Hey all!
Things are going great down here in veracruz. The highlight of today will not be going to carls Jr which is definitely an up there, but will be the baptisms of Rosario, Esther, and Monse. They all three are going to enter into the baptismal convannt in a few short hours. What an amazing moment to witness someone taking the first step and ordinance of the Gospel. There is truly an opposition in all things, as each one of them had trials leading towards there baptism, but are more than ready and willing to keep fighting the good fight. This week we received a reference from a Sister that came from a different city on vacation, and as she left the church building she had found by her own account, she contacted a man and returned back to the church to give us the referral. It was such a blessing, considering now he and his family are receiving the lessons and preparing for a baptism on the 14th of August. This is such a perfect example of a true disciple of Jesus Christ. on vacation, found the Church and hour, and than contacted someone and gave the missionaries the referral. Wow, if all us members were more like that there sure would be a lot more success in missionary work. The Scriptures and Prophets always encourage us to open our mouth, and not worry what we shall say. Missionary work is also a way that we retain the remission of our sins, if we shame to preach the Gospel, it shall be difficult to retain the remission of our sins. I know the Lord is content with the good discipleship of that Sister, and I encourage all of you to follow her great example, the missionaries would love it! On a second note, i cant believe Bree will be home this week. wow. Time truly flies by, I'm so glad i still have a good 3 months left to keep at it. Thee field is truly white and ready to harvest. Seeds have been planted, its time to reap. i love you all so much and thank you or your constant support.
Love
Elder Redfern

SHES COMING HOME! SHE GETS ON THE PLANE IN ROSARIO TUESDAY AND WILL ARRIVE NEWPORT NEWS AIRPORT AT 10AM WED! DYING....

THIS WEEKS EMAILS

Hola a todos,
This is my last letter here in the mission field and I feel like I should have some super inspiring words but I’ll be honest I really don’t feel like writing too much, I’ll be seeing y´all next week. I can’t believe this whole experience is coming to an end. The feelings are so weird, you want to stay because you love the people and enjoy the time you get to testify of the truthfulness of the gospel but then again you are excited to see you family and begin your life with all that you have learned and applicate them. I decided to read about Job these last few weeks of my mission and am learning a lot from him. He suffered EVERYTHING possible and even his friends turned on him. In chapter 4 of Job his friend reminds him how he had preached so much before and now he has to actually apply the things he has taught to his own life as he has had to suffer. I thought about myself. All the times that I have walked into homes and cried repentance to the people and begged them to change their lives and do the small things like praying, reading and going to church. All the times I told couples to apply love and forgiveness in their relationships, or the times that I told the men they need to step it up, or the kids I remind to stay away from dance clubs and parties. Now I need to go home and live these teachings, I need to be an example for my converts. It is a scary thought but I know that as long as I am obedient the Lord will provide.
I KNOW WITH ALL MY HEART AND MIND THAT THIS IS THE ONLY TRUE CHURCH OF GOD. I know that Joseph smith was a Prophet and that the Book of Mormon is the word of God along with the bible. I know that Christ is our Savior and through him we can be saved!
I LOVE YOU ALL, KEEP THE FAITH
Hna Redfern

Hey all! well this week was another great one. The best thing about the mision is just being able to watch how fast people progress in the Lord. To watch the change of their countenance, watch them really start to believe and desire to do well. I love the Lord for giving me this wonderful opportunity to be here, its miraculous. Everyday we stop people in the street and present ourselves as representatives of Jesucristo. Isn't that so cool. I know im not the most amazing representative of Him, but i know that the Lord has always put me where i need to be. Its truly amazing, next week there will be 5 baptisms, and its going to be a marvelous day. I know the Lord has blessed us with success and I know it comes directly from Him. Like the Lord told the sons of Mosiah, if the were willing to be patient in their afflictions, and be diligent, the Lord would give them success. I know we have to put in our best even more, and work harder everyday, give a more constant effort. Everyday is a chance to learn and to grow, and to keep fighting for a spot in the mansions of the Father. Ive started to realize how much satan does really blind us here on earth with things that aren't necessarily bad, but keep us from doing really good things. The Internet movies and all types of entertainment can be used wholly and worthily, but can also distract us from the goal of this life, return with God, that's the reason we came here. I see it more as a missionary now, now that we don't watch TV or movies or barely use the Internet. What I'm really trying to relate is is that there is absolutely nothing in front of the Gospel. There are elders in all of the world that when they left there homes to begin a mission their families no longer talk to them, but they did it because they understood this. I am so grateful that God has given me a family that has supported me so much in my whole life. I truly hope to be a better instrument in the Lords hands everyday, and use my time wisely, because i know that it goes by fast. i love you all so much and hope you have a great week.
Elder Redfern

Hey everyone! well this was another great and eventful week here in Veracruz. Things are moving along in the work and we had another baptism this morning at 9am, just a great way to start off the day. Alejandra was so excited to be able to get into the baptismal waters and receive the remission of her sins, i truly am coming to understand the ordinance of the baptism here on the mission, something that maybe us who were born in the church didn't appreciate as much being 8yrs old and getting baptized. She was so joyful to know that her sins had been truly washed away. what an amazing burden to be lifted up off ones shoulders. The Lord truly is so merciful with all of us, giving us this great opportunity. We also have a couple other families that are being taught and prepared for baptism for these upcoming weeks. it is truly a wonderful blessing to be here in the mission, it is incredibly that the Lord allows young men and women like us to HELP in this work. I love being here so much. I have been able to communicate with the Elders who are in my old area in Poza Rica, and they have had the opportunity to baptize 4 of the investigators that we had found and taught. it feels so cool to know that they were able to make that choice and receive those blessings. I truly do love being here, time is just flying by. i cant believe my sister will be home in just a few weeks, but i know she is working hard everyday. What an example she has been for me here on the mission. I am so grateful the Lord has always given me good examples to have in my life and learn from them. I hope that all of you are doing great and enjoying the time together as families in this summer. i love you all so much!
Elder redfern

Hola a todos,

WE had the blessing of seeing another man enter into the waters of baptism this weekend. Rodolfo Rivoira is a father of three, his family all have been baptized one by one these past few months and he finally started to show interest. His family had some tough trials of faith these past few weeks, someone stole 200 pesos from their son, Julian in the church at an activity and he was feeling super down, the mom, Gridselda was diagnosed with diabetes, their friends son almost died in a car accident. It was so interesting to see how broken they were the night before his baptism; they were fighting and just not wanting to be around one another. Gridselda, like most moms have felt once in their life was feeling woe is me and saying, “no one helps me with anything!” And then said she wouldn’t go to the baptism! Surprisingly, the only one who was doing fine was Rodolfo he just sat back and listened to everyone else. We tried to animate them and talk about what they could do as a family. They told us they weren’t reading their scriptures or doing prayer as a family and not doing FHE. We reminded them of the importance of these things, it’s not that these are just suggestions but they are COMMANDMENTS, we must do these things if we want to have the spirit in our homes. We learn in Alma 37:6;
“…that by small and simple things are great things brought to past.”
Luckily they were able to calm them down and they all showed up to the baptism, late (which was freaking me out a bit) but they came! I think I have found my nitch…family and marriage counselor, but for real, it seems like these past few weeks it is all that I have been doing, my comp told me that “si o si” (yes or yes) I need to change my major and go into social work, follow in the footsteps of my big bro. I guess we will wait and see.
I love this work and though at times I feel trunky and ready to go home I understand how precious this time is and that I have the eternity to be with my family, thanks to the gospel! This is the one and only true church of God where the priesthood has been restored and I am not afraid to share it. God is on our side and he will protect us. I know that it is so important that we focus on the little things in our life like prayer, scripture study and FHE we will see great things come to past!
I love you all!
KEEP THE FAITHHna Redfern

hey all! well this was a great week down here in Veracruz! We had a baptism this morning early and it was quite an experience. She is an older lady and has a stomach problem which made it possible for her to go backwards for the baptism, and it was quite a struggle, but she got baptized and was so excited that she could do it after. It was great. We have also had some great lessons, and learned some lessons this week. There is a saying in spanish, echando a perder se aprende, or something like, ruining it is how you learn, that's not very good english i dont think. But im learning from my mistakes and learning how to do things better and more efficiently. Things are going great we have a great companionship and the work is fun. Lots of new things going on still with the division of the mission, but we are all learning and seeing miracles. In my old area 3 investigators i had found are getting baptized today or next week and it is such an awesome feeling truthfully, I love the Lord and know He has truly prepared thousands and thousands of people to receive the Gospel here in Mexico and we just need to reap the fruits. The Lord is so merciful, and it is such a miracle the fact that He forgives us for all that we do. I have been trying to study more and understand on a larger scale the atonement of our Lord Jesus Christ, and I just realize, first of all how little i understand it, but even then just catching a glimpse of what He has done is overwhelming. I know that He lives, I know he is my Savior. I hope that you are all having a great week and enjoying the summer. I love you all and hope and pray you have a great week.
Elder Redfern

THIS WEEKS EMAILS

PREPARATION DAY
¡Hola! ¡Como les va! ¿Como andan? ¿Todo Bien?
I want to share with you an experience we had this week and why I KNOW that God loves his children. Our first few days here we were trying to get to know the area, making contacts but not too many in fear that we wouldn´t know how to get to there house. As we were walking down a street during the siesta (when NO one is outside) our first Saturday here we saw a young boy washing his car ahead of us, I was having a debate in my head of whether we would talk to him or not and finally chose not to, we past him and the spirit turned me around like it has done time and time again and we stroke up a conversation.
His name is Pablo, he is 23 and said doesn’t believe in God, or miracles. I shared with him some miracles I have had in the mission and he said they were just coincidences. We tried to bare our testimonies, tell him that God loves him and get an appointment with him but he didn’t want it, so we testified and left.
The next day, Sunday the 27th, we saw him leaving a house and he waved to us and something came over me again and I ran across the street just to say hi to him and his mom, we congratulated them on the win Argentina had in the world cup and just left. As we walked away I said how badly I would love to give him a book of Mormon so we decided we were going to mark up one with special scriptures and take it to his house one day this past week.
We tried everyday to remember where he lived but could not find it. On Friday I told my comp I would like to take the book of Mormon out of my bag because it was heavy but knew if I did we would run into him, so I didn’t. We headed out to work and to be honest had a tough day, no one wanted to listen to us all morning. Then the miracle, we had to change our plans up for the day and headed to an appointment early, when we left the house guess who drove by us, Pablo! I ran the car down like a crazy sister missionary and excitingly yelled at him how we had a gift. He graciously took it, said he would read and in this moment you could see in his eyes that he could feel the love of God. And then he accepted an appointment!
Just so you know, this place is large; it is not common to randomly see the same person in the street in three completely different places in one week. I know that the Lord answered our prayers, I know how much he loves his children and how badly He wants them to accept this wonderful gospel. I know that this is the Church of God that was restored through a living Prophet. IT IS TRUE!
I love you all! KEEP THE FAITH

THE FOUR NEW AP's...TWO WILL BE LEAVING SOON!

Hey all! well things have just been all crazy here in the new mission. Well just so you all know, its not a new mission. Veracruz has always been a mission, we just got changed missions because the boundaries changed, and now I'm in the city of Veracruz, far away from tampico. they work in a different way here, and i have a great comp and we are going to have some good success. Its def been a change getting use to everything new, new rules, new way of doing things, and like 100 new missionaries that i don't know but its cool and its been a good experience. There is a great feeling and attitude here and President Hansen is a great guy. He is so funny but also respected and knows how to get this work done. his wife is so sweet and makes some mean brownies. Well we met some new people this week who already have baptismal dates! its so exciting to be able to truly find people that are chosen, that the Lord has prepared to receive the gospel. The Lord is truly so merciful with all of us, and I'm trying to develop more Christ like attributes. We had some conferences this week with the new president and the new ways of doing things, and it seems like it should be great. The work is the same wherever you go, and its always true. i love you all so much and hope you are having a fantastic week! love ya
Elder Redfern
Oh and so that all of you know i cannot recieve emails now from anyone but my family, but i would appreciate letters!

BIG NEWS...

Elder Redfern has had quite a week! He is in a brand new mission. He is now The AP in the VERA CRUZ MEXICO MISSION. His new Address is:

Mision Mexico Veracruz

Altamirano 27 entre 1 de Mayo y Carranza

Postal Apartado 103

Colonia Flores Magon

91700 Veracruz, Veracruz

Mexico

Hey all!! well lots of very inters ting things going on with the change of mission. Lets start with the least interesting.. i got stomach sick all week and lost ten pounds and still haven't eaten well. and on Saturday i had the BEST day of my mission arguably. Well earlier this week i got a call from an elder who gave me some grand news of a convert and his family from last year in Altamira. So we got on a bus and at 11 am on Saturday morning Jorge Mercado Paz was sealed to his wife and three daughters as a family eternal!!! IT WAS SWEET!! oh i cannot explain the joy. it was full. It was such a great experience. And it just so happened to be my last day in the mission here. I'm currently in veracruz. I got home from tampico to poza rica at like 10 at night, and then at 11 on sunday morning we left to veracruz me and my comp and here we are. The mission isnt new. we just got added onto it, actually it is very, very organized and Pres Hansen is already going on his last year. This will truly be a great and wonderful experience, and I'm truly grateful to be able to be part of this change. I love and treasure President Call and sis Call so much, they are wonderful wonderful people. i will miss them. But it is exciting to get to know a new mission. I feel kind of weird, almost as if i was new. Its cool though. i love the mission just like always. Oh man.. so much joy, watching a family get sealed.. I love this work!!! i love you all!!! have a great week.
Elder Redfern

THEY HAVE WALMARTS IN ARGENTINA!

Hola a TODOS,
So here I am in my new area, Venado Tuerto, the best comparison I can think of is Sacramento, CA. It is large but not like San Fran or New York. I about died the first night we were here, I felt like I was home walking the streets of a city. There are lights everywhere, big buildings, bars open all day and stores with large windows and nice clothes, things I have not seen much of the past 8 months of my mission.
My comp is a gem. She is so loving and so excited to work, she asks a ton of questions and things are so different for her which is weird for me because everything to me seems pretty normal, like showering from a bucket, oh how excited I am to have a real shower! Yesterday at church she said “where are all the people?” I said “welcome to the mission” It is normal to have 300 members and only 50 that go. I hope that is not the same odds in the states. Something the church and the missions down here are really striving to do is retain and help those to come back, it is just hard for us to understand at times because we have parents who made us wake up and made us go to mutual, something these people don’t have.
This area is wonderful; the members have been through a lot. They lost 3 active priesthood holders in 3 months due to health problems and haven´t been able to recuperate. Of the 50 people at church 5 were priesthood holders. How lucky we are to have a variety of priest holders to choose from!
I am feeling very anxious and stressed as I am nearing the end, SO MUCH TO DO. I read about the life of Christ in his last week before he died. He worked so many miracles and He really worked hard trying to bring more people unto Him. I hope that as I near the end I am able to forget myself and give it all that I have, with the knowledge that I am going to DIE!
I love you all! KEEP THE FAITH!!!!!
Hna Redfern

THIS WEEKS EMAILS

Hey all! Well this was a great week here in the mission. I went to tampico for the last time in my mission for two days this week and it was kinda weird but i know great and interesting things lie ahead. Things went well and it is always a great opportunity to be able to talk to President Call face to face and hear his great wisdom and power. I love being part of the Hosts of the Lord, knowing that we are truly combating against satan and his forces, it just feels great to disturb his awful work and yet watch people save themselves from his grasp. We had a great lesson with the father of some two young men that were baptized about 2 months ago, and he is a step closer to realizing what a wonderful blessing it would for his whole family to be part of the ONE TRUE CHURCH of God. I love so much the invitation that we as missionaries give, because it is impossible to let us trick you, all we do is invite the people to talk to their Heavenly Father and ask him if it is right, if one does it with a sincere heart and true intention, the Lord will reveal them the truth by the Power of the Holy Ghost. I know my words have done nothing, i know I'm just a mere speck in this great work, but i know the Lord has chosen us and we have answered the call. I also know, painfully, that one day the call ends, or mejor dicho, the call changes, and one goes home. Boo. I cant believe Joey started school already(preparate ya mero llega mi hermanita...ja), but i know after one has served as well as he did their is no fear. I still do not have the new address of the new mission which will be parting July 1st, but i will try and get it by next week. The work moves on and i feel so privileged to be here, i hope you all have opportunities to share the gospel with your Friends and family, truly their is no joy sweeter than this. I know the Lord loves his children, i now know without a doubt that fasting is something powerful, very powerful. My good friend Elder Jones taught that praying is us knocking on heavens door, and praying and fasting is knocking on heavens door screaming HELP ME PLEASE!!. I liked that. I hope you all have a great week filled with spiritual experiences, letting the Lord guide you each and every day, there is absolutely nothing more important than what the Lord has commanded. I love you all!! thanks for your support!
Elder Redfern

Hola TODOS!

It has been yet another interesting week filled up ups and downs. I have always been honest with people and I will be honest I had quite the break down this Saturday. I really did not want to leave the house, but I didn´t want to stay in either. As we were getting ready to leave my boot broke (it was raining all morning) and I just broke down and balled my eyes out to my comp about how I wanted to be home. She held me for a min which was nice (though it would have been better if it were from my Daddy). I then just grabbed my other shoes and we left to work. My mind was going crazy with negative thoughts as I dreamed about being with my family. We didnt teach all morning.
We went to activity we had planned in the afternoon where there were only a few teenagers and there leaders who had just had mutual. I cried some more and sadly some of the members saw. I thought I had made a fool of myself but interestingly enough Hna Juarez, the presidents wife said “I wish I had your patience” I guess she was having a bad day too and had just yelled at one of the youth. Every seemed a little down and my comp suggested that we play “SIGNS” a fun game that we played all the time at BYU. At first everyone was frustrated because they couldn´t understand us very well, my Spanish vocabulary is not up to par to teach how to play games. As the game started going we just started to laugh and play and enjoy one another. It was exactly what I and everyone else needed. Tender mercies!
We then left and worked all night and it was wonderful. We have a family who are progressing so well. They told us about how they feel like since we have been in contact they have started to change and they like this new feeling they have. Rocio and Axel siblings that we are teaching still want to be baptised and we were able to have permission from there parents and we were able to visit a family who have not been to church in four years and guess what… they came yesterday!!!!! The Lord blesses us as we work. Even though our hearts are not always in the right place, if we just go to work He will provide for us what we need, He loves us and wants us to succeed and He will help us! I KNOW because He has and continues to help me! I miss you all, but really I miss you and though at times I want to be with you I know that this is where I need to be!
KEEP THE FAITH

Hna Redfern

Hey alls! Well today was change day and yet again i stayed in my area here in Totolapa Poza Rica, but my kid left me, who was only here for one change, and me arrived elder de Jesus, o sea, Elder from Jesus. That's a pretty sweet last name isn't it. Hes a good elder i have known him lightly for a couple months. Well in midst of all the problems of the world life is great. There are wars and many rumors of wars. Druglords and shootings reign in many parts of the world but the Lords hand is always over us protecting our way. I love the mission so much and it was great to read a little about Joeys reporting the HC (which ill be doing in another stake now..) and learn that he has grown so much makes me want to cry happily and painfully, the fact that he grew spiritually is more than a brother could ask for, and physically, well that does make me want to cry. Well there are only three weeks until the division of the mission but everything is going on normal in the zone. The Lord is so merciful unto us, and all of His children. I am trying everyday to let the Lord work through me and let me became the man i need to be. I know that i still have so much left to grow and learn, but the best part of it is i get to watch other people do it as well. I know that i do nothing, that the Lord is the only one who converts, but i feel utterly grateful that he chose me to be here at this time, sometimes i ponder why, what should i learn from this day, from that lesson, from that investigator. I know that if i could only be humble the Lord could work through me with so much more power and authority. The battle to humility is tough, i{ve been in it for about 21 yrs failing humiliatingly, but i know its what i need to do. Because every time i meet a truly humble person, they accept the Gospel con facilidad and become members firm and strong. I love you all so much and give ye thanks for the support constant which has helped me here. Have a great week! my little sister is growing soooo much!! oh my joy is full!
love Elder Redfern

Sisters Sleepover
Hola todos,

I don’t even know how to begin my letter this week. I am feeling very scared as my time is running short I feel as though there still is so much I have not done or changed. Being with a newbie makes me a little jealous. She is setting all these goals that she is going to try and accomplish in the next yr and 3 months that she has while as I will be home in 8 weeks. I can’t even believe it and I feel like I still have so much to fix before I can head on that plane home. I still open my mouth too much at times, I still fight with the elders and my patience still is tried time and time again. I know that we cannot expect to be perfect, all we can do is recognize our weaknesses and try to be better. Oh, how I love Ether 12:27:
“And if men come unto me I will show them their weakness…for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong.”
I know that as we come unto Him he will help us to see the things that we can make better. We must repent speedily and come unto him like it says in D&C 109: 21:
“And when thy people transgress, any of them, they may speedily repent and return unto thee and find favour in thy sight.”
My testimony has grown tremendously as I have been out here in the field. I know that our God is always by our side and even though we fail Him at times He never gives up on us. We can repent and change quickly and try again.
I love you all so much. I love this work with all of my heart. I know that my father lives and loves us.
KEEP THE FAITH!
Hna Redfern

THIS WEEKS EMAILS

Hello! well this was a very interesting week in Poza Rica. We had one of our investigators of 4 months have a baby! And considering we and the members are the only people really financially stabling them in the incredibly hard situation, i got a call at 11 am and took off running to the church with her hospital papers that we had for a current problem. There the bishop took her to the hospital and she gave birth in o about 15 Minutes. Ya it was fast. We had already gotten back home and little Esperanza was born. This week we will probably give her a blessing and name for the church. The mission really lets you have some experiences you wold truly never have. I love this opportunity, truly is amazing. We also have had some really spiritual lessons with a young woman who had been to church for a year and will now be getting baptized this week, the Lord is truly Omnipotent and can do all things. My testimony of the fast is something that has grown extremely. Well i had interviews this week and it is ab out 100 percent certain that i will be changing to the Mission Mexico Veracruz when they make the division, so that will be the first of JULy so send the last mail you want to send me in this next week or two and than stop.... and later i will give the address for the new mission. It will be a very different change change but it is also a little exciting to be able to get to know even more of Mexico. New president, new missionaries, new people cities and culture. But not until July. So yea. We are just going to keep on working and doing what we need to be doing and let the Lord handle the rest. I love you all so much, i got a couple letters this week which was good because it had been while that anyone has written me besides Lindsey ha(your the best). Remember to keep the Sabbath day holy, i have been studying a good amount of words of the Prophets, and it is a day muy abused. Have a great week everyone!!
elder redfern

Hola!

I have been reflecting a lot today on my mission. As the time is coming short I am feeling many different emotions, I didn’t think it would still be so hard at this point. I am realizing that there is still so much to learn as a missionary and I would love a whole other 6 months to applicate everything I am learning now. I hope these boys realize how lucky they are to have the last six months that they have. But to be honest I don’t if physically I could do it. I feel my body dying. The last few nights we have had to run in super hard to try and make it in on time and I just want to cry. As I lifted my feet (we have been wearing boots because of the tremendous rain) pain rushed through each part of my body. I am doing my workouts daily but the walking all day gets to you. But every time we have made it in on time and I have literally felt the hand of the Lord push me the last few blocks to the house.

The hand of the Lord has been in all of our work. Finally this weekend Betty and Salustiano Alvarez are going to be baptized. We started teaching Betty in January but after many spiritual lessons and against my will we had to leave her because she wasn’t progressing. A MEMBER told us to stop buy again and every since then we have been teaching her and her husband. My heart if so full of joy! I just know their two kids that are home will follow.

We are also teaching stubborn Miguel, he is 100 percent Hippie and loves to fight with us but the spirit has been doing its work and he is changing. He came to church yesterday and my comp said he was tearing up a bit during my talk. It is amazing to watch the faces of people change as we testify of the truthfulness of this gospel.

I know that the greatest work we can do is share the gospel. People will listen, the spirit will touch there hearts. Something I wish people would have taught me more as a young women is how important it is that we preach this gospel instead of focusing so much on marriage. The right person will come at the right time, right now is the time to teach and preach to those who have not been able to have the gospel in their lives.

I love you all!!!!!!!!!!! KEEP THE FAITH!

Hello!Well things are going great down here. Time is truly flying by demasiado fastly and it seems untrue that we are midway through May. I am truly looking for the ability to change my complete self into a more worth faithful bolder servant of the Lord. I read the stories of Alma, Amulek, Ammon, especially Nefi and Lehi the brothers and with how much power and authority they truly taught. I read those stories and know that, if someone were to be as faithful and true in fasting and praying and sacrificing time energies and emotions in this great work, they could really become as one of them, after all we are all children of God. I know the scriptures are here to give us the example, teach and guide us. Those stories are as true now as they were back then. But it all comes down to faith and obedience. The more obedient I am i gain more faith, and the more faith i have the more easier it is to be obedient. I love this work. I know it is true. I know that Satan is angry when we try our best and he wants our investigators in his hands. i know that fasting is a protection for them. Like Ive said many times, it has been amazing to have the chance to serve a long side my sister, a great missionary, and my brother (cuñado pues quien sabe) Elder Sanchez, an example to the world. I know they are serving with allk their hearts and it strengthens me to do the same as well. I know this church is true, and the Jesus is the Christ, I have learned so many things on the mission that i hope to never forget, and i still have so much yet to learn. I hope you all have a great week and can search for the spirit in your daily lives.
Love Elder Redfern

Hola a todos!!

Hugo was confirmed yesterday and in his blessing Hno Perez said that he would be an instrument in bringing many souls to the Kingdom of God. He is progressing really well and it is so fun to hear about all the changes that have happened with him since he was baptized last week.
We are continuing to see miracles happen. I feel truly blessed to be apart of this work. This Sunday Cristian Ortiz came to church by himself and he was sitting before sacrament started which is more punctual then many of the members. He is 21 and a very prepared young man. The other day I asked him why it is that he wants to listen to us and he told me that he wants to progress and learn how he can avoid sinning. His answer was so tender and so pure. And he was just a regular contact in the street that we almost didn’t past by because of the lack of time that we had.
I am continuing to learn more and more about myself as the mish goes on. I thought that by now many of my faults would diminish but I am reminded constantly that there is always so much more I can do. I was reading in Mosiah this morning where King Benjamin addresses the people from his tower and he reminds them that they are NOTHING and compares them to the dust of the earth. When they realize that these things are true they bow themselves to God out of fear and plead for forgiveness. They repent of their sins and then it says that they are filled with the spirit and are filled with joy and happiness. We must humble ourselves before our God. We must recognize that we are nothing ask for forgiveness and then the Lord can bless us with the Spirit which then brings joy and happiness to our lives. Want to have more joy and happiness. Repent! Daily we must plead with the Lord, we must humble ourselves and then we will find joy in our lives. I know these things are true and I know that true happiness lies within repentance. I love you all with all of my heart.
Keep the FAITH!!!!

Hna Redfern

THIS WEEKS EMAILS

Hola a todos,

I want to share with you an experience that may be one of the greatest miracles of my mission. As you all remember I was really not too excited to have a girl from the branch I am working in be my comp, but the Lord new better and he told me that she would know people who are ready to accept the gospel. As you know we had much success, but the success was the work of us two together and not people she had known. Towards the end I get pressuring her to take us to someone she knew who was ready to hear the gospel. But little did we know that we had already contacted him. Hugo Narvaez, was the non-member husband of my comps visiting teaching companion. Everything started going well with this family when she was my companion because she had already had their confidence. Many of you know that I have been now teaching him for a while.

About a month ago we had given him a goal to get baptised this weekend. And everything started falling into place. Our president of the mission came and was able to give him an interview and sneaky us didn’t tell him it was actually a baptism interview, he just thought they would chat because he still wasn’t sure about baptism (still didn’t feel he had received his answer about Joseph Smith). So they did, and President passed him but he still didn’t want to be baptised. This happened on Sunday and we decided to invite ourselves over everyday for lunch this week because his wife was going to be off work ;) So we went everyday, even p-day (oh by the way starting next week my p-day is going to be on Monday). Everyday he had some other doubt. We studied prayed and fast but we still were not able to get him to budge. By Thursday I was ready to throw in the towel but we asked them to join us in one last fast. We reminded his wife that she cannot drink MATE during this fast and she was not too happy about it. We told them that they had to do it for real, 24 hours without food, without water, without MATE. He accepted easily but his wife struggled more. So we fasted, that whole day I was praying the whole time, worrying, begging God to help me, never have I had to pray so hard for an investigator. Never had I had to beg God so much for understanding of why all this was happening and never in my mission have I learned so much about teaching others.

Friday morning we planned for him and decided to teach things more on a logical level, to show him the fruits of the first vision. When we got to his house you could tell his wife was not happy. She told us she knew that the devil had been working so hard on her this week and at one point she was so frustrated she just wanted to leave the lunch on the table and leave the house, good thing she didn’t. We started teaching right away as we were eating, the spirit then told me to tell him to believe that his son believed that he had the power from God. We shared D&C 20:37 and reminded him that baptism was about following Christ, not about whether he knew for sure for sure Joseph smith was a prophet. Of course that is important but sometimes we just need to have faith and that’s what he needed to have. We then asked him to be baptised this weekend and he said yes. The spirit was so strong. His wife jumped for joy and they began planning everything right away. On Sunday the whole branch was super giddy and after church Hugo was baptised by his son.

This has been such a wonderful experience and I feel so grateful to have been apart of it. The Lord knows his children He loves them and will not let them be destroyed. Now one more family has the opportunity to be together forever. There are so many more details that I would love to tell but don’t have time. I love you all so much. Thank you for your love and support. I know that this is the work of the Lord. I know that this is the ONLY way we can be cleansed of our sins and return to live with our Father in Heaven. KEEP THE FAITH!!!!!

Hna Redfern

Hello all!
Well this week was a good and hot one. And as usual it was great to be able to hear the voices of my fam! I cant believe how big Tyson and Gavin are talking and whatnot. Time is just flying by. Here in Poza Rica everything is going well. WE are in the middle of a 6week consecration act that the President has put toward us as a goal, and it really has been a unique experience, I'm sure the Lord has many plans for his missionaries here if we can put in the extra effort.. The opportunity to be here is just utterly ridiculously amazing. To serve the Lord and do nothing else more, i dont worry about bills and how ill pay them or food or anything or school. Just the lives of everyone else. It is the only time for 99 percent of us that we will be able to give absolutely all our time to the Lord. what a blessing. The fact that it has to end someday is not so cool. Watching the people learn and grow is better than any paycheck that Bill gates has received, and that's true. I hope to be able to continue serving with all my heart might mind and strength, and your prayers and letters ha are always appreciated. I love you all so much.
Elder Redfern

THIS WEEKS EMAILS

MY NEW COMP FROM ARIZONA
Hola
So it sounds like you all didn't get my last email so I will give you a recap. It has now been two weeks with my new comp and it has been awesome. She is a mini mi. Seriously, even don to that fact that we both love fiber bars and reeses. Everyone day we learn one more thing that is the same like fighting for black American rights when were in high school, and always competing with the boys thinking we could take them on. We have now just taken on competing with the elders together and fighting for the lost souls of Argentina. I love my comp and feel truly blessed tho have her. She is a hard working and likes to run so we have been staying active all day. She is also kicking my butt back into shape in our workouts in the morning!
We just had the baptism of Paola Ortiz the mom of our recent convert and he baptised her. I feel bad we didn't do a very go job of instructing them on how to do the baptism and she freaked out as she went under and it scared him so it was a little bit of a mess but she walked out of the water super happy saying „i just wanted to be baptized!“
We have had a very interesting week filled with miracle after miracle. I don't have the time to write all that has happened. In just a few minutes we will be heading to lunch for the 3rd time this week with Emi (a member of 13 yrs) and her husband an investigator who has his baptism date for sat but still isnt sure. We are working super hard with him. Just yesterday we figured out a little more about him and how he struggles to love. He has lost his love for people and doesnt believe in forgiveness. But he wants an answer from God about Joseph Smith. We explained that you cannot expect God to show you his love by talking to you through the spirit if you cannot love others. His heart has been very cold for a very lone time. I am seeing now the fruits of our love affect him and the changes he has made these past two months. He said how he loved the other day when we walked past his worked and waved to him. Some people just need a little love. I hope this week we can all love a little more. Find someone who is hurting and show them the love that god has for them!
I got to roll. I love you all. Even Steven and Brandon whom i have not heard from for practically my whole mission ;) KEEP THE FAITH
Hna Redfern

ZONE CONFERENCE

Hey All! well life is good and hot here in Poza Rica, we got up to 115 on Saturday and its been past 100 since than, good ole Mexico, ya gotta love it. We had a baptism on Saturday of a girl named Natalie who was able to be baptized by her brother who is preparing to go on a mission. There has been many trials here in the ward, knowing that Satan cant stand that one single thing be done without his counterattack. But the Lord is blessing his children here and we can feel it. Time is going be quickly and its tough to believe that this week we will be talking to the family again and for the last time before I'm home. We are looking to having a really great change this change, and have put some great goals so that we can try to keep helping this ward out. One of our investigators named Laura is 8 months pregnant and should be having her baby any day now, this will definitely be a first in the mission, considering we will prolly be the ones to rush them to the hospital because of the extreme situation. She is such a strong woman and weeks ago personally gained a testimony of the divinity of the book of Mormon, and thrives to get baptized is not able to in this moment. I hope everyone is doing amazing, and keeps on fighting through the daily trials that you may have, God will truly give you the peace and power to be able to beat any temptation or trial that may come your way. I love the mission too much. It sure is hard, but every moment is worth it. i hope you all have a great week!
Elder Redfern

THIS WEEKS EMAILS

Hey all!
Well you just have to love life don't ya! Sometimes I find myself awestruck realizing all of the trust that God puts in some 20 yr olds to do His work, and to take care of His children. there are nights one cant sleep praying and thinking meditating of how one can fix a certain problem or doubt. But i have never felt more joy than i have here in the mission. I love it. I don't really no how to describe this week. it was filled with some of the most exquisite joy causing 13yr old girlike giddyness, and some of the hardest brain racking life and death problems. Any time someone does something good, Satan will not stand for it. His grip can be so tight on sometime it is shocking. Alcohol and drugs are just one of the biggest problems in the world, and it is truly heartbreaking to watch it tear families apart. I love the mission. My best friend completed two years and hes still there, what a life long example he will be for me. This week my older brother gets older and my little sister becomes a legal woman, which i will not stand for nor accept until i am home and than we might sort out the details. I find myself at a lost of words, but i want to say that this is the truth. There is no separation of Life and God. There is no reason to ever do anything that god doesn't condone or hasn't commanded. i know we are weak, feeble, i know i could be such a better representative of Christ, but i know that forgiveness truly is a miracle. It is asombroso. I love you all so much, your example, love, and support is invaluable. Have a great week
love
Elder Redfern
gracias cuate, de verdad eres un heroe y ejemplo para todos nosotros

Her A.P. HE will be attending BYUI, also
Hola!!!
My child is on her way. Right now I am stuck in the offices with the elders wasting time. This week was super great, my comp worked as hard as she could to finish off the week but by Monday she was ready to finish. She told me about her interview and how she had to take off her plaque and it made me think about how one day I am going to have to do that and it broke my heart. I am not ready for that day yet.
I just had my interview with President and it went super well, I love the few moments I have with him, he is such an inspired man and helps me to see the big picture. He reminded me of all the change that has occurred in this past year. It has almost been a yr since I arrived here in Argentina and I feel truly blessed for every moment that has been cherished here. He told me I have to take it easy on my comp because she was really sick in the MTC and if she works too hard she could have to go home. It should be an interesting change but I am excited to put more focus into my comp. I think I have lacked that a lot in the mission; I want to try to be better in thinking about the needs of the one closest to me, something I have lacked a lot in my life.
The other way awesome thing is that next week we have two baptisms! Our Recent Convert Ruben is going to baptize his mom and the sister of our other recent convert is going to be baptized! We continue to see miracles here in the mission field and I love it. We are promised that we can see miracles everyday, we just have to let them happen and have faith that they will.
I love this work. I love my Father in Heaven. I KNOW without a doubt that this is the church of our Savior and King Jesus Christ. I love you all!!!
KEEP THE FAITH
HNA REDFERN

THIS WEEKS EMAILS

Hey all!!
well this was a great week! we were so happy to see the Lords hand in our work as we had two baptisms on Saturday. One day like a month or two ago we were looking for a man that we had an appt with and were kinda lost. One man passed by and said ¨elderes¨ which you can imagine only say members or old investigators. So we talked to him and he said you I'm a rm and my wife isn't a member, we took her and my nephew too church last week. you should stop by sometime.. Well, yea!! So we got to know Toña and Hector and they were baptised this week. But the blessings of the Lord are so in sight. He just put the man in our way, and a little of talking and we had two golden investigators. They are already talking about planning their sealing and everything. Oh the Lord is... indescribably merciful. His blessings make you want to cry. I love him so much because i know i have been a child of His that has caused Him much pain, and even the fact that Hes given me the chance to serve is completely and truly remarkable. It shows His love for is perfect, without a doubt. i feel it so much and know others still need it. i just started the ¨4th quarter¨ of my mission, and time is going by tooo fast. The division of the mission is coming up and if i stay this change here i might stay and be part of the other mission, it would be crazy. But who knows. Whatever the Lord wants, I'm down. i hope you all have an amazing week, please know that i truly love you all and you have all supported me so much throughout my mission. I would like to say thanks to Bishop Baird who was more than a helping hand to get me here on the mission, what a loving Bishop and a great example. I truly am grateful for your help and guidance.Hope everyone wished my pops a happy birthday!!
Elder Redfern

THE SISTERS IN HER ZONE

HOLA!!!

I just want to share with all of you how wonderful my companion really is. The fact that she has taught me how to really clean and how to cook some really good Argentine food she has also taught me how to really give of myself in the service of God. She thought that for sure she would be finishing her mission as of 2 weeks ago and she was super excited to get back to drinking MATE (it is a hot drink here that the Argentines are completed addicted to that we can’t drink as missionaries). She accepted to stay with me not knowing how long it would be. Then they called this weekend to say my child was going to be here today. But they called Monday night to take it all back, that she has one more week. My comp had already told her family once again that she was done. She willing accepted that she needed to stay another week. They then called in the morning yesterday to say that I would be having another “mini” for this week so that my comp could finish. But then they called 3 hours later with the news that she really needs to stay for another week. Not one negative word came out of her mouth. I was more bugged then she was and told the elders we want peanut butter for all the mixed emotions they made us have (if you are thinking about get a package out some I would love some JIFF ;). She is an example of someone who really will “GO and DO the things the Lord commands”.
I was reminded this week of how important it is that I work every moment of everyday because if not I am withholding the opportunity for people to have the gospel in their lives and the opportunity the members here have to see miracles. I want to see miracles, I want the members to see miracles and I know that they can but the miracles come after we show our faith. We must work, and we must be diligent and obedient. How grateful I am that the Lord has given us the chance to repent and change, to become better. How awesome is it that everyday we can wake up to a new day!!!!! I hope tomorrow is a better day for all of us. I hope that we can all apply the power of the atonement in our lives, repent and promise to do better. A few words from a fav song of mine: “tomorrow is another day, and I am thirsty anyway, so bring on the rain!!!!!!” No matter what tomorrow brings lets all promise to give it all we have, to serve with all our hearts!!!
I love you all so much.
KEEP THE FAITH

THIS WEEKS EMAILS

Hey all!
Well this was a great week here with a large part of that due to the fact that it was conference weekend. Oh you just have to love conference. The opportunity to listen to scripture being spoken by the words of Prophets, Seers, and Revelators is simply amazing. It was great because we had a good amount of investigators that went and were able to listen to the Prophet. President Monson is truly a prophet of God. The family was so incredibly focused on in the conference that it seems we all need to double up pour efforts on really following the Lord in everything that we do, beginning in the home. This week we have to baptisms planned and we will be praying that everything goes through as planned. We also have had some really great investigators that have been progressing fall into their old ways. It hurts. You try and do everything for somebody so that they can accept the gospel, and they say they want to, but than you find them doing things they shouldn't be doing. It is sad, and you feel it. Please, stay as far away from the Devil and his temptations as you can, don't even go near it. And if you fall, remember that Adam did too, but he got right back up. And just because you took one step down the wrong road, doesn't mean you have to take two. Satan is sly, elusive, and cruel. Our Savior is everything the opposite. Im sure you all had a great Easter remembering what He did for us. I am so grateful that i can take all of my many imperfections and weaknesses and sins to the Lord, and he can help me change. I love the atoning power of His blood. I hope you all have a really great week and can start to put in practice what the Lord has taught us in this conference. I saw pictures of Elder Sanchez(don't worry, skinny is the new style), he was in a picture with Ammon from my BYU ward.I love you all so much. thanks for all your support.
Elder Redfern

HOLA TODOS
So it finally happened, exactly what I really thought would never happen to me…we got robbed! Luckily it was only our gas tank, a few bananas, an apple and our yogurt. We spent all morning Saturday trying to get the back door fixed up.
We were en debt to the elders this week because they came twice to our area to help bring one more soul unto Christ. Rubén Rivero had his interview on Wednesday and wanted to be baptised the next day so of course we had the baptism. It went really smoothly and the spirit was really strong.
So sat we headed to the area of the Elders which is 45 min away. I was super sad that we were going to work in another area and not to watch conference (either way we weren’t going to be able to watch because our area doesn’t show conference). The rule in our mission is that you can only watch Saturday session if you have an investigator. The elders told us if we brought someone we found in their area we could go. I was DETERMINED. We were going to find, someone ANYONE. I wanted so badly to hear the conference. At 4:30 we went to work, we had 30 before the session started. I knew that we could find someone who needs the gospel. We taught one lesson with an investigator of the Elders but she wants going to come. So we headed out to make contacts in the street. It was hilarious how hard we were trying. After about 5 contacts we met Fauricio, a 26 single guy who only wanted to talk about money and Britney Spears (he said I reminded him of her, HA!). But he CAME, after much convincing... 30 min into conference we entered. I was so happy to listen. And then all I could think about is how I could help Fauricio to understand what was happening. I missed a lot of what was being said trying to think about the needs of this young man. He stayed the whole hour and half and after conference there was a change in him. They way he talked changed. He ended up staying and talking with the missionaries afterwards. It was so wonderful to see the work of the Lord. He gave me the desires or my heart while using me to help another person come unto Christ.
I love my Savior, I love my Father in Heaven. I know that he wants to help us, he wants to give us the desires of our hearts, but he wants us to work. To give Him all that we can. I know that this is the true church and that if we continue on this path we will one day return to our Father in Heaven.
KEEP THE FAITH
Hna Redfern