Livin Dominican: Mosiah 4:27

My days here are numbered and the only thing I want to do is sprint to the finish...so the Lord sent me a little reminder this week "it is not requisite that a man should run faster than he has strength." I have spent the last 3 days at home sleeping. Literally. I wake up to use the bathroom and eat occasionally and then fall right back asleep. Sister Fagersten told my companion not to let me leave the house and that is the only reason we´ve stayed home. haha. We went to see the mission doctor today after feeling bad for a few weeks but just ignoring it. We´re still not sure what I´ve got besides a lot of pain in my back and extreme fatigue along with a good case of cabin fever. I am itching to get back out and teach again (and honestly sometimes leave to be a missionary a few hours a day anyway so that I don´t lose my mind at home).

That being said, a few cool things did happen this week. We had a wonderful baptism for Ariadna and Alexandra on Saturday. A ton of people came to support them and it was really spiritual. Sister Ruiz was also able to come back and watch them both be baptized and it was so special to see her again for a few minutes. After seeing his mom get baptized, Alexandra´s 17 year old son also wants to be baptized. He has never showed much interest before but I guess seeing the change in his mom softened his heart and now we are going to start teaching him. I absolutely love being able to watch people enter into this plan of happiness. It hit me a little as I watched Alexandra in the font that this will probably be my last baptism in the mission. It is a little bit sad but there is also a wonderful satisfaction as you can look out on the congregation on Sundays and see many faces that you have helped to teach.

As I bore my testimony for the last time on Sunday I felt an overwhelming emotion looking into the faces of all of my less actives and converts in their Sunday best. I imagine the joy in heaven will be similar as we find those that we helped in this life. Heaven will not be complete without those we love. As a missionary there is a full joy as you see people walk into the church each week. When those people choose to make little choices like wear a white shirt and tie, or cut down on cigarettes, or read their scriptures. There is also a great sadness as you watch them choose not to do the good things or as you sit on Sunday asking why so and so didn´t show up. You can have 18 less actives at church and still feel sorrow for the 2 that didn´t show up. That is why it is so important that we do our part here during this life. We are looking not only for their salvation but also for our own eternal happiness. We will never feel content if we know that we didn´t do everything we could have to help another.

I know the Lord loves us so much. He is in every part of our lives and truly is in charge of this work. I am so grateful to be able to be one of His missionaries for a few more weeks and be able to serve and learn from this wonderful people.

I love you all!

Sister Ewell