What an unforgettable week!
I honestly just don't know where to start with this letter.
It is hard to explain how I feel knowing that this wonderful journey I have had here in this beautiful country is soon to be over.
I honestly don't want to leave. But as I feel it coming to an end I know that Heavenly Father has other things for me to do,
I think it is interesting as I am having similar anxieties about going home as I did about two years ago with coming here and serving a mission in a land I didn't know.
Sometimes the unknown is scary but I really believe that as we do our best to follow Christ we will always be on the right path. Just like he said ,
I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.
I also really like what President Monson simply said to all of us this past General Conference "If we choose Christ, we will have made the correct choice" I know that is true!
This week was full of simple miracles, I have never seen an area in my mission progress so rapidly and in such a short amount of time. When Elder Guia and I came to this area, we had no investigators and almost all of the members of our branch lived far away from the area which we were assigned. It is was miraculous how the Lord put people in our path to teach.
One woman that we found was Sister Teracita. When we first met her she told us that she had been taught my the missionaries on and off for about three years. she had never been to church before because she was afraid of the disapproval of her husband. We have invited her for 4 weeks now but every time she told us she wasn't ready. We prayed really hard for her on how we can help her and we decided to invite the Relief Society president and the branch president and his wife to come with us to teach her. The lesson was powerful the testimonies of the members electric, miraculously she committed that she would come to church. We still were a worried that she would get cold feet and not come so we went to the nearest member who happened to be inactive for many years and asked that less-active sister to pick up Teracita. I was amazed as I saw both of them walk through the doors of the chapel! I couldn't believe my eyes it was a miracle!
Teracita says that she is excited to come this week as well. Thanks be to the Spirit which directed us to do and the great members here that supported this work and made Sister Tercita feel welcome.
We are also teaching the Figueras Family, They are amazing!
We just happened to meet Bro Figueras on the street. We have taught their whole family and they are reading the book of Mormon. I see Bro. Figueras becoming a bishop, Sister holding a calling as well, Their two little boys going on missions and their daughter marrying in the temple. It is just exciting to think of the blessings that come to all of us as we live the gospel! There is nothing like it. There is no other way to true and sustaining happiness!
Well time is short, I love you all, I will try to email next week but no guarantees because I am not sure if we will have time as I will be involved in career workshops for all the departing missionaries
If this is my last letter, I hope you all can feel my great love and respect for all of you. I give to all of you my love!
ELDER TYLER B. MURDOCK
35 Now have we not reason to rejoice? Yea, I say unto you, there never were men that had so great reason to rejoice as we, since the world began; yea, and my joy is carried away, even unto boasting in my God; for he has all power, all wisdom, and all understanding; he comprehendeth all things, and he is a merciful Being,even unto salvation, to those who will repent and believe on his name.
36 Now if this is boasting, even so will I boast; for this ismy life and my light, my joy and my salvation, and myredemption from everlasting wo. Yea, blessed is thename of my God, who has been mindful of this people,who are a branch of the tree of Israel, and has been lostfrom its body in a strange land; yea, I say, blessed be thename of my God, who has been mindful of us,wanderers in a strange land.
