D&C 84:106

                                          Elder Vicente
Transfers came today, and I'm no longer with Elder Gaytan.  He went to Huehuetoca (the next area over), but I just hope I did everything I could for him before he left.  The surprising news is that I'm training!  Holy cow, I didn't see that coming.  My new companion is Elder Vicente from Oaxaca, but he's just waiting on his visa to go to Buenos Aires (North mission).  Either way, I was super excited to find out that I would be having my firstborn son (now I know how Lys and Alicia must be feeling).  I even got sick this morning before leaving, so I had labor pains and all, just like a real live birth.  But probably not.  Really no, I know it's a little (or a lot) harder than that.  He said they've about assured him that he'll be leaving early January after they open the consulate again after Christmas, but we'll see.  The good news here is that I have felt that this is exactly what I needed right now.  If I knew before that the Lord knows us and our needs, I know it a whole lot more now.  They mentioned several times in the trainer's training this morning that we were chosen to train because we are the best missionaries in the mission, and both president and the Lord have deposited a lot of trust in us.  A few weeks ago, I'd probably have agreed with that, but I've been very much humbled since then.  Although I feel undeserving of this privilege, I'm extremely grateful for the opportunity to have this impact on a new missionary (who is also a recent convert).

Mostly, we had a slow week, but I feel like things are going to really blow up here.  I just feel a new excitement for missionary work now, as well as a huge responsibility to be as close to perfect as possible.  Before, I knew I needed to do things right and try to improve every day, but now I just feel like that isn't enough.  I'm going to be the biggest influence on Elder Vicente throughout most of his mission, and I couldn't be ok showing how an ok missionary is.  He needs to know what a Preach My Gospel missionary is, and it's my job to show him.  I see many great things in the next few weeks or transfers or however long he's going to be here.  Along with D&C 84:106, I think D&C 82:3 describes fairly well how I feel.

For Skype, we're going to do it Christmas night at 7:30.  Could you please make sure Alyssa gets notified?  Her email is sashirl93@gmail.com.  I hope she'll read this, but please make sure she's aware, even if she's aware in Mexico.  

Brig, Dad, and Lys, thanks for writing this week.  Don't feel like you're taking my time by writing.  I can read through your emails fast enough or just print them so as not to take up much time, but it means a lot that you all write.  I just barely got Emily's letter from October.  The mail has been pretty slow lately, and I haven't gotten letters from Alyssa in a couple of weeks.  We'll see when the next one comes and if any got lost.  I appreciate all of your compliments and encouragements from everyone who writes.  

It's just amazing to see how much this mission has impacted me.  I remember talking to Alyssa shortly before I left, and I told her that I thought we were both mature enough that we wouldn't change too much in just a couple of years.  I couldn't have been more wrong.  Serving the Lord full-time can't not change a person.  All we have to offer Him is our will, and doing so puts all of us into His very capable hands.  Doing so every day has wrought changes in me that I didn't think would ever occur.  I'm still essentially the same Joseph, but at the same time, I've become so much more than I thought I could be.  I trusted so little in the Lord before I left, and still don't have the faith that I know many of you have, but I know that the Lord can change us.  He gives us weaknesses to humble us and incite us to come to Him and make them strengths.  It's kind of a manipulative move, but in such a loving way.  The only smart thing we can do is go to Him and let Him take away our weaknesses  and make us so much better.  His grace is sufficient for all men and all of their weaknesses, and His greatest desire is to help us make them strong and, ultimately, make us like Him.

I know that this is the Lord's work.  He directs it.  His hand can be seen in every aspect of it.  It is nothing short of a miracle that I, as weak as I am, have been able to do this.  I know I'm not alone when I'm on the Lord's errand.  He goes before my face, He is on my right and on my left, His Spirit is in my heart, and His angels have definitely lifted me up on many occassions.  I know that this is the only true church of Jesus Christ on the earth.  Nowhere else is salvation made available to the sons of men.  Nowhere else is the fulness of the love of God manifest than in the true gospel of Jesus Christ.  I testify of the infinite nature of the Atonement.  When we use this special gift in our lives, everything improves.  There is no aspect of our lives that isn't made infinitely better by applying the Atonement.  I know that Jesus suffered infinitely, descending below absolutely everything, to give us an escape and a relief.  I testify that the promise He gives in Matthew 11:28-30 is true.  As we come unto Him, giving Him our cares, burdens, sorrows, and pains, He will wrap us in the arms of His love.  Interestingly, only by "taking His yoke upon you", the heaviest yoke ever borne, do our yokes become light.  Just giving Him our yoke isn't enough, we must take upon ourselves His.  I know that He loves us perfectly.

Elder Facer