HE IS SMILING

Is he adorable????

In about 2 weeks they will be here! Because we live so far away I havent gotten to know this little guy very well yet. Last I left him he wasnt doing much but sleeping, crying and eating. And now look at him...smiling away!

That mouth...it is his mom's. So beautiful!

He sure reminds me of a little guy I gave birth to 24 yrs ago!

Can't wait to squeeze you! I will have lots of competition for you! Lots of people here in VA who cant wait to meet you!

See you soon!

Hola!!!Well I am in good old Santa Elena my new area, I am with Hna Peterson from Alpine UT and she is awesome. But it isn’t just us two living in our apt, yes we have friends, lots. Spiders, ants, cock roaches, all the insects you can think of. Our bathroom smells like a porter potty and sometimes we don’t have water to flush, not just to flush, but for anything. Our light in our bedroom doesn’t work so it’s a bit of a disaster and it is getting to the hottest time of the year but thankfully we do have a fan. I am sun burnt and lack a lot of energy during the siesta but I am AWESOME. Really I am not complaining, these things are just funny. I am SO IN LOVE with my new area. It is absolutely amazing. We teach ALL the time. Which is also tiring because my comp still doesn’t talk much so I have to do most of the teaching and by the end of the night I am exhausted. BUT seriously, these are not complaints. I am learning to LOVE the challenges. These are moments I am learning to love. Sometimes when things happen I just laugh and tell my comp, “enjoy this because one day it will all be gone”. It is more real to me that one day all of this will end now that my trainer Hna Burns is home!We accomplished the IMPOSSIBLE this week. We reached the mission goals in 3 days of work (they are goals set for the week). I have never reached the goals so fast. But I am telling you it has nothing to do with us. It’s the members. I have never had an area where the members are so focused on missionary work. Kids invite their friends to church, almost everyone is willing to come out with us an teach. They have a desire to share the gospel because they understand that it is part of their covenant with God. The whole area has such a wonderful spirit and I know it is because of the work the members are doing. It is amazing and I feel so lucky to be here. I was feeling a little stressed yesterday, not feeling ready to be in such an amazing area, but as I was reading Attributes of Christ out of Preach My Gospel (everyone should have a copy in their home) I read under humility that a person who is humble is someone who recognizes that through Christ they can do His work. I am trying to stay humble, put my trust in the Lord and hope that he will help me to help bring these people to baptism.This work is absolutely wonderful. If you haven’t had the chance to really be apart of missionary work I challenge you to do it NOW. You will find a greater happiness in your life! I love you all!! KEEP THE FAITH and write!!!
Hna Redfern
P.S My comp said that she went to EFY with stevo and then him and Donovan came to visit her to hang out one day. HAHA Small world. HEr name is Ashley Peterson. OH and supposedly her bro and Chris were suppose to be roommates in college but then something got all messed up. SMALL WORLD

ELDER REDFERNS THANKSGIVING DAY MEAL!

HIS INVESTIGATORS KIDS

Hey everybody! Well this was another good week, and sorry I'm writing late again. But we did go to the temple on Saturday! IT was awesome! I really felt so blessed to have that opportunity, because it was the first time in 12 months that i had gone and done all the work, man i sure loved it. Such a blessing to have a temple here in the mission. I encourage all of you to go to the temple with more frequency, really. Most people in the states don't have to travel near as far as most of the world to get to the house of the Lord. So how was thanksgiving? Ha well it was just any normal day here. But Jorge and Sara told us they want us to be their witnesses in their civil marriage. They are so stoked to get baptized! There son even participated in the primary program this past Sunday, it was all laughs like usual. We have found another complete family that we are teaching, and it is so awesome to see them progressing. They have had a lot of problems recently, and feel like they need to get closer to God. Man sometime you feel like parents watching your kids grow and make better choices. I love the mish. So i bought a pillow and slept with one for the first time in like 4 months. And its getting chillier, not really, but its not hot, i almost didn't sleep with a fan on one night, almost. I cant believe its December! wow this is crazy. Time is moving by almost too fast here in the mission. So i hope everything is going amazing with you guys, i love you soo much, and i am so grateful for your support. keep it up! THE MISSION IS SO AWESOME!

Elder Redfern

MY MOM

3 yrs ago my MOM passed away...

This is how i remember her...

CHRISTMAS

THANKSGIVING

COOKING

TALKING

SITTING IN HER CHAIR SWINGING HER FOOT

PATTING THE DOGS

We miss you mom...I know you wouldve have made this Christmas special...its been a tough year...missed having you around.

LOVE YOU!

THANKSGIVING

THIS WEEKS EMAILS

MIGADA...HE SAYS ITS YUMMY

Hey all!

Well another super fast week flying by, considering thanksgiving is in three days.. nuts. This week we were all over the place, it felt like sometimes we really just didn't have enough time to get everywhere we wanted to. My feet were worn out and so are my shoes, but they're going on strong hah. But that's just the best part of being a missionary isn't it. Going to bed a thinking theres noway I'm gonna be able to get up at 630 tomorrow I'm so tired, and then you just do. Because that's what you do, things that you always thought you couldn't. We are teaching a fair amount of people, all who have something impeding them from being baptized. We are trying to find the best way to help each of them out, not the best teacher but the Spirit is. We did find another family on Saturday that has had recent problems and feels like God is calling them, and that they feel like they are missing him in their lives. We invited them to pray about the message we shared, and we are looking forward to visiting them this week. We´ve got planned to go to the Temple on Saturday! this hopefully Will go through, so if i do, well SAT will be my PDAY, so if you are going to write me, try and drop it before Saturday afternoon please, but we´ll have to see, considering we might not be able to get a spot on the bus. Well i hope everybody has a great week and that everyone can remember their missionaries as they eat turkey, stuffing, home made rolls. Remember that we should be grateful on thanksgiving, and to remember the greatest gift of all, the atonement. I love you all, and am so truly grateful for the opportunity to serve the Lord on a mission, for my family and friends that support me, and the pure fact that i come from an eternally sealed family. This blessing has hit me so hard and true on the mission, and i will forever be grateful for that. i love you all,

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Elder redfern

QUE TAL!!!

ISNT MY BRO THE BEST MISSIONARY AND SWEETEST BROTHER IN THE WORLD ;)It is transfer week and guess what...I am heading north again...pretty much the farthest you can get north in the mission. AND... I am getting another AMERICAN. She is brand new (one transfer) she had my “mom” of the mission last transfer but she left to go home so now I get to be with her. Hna Burns (my “mom”) and I got to talk for a few minutes the other night and she was like I really hope you are with my comp now you guys would get along great! I hope she is right ;) I am excited for change, I like change.Of course I am sad to leave but I am excited to get out to a new area. Sometimes the work is harder when you have been in an area for a long time because you become friends with people that don't progress, but you want to go by and visit them and teach them because they always leave an ounce of hope. That has happened with us and the Family Guido. They have found that they really like a lot of what our church does but they don't want to change. The more we teach, the more they like but they are stubborn. But there hearts have been opened to us and they have more of a desire to learn about our religion (they said they have NEVER let missionaries of any kind in their house before). I am sad to leave them but I know that the seed has been planted and it will continue to touch their hearts. This transfer was a toughy, full of ups and downs, mostly in my crazy little mind, but I found a lot of solace in this scripture this Sunday when the transfer was coming to an end:“And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: FOR WHEN I AM WEAK, THEN AM I STRONG.”I found a lot of weaknesses this transfer but I have found that through these weakness I can be made strong. We just have to seek the help of our Savior. It is through Him we are made strong. I am grateful for these growing moments, for EVERY moment I have here in the mission.Know that I love you all, even those who don't write (don't worry Paige I will still talk to you when I get back ;) I have never ever been more happy in my life. I know that this is the work of our Lord.

KEEP THE FAITH

Hna Redfern

HAPPY BIRTHDAY STEVEO

My favorite picture of Steven!

Happy Birthday...you are an amazing son! You have always been the one who took care of your mommy. always so thoughtful, caring & kind. I miss you! You have moved onto a younger more beautiful woman to take care of. Its ok...I understand...it is the way its supposed to be but I miss your craziness, the laughter and fun you brought to our home. Now you have your own home. You are a great husband and father. I love watching you grow into those roles so perfectly!

happy Birthday my sweet son. i hate i am not there. but we will be together soon! love you!

THIS WEEKS EMAILS

The Bishops dog that followed them home.

Hola familia!!!!
Esta semana fue mejor! I know that there is always going to be opposition and sometimes we just have to change our attitude and just say that we are going to be happy and work not matter what happens! I left Wednesday night after pday with a different perspective, ready fight back Satan and his fiery darts.We found a lot of success with teaching but we are struggling to find those that want to change. So many people here are okay with just listening to us and our message. They like it, it is their spiritually uplifting for the week, but we are trying to find those people who are ready NOW to make changes so that they can be happy and live forever in happiness with their families.The BEST moment of the week had to have been with the Jehovah Witnesses. Actually it was the MOST DRAINING hour of my whole mission. I thought this would be a great opportunity to share what we know to be true and learn more about these people who really are faithful. Everyone in the church goes out knocks doors and preach. It is commendable, a hard thing to do in your own city. I have a lot of respect for them. We sat and listened for 30 min respectfully to what they had to say, and they have many truths in what they teach. I then asked if it was okay if we could pray to share our message, they didn't want to but said it would be fine. I opened my mouth and in 2 min she was contesting what I had to say. I couldn't breath if I wanted to finish. It was difficult from me to stay calm and collected. But I did. I knew that the only thing that was going to touch their hearts was the spirit. I cannot win with them on knowledge, the only thing I could do was bare my testimony, which is what we did. Though it wasn’t received well I know that it touched them in some way or another. At the end of the conversation I said with all sincerity that I was grateful to have met two young vibrant women who really want to serve God, tears started to flow as I said these words that I really meant. She said “well, thanks, but I want to bring you to the truth” with a look of anger these words flowed from her mouth. The truth is she did bring me to truth, I have never been more convicted that the Holy Ghost teaches truth, not man. We left our chat feeling happy knowing that we are testify truth to the children of man, not because we are really intelligent and know everything but because we have testimonies and know that we are serving our Lord and our King.I love the mission, I love this gospel and I feel super blessed to be here. Thank you for all your support!!!
KEEP THE FAITH

The Open House that Chris and his comp organized...over 100 ppl came!

Well we had another great week last week. We had a open house that we put together on Saturday night and it went really well, we had invited over 100 people and we ended up with about 17 investigators there so that was great, and it was really great to see the effort of the members to be able to do their part. it went really well. Time sure is moving quick, already half way through November, man that's just crazy isn't it? We have alot of good investigators here right now, and trying to do everything we can for them to take the next step, and follow with their compromises(english?), but we can only teach, testify, and invite. But man its just sooo cool to be a missionary. But we can all have this wonderful experience. Magnifying our callings, sharing the gospel can be done in many ways and it is a commandment to all of us all of our lives to share it. I love testifying and studying the scriptures and doctrine, because every time i do, it just tells me more and more that these things are completely true. you will not find a fault in the gospel of Jesus Christ, you will in that of men. That's why its just so sweet to read something, and say, there is no doubt that this is true, how cool is that? you cant do that that often, aprovechenlo. Well i hope everything goes well this week, i love you all so much, keep growing, please, never let this go. As a missionary we see way too many problems that people have, and you can lead it all back to the lack of the gospel of the lack of living it. Trials will always be there, but what we do about it and how will be determined by our testimony.

i love you all.

Elder Redfern