Justin sent this letter in response to a request from the Hardings who were called to serve as Mission Presidents for the Stake Youth Mission Conference. They felt that Justins testimony would inspire those youth to serve a mission when they come of age...
BUENOS DIAS A LOS MISSIONEROS EN LA MISION DE TEXAS DALLAS! The Lord can only bless so many people by sending them to the Texas Dallas Heaven and how lucky yall are to be a part of it!!! Makes me think of President Durrant's favorite song...
"I'm in heavenI'm in heavenIn the Texas Dallas MissionI'm in heavenI'm in heavenIn the Texas Dallas MissionI'm in heavenI'm in heavenIn the Texas Dallas Mission
I'M IN HEAVEN!!!"
Well I hope yall feel like you're in heaven because I sure do! So to welcome yall I figured I'd send this shout out and give yall a little summary on what I've been doing out here in the mission field. So far I've sered in Oak Cliff (the ghetto of South Dallas), Greenville (middle of nowhere farm country in East Texas), Plano (the wealthiest community in all of Texas and the 6th wealthiest in the nation), and then we just opened up a new area in Garland (back in the Ghetto but this time in North Dallas!)
After praying for miracles day after day, we started teaching a felon that has progressed better than anyone I've seen, a family of 5 and then another family of 7 along with so many other people we have been teaching and progressing them towards baptism!
Just in case you didn't know, we baptize weekly in the Texas Dallas Mission and have been scrambling from baptismal service to baptismal service as the work seems to go faster and faster than I've ever seen it before!
We are a bold mission. We are a bold mission and contact everyone we see, inviting them all to baptism wherever they may be!
My companion's name is Elder Duce and he's from Nampa Idaho and it's his first transfer on the mission so we're having all sorts of crazy experiences as he's still trying to learn more Spanish than "Hola" and "Yo Quiero Taco Bell" haha. He's actually 18 years old, fresh out of High School and proof of the faithful response to the Lord's call this past October, just like yall are!
I hope and pray that yall truly take advantage of this Youth Conference just like I was able to do about 4 years ago! I was called to serve in the Texas San Antonio Mission and I remember that night when I got my real call, as I was waiting to open it, Marcus Vandaventer said "How crazy would it be if you actually got called to Texas like we were in that one Youth Conference?!?"
So who knows, maybe you'll be lucky enough someday haha but this conference truly was a great experience for me. It helped me to understand a little bit of what life on the mission is like, feel the THRILL of sharing the gospel with others and the excitement of being apart of such a big group going forth in more noble a cause than the world has ever seen before!
I hope that you feel the bond between you and others as you take part in this great and marvelous work and that the friendships you create here will last forever like mine did. I also want to invite you to bring one doubt, question, concern, or desire to this conference and pray to receive what you're looking for. Please pray EARNESTLY and I know that the Lord cannot deny you an answer due to the valor of your calling! I know that this is true because when I was in yall's shoes, this conference strengthened my Testimony as I continued to learn, practice, and share the truths of the Gospel. I was able to see how truly inspired our leaders are and how ready and willing they are to guide you no matter what situation you are in. I know that this experience will prepare you to make the decision on whether or not the Lord needs you to set apart 2 years/18 months of your life for full, satisfying service for the Savior.
With that I join my testimony to that of the First Presidency in saying "The Lord will reward and richly bless you as you humbly and prayerfully serve Him. More happiness awaits you than you have ever experienced as you labor among His children." (PMG "First Presidency Message") No matter where you may be, I promise you that you will see the hand of the Lord performing many miracles these next few days because this work is his work, and will go forth until it has penetrated every ear and reached every corner of the earth. He will lead and guide every action you make in his work and remember, No action is wasted when you are in the service of the Lord. May he protect you, fortify your testimony, and bless you in all that you do is my humble prayer as your Brother, thrusting the sickle in as hard as I can into the rich field of Dallas Texas, in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
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