in another part of the world, I can truthfully say that we are born of goodly parents. Give them a big hug before you leave! I have learned that Changes are like road signs that signal that growth is ahead.

Until next week,

Elder Grant Russell

Nicaragua Managua South Mission.........week 60

The Nicaragua Mission has officially been Split and I stay in the South! We said goodbye to President Fraatz and his family after three years of miracles. He has left a legacy here of hard work and diligence. He definitely was a leader inspired of the Lord and with a vision of what Nicaragua could achieve. And he did it! Tuesday morning President Monestel and his family from Costa Rica flew in and they come with a huge desire to serve the Lord. We didn´t have to wait more than one day and the President was already worried about us and called us as a mission to ask about the zone and even asked us for advice! I was somewhat surprised but I felt grateful to know that the President would keep up the good work here in Nicaragua and that he wants to do so in the way that the Lord has directed him. I was shocked that he would be humble enough as a President to ask us the missionaries for advice. That was touching to me. I think we will work well together.

During the week we having been really working harder than ever before and we had so many spiritual experiences for try to put all of our heart, might, mind and strength in the work. With that pace we get very tired and crash at night but it is all worth it if it is for the kingdom of the Lord. At 9 pm one day we hadn´t completed with our goal of 3 baptismal goals with investigators and we felt like the Lord would help us to complete. I mentioned it to my companion and automatically we went to contact a family that was sitting on the right hand side of the street. Being in Las Palmas over 50 years, the church is pretty well known. However, this new couple had never even heard of the church and had been housekeeping for over 6 months there. The Father was injured from a work related accident and was on crutches. They have a small 2 year old boy that is just adorable and 2 week old baby. They were the ideal, humble family that could receive us. We talked about the Gospel of Jesus Christ and put the last 2 baptismal dates at 9:15pm and we felt the assuring witness that the Lord was happy with us for our faith in having completed our goals. That is a good feeling. The best families always come out when it is time to go home.

Along with that miracle comes the second part…the family came to church on Sunday. We had been fasting to have a family in church that could get baptized this month. We had two families come to church with a total of 12 investigators. I think it was the best day of bringing investigators in my mission. I was thrilled! I thanked the Lord That despite the rain, these people showed their faith in coming to church this Sunday.

I find that the Lord really does His part when we do our part. Like I said, it was the week that I think we were most focused in the work and look and see what happened! It was awesome. This work is just so cool! I see miracles every day. But I know when it is all said and done, it isn´t me that does the converting and changing of these people, it is the spirit of the Lord. I feel so grateful that He is using me as an instrument in His hands.

As for the mission split, we had a leaders meeting with the President this morning. We are going to meet with his family in smaller groups for the time being but next month we are going to have a meeting with the whole mission I think. He is very powerful in his lessons. He is a teacher and is just as concerned about who we are as what we do. He says he wants to feel that we are a missionary with only the handshake. I was impacted by that. I received a witness that he is called of God and the President that we need in this time in Nicaragua.

As for this week, I say goodbye from Nicaragua. May His spirit guide you to touch lives.

Elder Grant Russell

As for the package, I will see tomorrow…I don’t know yet.

The Savior Stands Beside Me........week 59

Dear Family,

Thank you for your thoughts and prayers on my behalf! The mission just keeps on moving on and I am shocked and thrilled for Brian and Jon! I can’t believe that the two years are already up for them! I am sure that they have served the two years with all of their heart might mind and strength. I imagine that their countenances (along with being two years older) have been filled with an indescribable light and love that comes from serving the Lord. It is the experience of a life time and I am living it up! I really feel the hand of the Lord in my life daily guiding me, shaping me, lifting me up and wiping the tears away from my cheeks. I have come to know those two gentle hands of His. With such perfect love they hold me up.

Last week we had the Farewell Conference for President Fraatz. It was like standing in a holy place. This man has changed my life. I will forever look to him for an example of faith, obedience, hard work, creativity, and diligence. That is what he has taught us here. It is true that I sang a song and played piano for the first time ever (writing the lyrics and all too) and it turned out really well. It was a part of a (music and the spoken I received many compliments but the best feeling I received was to know that the Lord was happy with my sacrifice. It wasn’t so easy after all. The mission is now officially split and one new President comes tomorrow. The other President will come Wednesday and it will be quite the hectic day of training for President Fraatz. He is excited to serve the Lord in his next calling. In that sacred setting the mission President put us under covenant to do two great things and I felt like it was a bout as serious as the covenants we make in the temple. He put us under oath to never murmur and to always continue with all energy of heart to serve in the church wherever we might be in the future. I have covenanted with the Lord and I feel strengthened in my capabilities to complete with this covenant.

Due to a list of so many spiritual experiences that I have weekly, it is most difficult to decide what to write about. We continue to prepare investigators for baptism. This week we baptized a super awesome lady that was a reference of a member. Migdalia is a wife of an inactive member but she is going to change this family. I have faith that in the future, she and her husband will be dressed in white together making covenants with the lord over the sacred altar of the temple. She is reading the Book of Mormon and has a strong testimony of the church! It was a pleasure to teach her. She invited us over to her house on Saturday night after the baptism and with such love thanked us for what we had done for her and her family. We continue to teach Jamie too and he is super excited for this Saturday. He is understanding the lessons really well and is making huge progress in his repentance.

I have found the over the course of 2 months my teaching of the Plan of Salvation has drastically improved. Why? I have been focusing all of my teaching in the Book of Mormon. The spirit is so strong when one teaches the Plan with the Book of Mormon that investigators can’t help but accept it. The Book of Mormon is true. My favorite part was when we taught about the Atonement and testified that this man would be able to be forgiven of his sins…no matter how big or great. I am eternally grateful for this Great Example, the man who took away my sins. I thank Him for His patience, His long suffering with me. I thank Him for not only walking the Garden of Gethsemane but for also walking by my side when I feel I am in similar experiences. There is nothing that I feel that is outside His understanding. I love Him. That is why I do what I do.

May He walk by your side always…

Elder Grant Russell

He's Home....Elder Fernandez

Another one of our "sons" is home. Elder Brian Fernandez returned from Argentina today.

Update on Elder Aroche

Hi Grant, (June 22 Tuesday)
I wanted to send you an update. I received an email from Sis. Paula Glasset whose husband was one of the dentists that came to Nicaragua. I have cut and pasted the emails in order so you can see the responses. Sis. Glasset send a photo as well I will send on.
Mom


Message June 16th
Paula,
Thank you so much for the photo. I was just thinking about that trip (dentists) on Monday when I wrote to Elder Grant Russell. I had emailed Sis. Sheila Kunz about the trip since she is on missionary moms with me when she mentioned she had gone on the trip. She shared with me about Chase Moffat. He is a family friend, and in our home ward. It was fun to hear of the trip. I was wondering if anyone knew the happenings of Elder Aroche. He was Grant's companion that had to go home because of the mass found on the xray of his jaw. I was hoping to contact the DR. and get an update so I can let Grant know. Do you know who it was?
Thank you again for the photo.
Vicki Russell
Medford, OR


Tuesday, June 22, 2010 11:30 AM

Sorry for the delay. I wanted to get an update for you on Elder Aroche before I responded. Here is an excerpt from an email I received from Lesa Peers. (Dr. Wade Peers is the oral surgeon that preformed the surgery). What an amazing experience and what great blessings came from the service in Nicaragua.

Ricardo is doing great! He is just like a part of our family now and it will be hard to say goodbye on Wednesday ( tomorrow June 23 he heads back to the misson) when he goes back, but he is so excited, it's hard not to be happy for him! He has been healing very well and Wade feels like he is ready. He will have his last appt. today (Tuesday) for a final check up and then leaves SLC at 7am on Wed.. He found out last night that he will now be in the Managua NORTH mission, as the mission is splitting at the end of the month. President Fraatz is also being released as his mission president at the same time and it will be big changes and a bit sad for him--but he is ready to get to work and be a missionary again! He is such a trooper! It has been a true privilege to have him in our home for 6 weeks--he has brought the sweetest spirit and taught us much. What a wonderful young man he is.

I have forwarded the update to Elder Hanks, one the AP's, in hopes that he will let the other Elders know of the status of Elder Aroche. There are a great bunch of American missionaries down there. It was super fun to visit with them.

With love,
Paula Glassett


Grant, I was able to get the phone # of Bro. Peers, and left a message for Elder Aroche on their home phone. Unfortunately I didn't get to talk to him directly, but sent our love and best wishes to him over the message machine. I told him how grateful I am as a mother for his service with you. He is excited to return to the mission. I hope you will be able to see him before the mission split at the end of the month. He will return tomorrow, so that's exciting. I am going to run, but wanted you to know if case you hadn't gotten the news. Talk to you in the next letter...Monday...
Mom

The Change Within........week 58

So family…it looks like everything is well with you! It makes me so proud to see that my family is happy and together and enjoying the blessings of faithfulness to the principles of the gospel.

This week we had changes in the zone…and I stayed in Managua another change. I think I am going to break a record here because a lot of missionaries don’t stay too long. But I like it here. My new companion is Elder Espinal from Honduras, Tegucigalpa. He is awesome…obedient, funny, animated, and can teach well. Only downside is that I won’t teach with him much because they are splitting up the zone leaders now by putting four missionaries in every area to work in rotations. My other new companion is Elder Ico from Guatemala. He is a good missionary that likes to teach and has a desire to help the people. I think we will have a good change.

The recent converts are really starting to progress. In fact, we have felt the need to help the investigators stay active by having them pray and read the scriptures and have their family home evenings. We felt like if we take care of what the Lord has given us He will give us more…which means more baptisms. The Castro family (the small family of the missionary in Guatemala) has been showing a lot of faith. The mom has a country home about an hour from Managua and she has to take care of the house over the weekends a lot. This Sunday she walked about 3 miles to find the highway and then take a bus for an hour to come to church. She arrived in time for the sacrament meeting. That made me felt good. She made a big sacrifice and showed the Lord that she really wanted to be in church. Her daughter came two with one of the little kids.

It has been quite crazy preparing for the going home presentation for President Fraatz. We have a few things planned out and they have asked me to write a song for the piano...and I have to sing it too. So along with the normal activities and responsibilities I have been working on that. Today I am finally finishing…good thing too because tomorrow is the conference with the whole mission. It is going to be very exciting…

In all these times of change, the spirit reflects on the change within. I have realized that under the direction of this great man, President Fraatz, I have grown and changed a lot. I understand the principles of the gospel better. I a lack a lot of learning but I feel like I can live these principles well enough to teach them to investigators with power and authority. With your comment about Sean´s future departure, I think of the last plane ride I had too. I was arriving with little knowledge but a lot of desire. That desire has been converted into hard work, sweat, sore feet and aching knees. I feel more like the Savior and I feel like I owe so much to the teachings of President Fraatz. I realize and know with a surety that my calling to Nicaragua had a lot to do with my mission president. The calling is truly inspired.

On the way to write today, I was stopped by an inactive man, a man with a troubling past but with a great testimony. He shared with us his past trials and then we said a quick prayer together. He had 10 years of inactivity. He asked who the prophet was. He served a mission, was married in the temple and very active in the church but when the problems came he left. He said it wasn´t a coincidence that he felt the desire to stop us and ask for a prayer. He hadn´t spoken to missionaries in a very long time. It wasn´t a coincidence. We were able to help the Lord in His work and bless a life. This is just one of many experiences that happen daily in a mission.

I testify that God lives and loves us. I testify that His Son Jesus Christ is our Savior. I know that He called the Prophet Joseph Smith and that through him we have the restored church and the Book of Mormon. I pray that we might have opportunities to touch others´lives. May we be a tender mercy in another person´s life.

Love you all,

Elder Grant Russell