Meek

Dear friends and family,

We received Morgan's return itinerary last week!  I'm sure it was a little heart breaking for her when she opened that same email today.  We are so grateful for the opportunity she has had to serve a mission and grateful to each of you for your love and support.  

Morgan returns home on Thursday, September 3 at 7:25pm.  Her homecoming will be on Sunday, September 13 at 9:00am.  I will post more information later:)

We are so excited to see her in just 4 short weeks!!!!!!!

Morgan's Mama

Familia,

-Happy Birthday Isaac!!!!  I hope you enjoyed it and had a great time with the family!

-So Marvin and his family moved to another area.... it is here close by, but it is just sad because the other sisters will be giving them their last few lessons before their baptismal interviews this friday with President Curtiss.  They will be baptized in the other branch nearby.  Please keep praying for them and their preparation!}

-We are teaching another woman who is AMAZING.  We met her this past week and are teaching her in her hair salon in our area.  She also lives in the other branch but technically it will be our baptism.  She is so prepared and ready to be baptized!  She already believes in Joseph Smith, the restoration, the book of mormon, and she just says, "My question is why didn't I learn about all of this sooner??  I have missed out on so many blessings!!"  She is awesome.  Pray for Rosalydia Lima.

Okay family.  I am so proud of my little brother.  I love him so much and I am so excited for him.  As I was reading what you said about his farewell talk and how he is, I was touched that people refer to him as "meek".  It is a perfect word to use.

As I have learned more about the life of Christ I have learned more about who He is and what His attributes are.  Meekness is a divine attribute and gift of our Lord and Savior.  In the Spanish guide in the scriptures is defines meek- temeroso de Dios, recto, humilde, presto para aprender y paciente al sufrir.  Los mansos están dispuestos a seguir las enseñanzas del evangelio.  Or in other words, the meek fear God, are righteous, humble, teachable and patient in suffering.  The meek are willing to follow the teachings of the gospel.  Is this sounding anything like Porter yet?  To me it does.

Porter, you will be able to develop this Christlike attribute in your mission and you will be grateful for this quality as you serve.  Christ is your perfect example and He will teach and guide you.  Matthew 11:28-30 says:
 
 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

I love this because our Savior describes Himself as meek, and also invites us to do some things.  Elder Bednar helps us understand a little about His first invitation in his conference talk from last May:

"A yoke is a wooden beam, normally used between a pair of oxen or other animals that enables them to pull together on a load.  A yoke places animals side-by-side so they can move together in order to accomplish a task.

Consider the Lord's uniquely individual invitation to "take my yoke upon you."  Making and keeping sacred covenants yokes us to and with the Lord Jesus Christ.  In essence, the Savior is beckoning us to rely upon and pull together with Him, even though our best efforts are not equal to and cannot be compared with his.  As we trust in and pull our load with Him during the journey of mortality, truly His yoke is easy and His burden is light.

We are not and never need be alone.  We can press forward in our daily lives with heavenly help.  Through the Savior's Atonement we can receive  capacity and strength beyond our own."

Porter you will experience this very personally in your mission.  Your Savior invites you to walk with Him and work according to the Father's will.

The other invitation is to learn of Him and become like Him.  There is no better place to do that than the mission, where you literally take His name upon you on your missionary badge and teach as His representative.

You have taught me so much through your quiet example of love and humility and meekness.  I know this will strengthen you on your mission.  Your meekness will allow you to find those who are prepared by the Lord to receive the restored gospel.  It's cool because those who are prepared also need to be meek and humble in order to change their lives and discover God's plan for them.  Your meek spirit will reach out to theirs and allow the Holy Ghost to testify to them through you and your testimony.  Develop this attribute by being obedient and humble.  Learn of Christ and become like Him.  You will find constant peace and you will fulfill your calling.  You will be a blessing in the lives of those you meet, teach and serve.  D&C 19:23: 
Learn of me, and listen to my words; walk in the meekness of my Spirit, and you shall have peace in me.

I am so proud of you Porter.  I hope you keep that letter that I wrote you, it has some good tips ;)  and like I also expressed in my letter, it kills me that I won't see you.  But you will soon find out how much of a blessing the mission is and you will see why I don't want to come home early.  I want to fulfill my duty to the Lord and I want you to do so as well.  It is such a blessing to serve Him and allow Him to teach and perfect us.  I can't wait to hear about your adventures and your special experiences.  Confide in the power of prayer.  Trust God.  Stay positive, dilligent, and obedient.  Be patient when you don't understand spanish, trust me, it will come.  I love you so much little bro.

ánimo!  te quiero mucho mi hermanito!

NEC

Hermana Yates