Dear Family,

So this week was really fun... and stressful. It was full of making plans for the baptism that we had on Sunday. The baptism of Hermano Porfirio Palacio was really great. He was so nervous and afterwards he was just so happy. He is proof that the Lord is preparing people in all parts of the world. I have no doubt that he will be an amazingly strong member of the church and I am excited for the day when he can be sealed in the temple and have an eternal family. 

This week we went to open a new part in our area. Its called Caizan and its about an hour away on the bus... so me and my companion (who was Hermana McCormick and the time because we were on divisions) headed out. We got off at a random place and just started talking to everyone! It was super cool because I had contacted a lady on the bus who is a Jehovahs Witness and she said, "I want to come with you two and help you get to know the area" we were like... "uhh YEAH! Sure!" So, for the first time in what I am sure is history two sister missionaries had a lady who was a Jehovahs Witness accompany them. She introduced us to her family, her friends, her neighbors, everyone she knew. We got to talk with all of them and some are really positive investigators! It is amazing how well it worked out and how many references we received. 

So this week due to some things that were happening in algunos investigators I studied a lot about eternal marriage and why it is essential to live in the highest degree of glory. I was studying a lot the section from D&C 131:1-4. So, here is what I have realized. Men have the priesthood power, women have the power of procreation, God has both. In order to live in the highest kingdom, we must become Gods, we must be like our Heavenly Father.. that is to say that we must have BOTH powers. BUT! Men do not have the power of procreation and women do not have the power of the priesthood. So, we must be sealed to the other in order to obtain both powers. God has said, "and they shall be one flesh" when they are married. So, when we have become sealed, we have access to both of these powers, and can then become as God is and live with him in the highest degree of celestial glory.

Just a thought for yall. 

I hope that your week was great and that everyone is doing wonderful! I cant wait to talk to yall in two weeks! I hope you know that you are always in my prayers and that I know the Lord is here protecting every one of us. I love my mission so much and though it isnt easy I wouldnt trade it for anything!

Love you all!

Love, Hermana Eardley

will anyone who reads this also read D&C 132? especially vs. 52-54  Also Joseph Smith said in History of the church vol. 5. ch. 26 a Revelation on the Eternity of the Marriage Covenant, including the Plurality of wives.  Given through Joseph, the Seer, in Navoo, Hancock County, Illinois, July 11th, 1843.  "I reveal unto you a new and everlasting covenant; and if ye abide not the covenant, then are ye damned; for no one can reject this covenant and be permitted to enter into my glory;"  This is also in vs.4.  Section 132 was given all at once and the new and everlasting covenant was polygamy.  You can read the unedited version in History of the Church online.

Bruce R Mcconkie said in Mormon Doctrine, 1966 ed.  "Obviously the holy practice (of plural marriage) will commence again after the second coming of the son of man and the ushering in of the millennium"

Brigham Young said "The only men who become Gods, even the Sons of God, are those who enter into polygamy.  Others attain unto a glory and may even be permitted to come into the presence of the Father and the Son; but they cannot reign as kings in glory, because they had blessings offered unto them, and they refused to accept them.

Also Emma Smith did not follow Brigham Young to Utah but she and her son stayed in navoo and joined church called the reorganized church of jesus christ of latter day saints.  Her son Joseph lll was the prophet they do not believe in Polygamy.  They still own the kirtland temple.  They have a web site that says what they believe.  They are called the community of christ now.

Also read Genesis ch 3.  What did the serpent tell eve that decieved her?
Also read Dueteronomy 17:17

8 MONTHS TODAY

Dear Family,

First, Happy Birthday Kason! I love you so much and I hope your birthday is a blast! How old are you now? Have you decided on what sport you are going to be playing professionally? Please let me know. I promise I am thinking about you and praying for you. Love you buddy! Keep being awesome!

So what happened this week? 

What happened with me? I honestly have no idea. 

This week we have focussed on our investigator Porfirio. He is golden. I seriously can not believe that he hasnt be found or taught by missionaries before. He is getting baptized Sunday afternoon. I am so happy for him! I can totally imagine him being a branch president or stake president one day. 

The Gospel is so perfect! It is amazing how it can highlight our talents and help us become better people. It is so simple, but it was made for everyone. The gospel can touch us in so many different ways and can help us in our specific difficulties... its such a testimony builder to me. Think of how many people there are in the world... and somehow the gospel is specific to each one of us. Gods plan is perfect. 

So apparently we have adopted a frog. every night when we get home, there he is. It is so big and my companion HATES THEM. It is super funny to see her freak out every night before we get to the house because she is terrified to see this huge toad sitting on our porch. I just giggle every time.

My companions birthday was last monday. I dont remember if I told yall.. 

In all honesty our area is pretty slow right now. We are doing a lot of contacting to try to find new investigators. Its not the ideal situation, and my companion is a little disanimated because we havent had a lot of success in our area. We are working really hard and we are sure that it will pay off here soon, but right now we are in what you would call a rough patch.

Yo se que vive mi Señor. Yo se que este es Su obra y que El tiene un plan para cada uno de nosotros. No tengo nigun duda sobre este evangelio ni el Libro de Mormon. 

Les amo bastante y espero que tengan una buena semana. Siempre estan en mis oraciones. 

Hasta la proxima semana!

Con amor, Hermana Eardley

Personal Revelation

Mi Querido Familia,

Bueno, una otra semena ya vino y paso. No puedo creerlo. Siento que las semanas están pasando bien rápido. Este semana fue muy buena. 

(Well, another week has come and gone. I cant believe it. I feel like the weeks are passing really fast. This week was good.)

Primeramente, hicimos divisiones este semana y yo estaba con una nueva misionera de Utah! Ella se llama Hermana Boyd. Teníamos divertido y a veces nos perdimos. Creo que fue un buena experiencia para ella y teníamos la oportunidad a hablar mucho sobre los dificultades de la misión... 

(First, we did exchanges this week and I was with a new missionary from Utah! Her name is Sister Boyd. We had fun and at times got lost. I believe that it was a good experience for her and we had the opportunity to talk a lot about the difficulties of the mission...)

Okay, sorry. 

So this week I learned something really special. I am not sure if I can explain it well, or if yall will recieve the same "ah ha" moment that I did, but I am sure going to try. We were talking about our fears. What is your fear when you walk out the door each morning? That was the question for each of us. My fear is that I wont be able to accomplish what the Lord has planned for me that day. One Elder had a fear that for some reason stood out to me, it was not being able to say everything that he needed to say. I focussed on it; I studied it, and I had found a few answers, but this week we were on exchanges and I was with a new sister from Utah. Her fear is Spanish. I tried to console her and tell her how good her spanish actually is, then I related the story of when we talked about fears (she wasnt there at the time). I told her about my fear and about the Elders fear, and then she said something that gave a new meaning to Ether 12:27. (the day before we did practices and this same Elder was in our group). She explained that the day before, when one of us had a question, the Elder immediately had an answer; she explained that I am one of the most obedient missionaries she had met and through obedience the Lord can direct us everyday, then she understood that she too could speak spanish. This conversation that I had with her hit me really hard. I have Ether 12:27 practically memorized, but I have never actually considered it in this light... "and if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that the may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them" when we recognize our weakness, when God shows it to us, if we accept it humbly, he will help us strengthen it. This sister has a fear of Spanish, but her spanish is a lot better than mine was when I started. That Elder has a fear of not being able to say everything he needs to say, but he is aware of it and focussed on increasing his knowledge and he had a scripture to answer every question I had. I have a fear of not doing what the Lord would have me do, but I am focussing on it and trying to be obedient and we have seen the Lord work through us every day. Just ask yourself, what is your weakness, or what is your fear, recognize it, accept it, then work on it... This week I saw the promise of the Lord fulfilled, "I will make weak things become strong unto them". 

So our investigator Porfirio is progressing really well. He has a baptism date for the 25th of April, and we truly believe he is ready to be baptized. He doesnt come from the best circumstances, but he has a love of learning and a desire to follow God. When we gave him the Book of Mormon he read from Helaman to the end, then the next lesson we shared a scripture from 2 Nephi, and he said, "I guess I better start from the beginning." Every lesson we follow up with him on his reading and what he is learning and if he has quesitons. He always reads what we give him. He always reads the Book of Mormon and explains what he likeds, what he learned, and almost always has a question for us about something that he didnt understand clearly or what our opinion is on a certain scripture. He doesnt have work right now, and his situation isnt really great, but every week when we invite him to church he says, "God first, right?" and he always comes! He has not missed a Sunday since we started teaching him, and this last Sunday he brought more members of his family. I cant believe how ready he is, but if yall could please pray for him? We are praying that he will find a job that will allow him to go to church, and the God will protect him these next 2 weeks from anything that will waver his faith or affect his upcoming baptism.

So we have had some wonderful lessons with our investigators this week. We have talked to SO MANY PEOPLE and we have found a lot of new investigators. The work here is really progressing and I love to watch it happen. 

So its not like this week wasnt filled with a ton of things.. but for some reason my mind is blank... I was so excited to share with yall my Ether 12:27 realization that I forgot to think of what else to tell yall. Oh, so today we went with a member on a bike ride to a lake that is hidden in the mountain.. it was so fun, you can be sure I am sending yall pictures. It was a 2 hour long ride, up and down hills, on a rocky road, but it was so fun and absolutely beautiful!

Well, thats all folks. I love yall so much and am so grateful for your love and support. I hope that you have a wonderful week and that all is well in the land of the free. Yall are in my prayers! I know that the Lord is here with us and that this is his work. 

Love, Hermana Eardley

General Conference

Dear Family,

So we had General Conference! Oh how I love Conference. I will be honest, Conference in the mission has its ups and downs... downs because, well, its in spanish. I dont get everything that is said and lets be honest, its always better in our native language. Ups because we have the opportunity to recieve revelation for ourselves and for our investigators. I can definitely say that we recieved some wonderful counsel from the Lord personally and for others. What a priveledge it is to listen to the prophet and the apostles, to hear what the Lord wants us to know as a church. This conference was focussed a lot on the family, and for good reason. I have seen on my mission some wonderful examples of gospel centered families, and temperal families. There is such a difference in our happiness temperally and spiritually when our family is united in the gospel and when we have our focus on our Heavenly Father and what he wants for us. I know that when we keep our goals on the eternal perspective, but live every moment like it will affect our eternity, we are blessed with the knowledge of what God wants for us and our families and we never lose sight of the goal or waste a moment of our lives. Not easy, but possible. 

We have an investigator named Porfirio. He is amazing. He comes from an indian family and very poor circumstances. He likes to learn, to gain knowledge. We have been teaching him about the gospel and we gave him a Book of Mormon the first time we met him, and now, 2 weeks later, he has read the entire book except Alma. He started in Helamen, read to the end, then started in 1 Nephi. He has told us that he knows its true. He always has questions and tries to understand everything that we teach him, but he isnt one of those people that wants to know everything right now, he will ask a question and we will teach a principle, he told us that he cant learn everything in one visit... he is amazing. He has come to church the past three weeks and was in 2 of the Conference Sessions. He has a baptism date for April 25th. We are thinking about moving it up a week. 

So, crazy story, (not sure if I should share it, but hey here I go...) this last monday we decided to visit a less active member, he lives really close to our house, (the map is important here... oh how to explain... okay, so work with me...) so we walk up our street till we hit a 4-way, then we turn right and walk to the next 4-way then take a left and in that street is where the less active member lives... so we headed out, but after our first right turn we contacted a lady outside her house and started talking to her and she invited us to come see her plants and stuff so we gladly accepted. We entered her house at about 6:30, and left at 7:30. At this time it was dark and when we left I saw a little girl crying pretty fiercly at the entrance of our street, but on the other side of the road. I wanted to go see if she was alright, but my companion tells me, "no hermana lets cross the street", so we crossed the street as we got nearer to her there were a bunch of men and an ambulance showed up... we headed to the house. The next morning turns out that about 6 houses from our house and 2 houses from the house we were at a man got shot in his home. yeah, pretty scary, but we also learned that the man who had the gun was circling the block a couple times in his car, and each time parked in front of the less active members house to see the other street. It was really interesting to see how the Lord can protect us. We were definitely guided by the Lord that night. I know that he is with us always, and that he has an influence in all things when we allow him to guide us.

We were able to go to a museum today. It was so cool they have evidence of a people who lived here about 600 years before Christ. It was like we were watching the Book of Mormon come to life... It was amazing to see the maps and earns and so hear the story of how these things were found. 

Bueno, this last week wasnt too adventurous, but we did have some wonderful experiences and some not-so-wonderful experiences, the important thing is that we accept the not-so-wonderful ones, and embrace and focus on the ones that were wonderful. 

Sorry yall this letter is going to be a little short. I love you tons and promise to have more to say next week. You are all in my prayers. I hope yall have a wonderful week! Stay close to the Lord and all will be well. 

Love, Hermana Eardley