LAST EMAIL

Dear all,

So I would like to write an extremely powerful and inspiring letter, but it will have to be very condensed. This is my last email that I will send you all as a missionary. This Wednesday I will return to Utah and be released as a full-time missionary.

I have been blessed beyond my wildest dreams as I have served here in Puebla. I have loved so many people, taught so many lessons, and grown so much closer to my Father and my Savior Jesus Christ. I have a testimony stronger than ever. Although I will no longer be able to wear my missionary name tag, it will be forever engraved upon my heart.

I know this Church is true, I know God lives and that He loves us. We can return to live with Him and we will live Happily Ever After!

Goodbye Puebla, hello home!

Love,
Hermana Cheever

Happy Fall!

Dear all,

I don't know if you've noticed, but it's Fall now! I love this season and I am so excited to be here still in Mexico to enjoy one more week of it!

We didn't end up having the baptism yesterday that we planned, but hopefully it will be this upcoming weekend.

I am also looking forward to the women's conference this Saturday, and then the next Saturday, General Conference! What great opportunities we have.

My spiritual thought for you this week comes from 3 Nephi 22:10-17. Read it if you have a chance. I love the part that says "my kindness shall not depart from thee". The Lord always wants to bless us. He wants to help us. He loves us. He knows that no matter what trial or challenge we are having, if we trust in Him, we will be able to overcome it. Everything we do here on the earth prepares us to be celestial beings, fit to live with our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ and enjoy all Their blessings. So heads up, smiles on, we can get over anything with our Friends on our side.

Love,
Hermana Cheever

Temple Dedication!

Mexico City LDS Temple

Dear all, 

For those of you who don't know, the Mexico City, Mexico temple was rededicated yesterday, and from Puebla we were able to see the dedicatory session. It was so great and spiritual and probably the highlight of my week. Elder Holland spoke about the prophecy about Elijah turning the hearts of the children to the father. It was a good reminder that not only should we be doing our family history work, but we made a promise in the pre-existence to all our friends and family that wouldn't be born in the time when the gospel is here in its fullness to be their saviors. We can do the work for them in the Holy Temples and thereby become a key part in their salvation. In Doctrine and Covenants 128:15 it also says that the salvation of our dead is essential to our salvation. In short--do your family history work or you can't be saved.

We are planning a baptism for Jose this Sunday. Prayers on his behalf would be greatly appreciated.

Well, I hope you all have a fantastic week filled with spiritual experiences and lots of missionary work!

Love,
Hermana Cheever

SEPTEMBER

Dear all,
It is now September. Crazy how the time flies.

Things are going great here in Puebla. The food is great, the people are great, and I am great, too.

We are working with 4 people that we hope can be baptized this month, it's going to be a struggle, but we are going to see miracles with José, Martha, Felix, and Carlos!

On Sunday, my companion and I had a special experience. We were going to have a family night with a less-active family, and another family was going to go with us. When we got to their house, the other family was already there, and the dad of the family was the only one home, and he was just about to leave. We asked if we could just sing him a hymn and say a prayer. He accepted, and we sang "Nearer, My God, To Thee" and shared a simple scripture. He said the prayer, and started to cry and to thank God that He had sent us to share a simple message with him. He said it was just what he needed to hear.

I know that God uses us to answer others' prayers. I know that if we follow the promptings of the Spirit and show other people our love, we can make a difference in their lives. No matter how small, it counts!

Another great experience is that I could go and visit a convert from a past ward where I served. It was so great to see her and the progress she has made in the gospel, and the change the gospel has made in her life. I love being a missionary and I love serving the Lord. 

I hope that this week you can all find ways to be the answer to a prayer, a friend to someone in need, and get just that much closer to our Savior, Jesus Christ!

Love,
Hermana Cheever

ps if you ever wondered what I do for fun on Mondays....WALMART

The wonderful world of a missionary

Dear all,

This week I have a little bit more time to write. I am doing just really super great! Something that I have learned here in Mexico on the mission is that the Lord is great and good and grand and all things wonderful. So many times he blesses us in ways that we may not even recognize. There's so many small miracles that we see each week, there's not even time to write them. But let me tell you about one young man named José.

José is a student at the BUAP (a university). He is from Merida, Yucatan, Mexico. Currently he rents a room in a complex that the bishop's wife runs for the students. We met him one day when we were helping her paint. He saw our nametags, and asked "are you guys elders?" Close, but no cigar. Well, cigars no. Close, but no....watermelon. Anyway, he said he wanted to go to church with us, that elders had taught him in his house in Merida. So of course we invited him to be baptized. Okay, that's not quite how it happened, we waited for the baptismal invitation until our first appointment with him. But he accepted and he really has desires to change and be a better person. He is reading the Book of Mormon and he went to church yesterday. He is so going to be baptized this month.

But this little story also serves to teach us that we must be examples of the believers in every moment, you never know when someone is watching. We also always need to wear a figurative nametag as Mormons. We were painting, so of course we weren't in our normal missionary uniform. When we changed, I thought for a brief moment "should I put on my nametag? We're just here with the bishop's wife..." but of course! We always need to be prepared, willing, and able to teach the gospel.

In this often dark world, the Lord uses His covenant people as a lighthouse to those souls that are searching for the light. Let your light shine, be an example, and go get 'em!

Love,
Hermana Cheever

NEW AREA!

Dear all,

It is really hard to write on this keyboard and it is also complicated to send pictures. So this email will be short.

I am in a new area called Universidad. It is in Puebla City and we are close to Universidad. (The University). I am also a neighbor to one of my areas, Valle del Sol. That makes me very happy!

My new companion is Hermana Rojas, de Chihuahua. México. She's great and we are having a great time! We have seen many miracles this week, but I will have to tell you about them when I can write with less difficulty!

Have a great week!
Hermana Cheever

Transfers!

Adios Metepec!

Dear all,

So I was informed last night that I would once more be transferred! I wonder when the Lord will let me have a companion for more than 6 weeks. . . but I am getting to know a lot of wonderful sister missionaries! Metepec has been great, and now I am ready for whatever else the Lord has in store for me.

I know that God has a hand in all of our lives. Sometimes the problem is that we cannot recognize it or we are slow to see it. But He watches out and cares for each and every one of us. As President Monson said in the general women's conference in September 2013, the love that He has for us is simply always there.

We have been able to see how God's hand has influenced one special family this week. A few weeks ago, my companion, a returned sister missionary, and I contacted a lady in the street. She told us we could visit and told us where she lived. A few days later, we passed by to set up an appointment. When we returned for the appointment, she enthusiastically welcomed us in and we had a fantastic lesson! The next lesson we put a baptismal date, and the next week (yesterday Sunday) she and her daughter came to church! She told us that she is looking for a change in her life, and she is starting to feel that change as she listens to our message, reads the Book of Mormon, and attends church. Sadly, I will not be here to see her progress, but I know that the Lord is preparing the hearts of His children to be converted.

I hope you all have a great week and can take some time to recognize the hand of the Lord in your lives!

Love,
Hermana Cheever