Sprint to the finish line!

Dear all,

They say that the hardest part of a race is the very end. The begininng is
easy, you've got energy, you're excited and you're ready to take on anything!

The middle begins to get a little tougher but you still got it. Your
training prepared you for this.

And the very, very last bit is when it starts to get tough. You're tired.
Your body hurts and now it's time to push yourself to the very limit. Do
what you have never done. Keep going until you reach the very end.

It's in those last moments that matter most. Everything that you have worked
for all leads up to the very last bit. Are you going to make it? Are you
strong enough? Are you going to finish?

And so has been my experience in these last few months of the mission...
but I can promise you all that I am going to SPRINT to the finish line.
Because that's who I am. And what I have been sent here to do. I will give
it my all even if it means collapsing at the end of it.

Remember Isabelle? The miracles that happened with her were real. But her
wedding didn't happen this Saturday like it was supposed to. I did my part,
and I know the Lord did his. Sadly we all have agency. And sadly sometimes
satan is stronger than we think.

But the power of God is stronger. I know that everything happens for a
reason.

Elder Holland said, "Anyone who does any kind of missionary work will
have occasion
to ask, Why is this so hard? Why doesn’t it go better? Why can’t our success
be more rapid? Why aren’t there more people joining the Church? It is
the truth. We believe in angels. We trust in miracles. Why don’t people just flock to the
font? Why isn’t the only risk in missionary work that of pneumonia from being
soaking wet all day and all night in the baptismal font?

You will have occasion to ask those questions. I have thought about
this a great deal. I offer this as my personal feeling. I am convinced that missionary work
is not easy because salvation is not a cheap experience. Salvation never
was easy. We are The Church of Jesus Christ, this is the truth, and He is our
Great Eternal Head. How could we believe it would be easy for us when it was
never, ever easy for Him? It seems to me that missionaries and mission leaders
have to spend at least a few moments in Gethsemane. Missionaries and mission
leaders have to take at least a step or two toward the summit of Calvary.

The Atonement will carry the missionaries perhaps even more importantly than
it will carry the investigators. When you struggle, when you are rejected, when
you are spit upon and cast out and made a hiss and a byword, you are standing
with the best life this world has ever known, the only pure and perfect life
ever lived. You have reason to stand tall and be grateful that the Living Son
of the Living God knows all about your sorrows and afflictions. The only way
to salvation is through Gethsemane and on to Calvary. The only way to eternity
is through Him—the Way, the Truth, and the Life."

So Instead of choosing to be sad saturday we ended up having maybe the best
day of my mission.

And it just happened to be my companions birthday too :) which basically
means it was mine as well because we are always together. Hahaha yay me.

I made her quesadillas for breakfast (haha weird I know but she LOVES THEM)
and then we had the greatest day together and found and taught a family of
5. But not just any family. Different from all the families I have met
before. This family is ready. And prepared and I KNOW they are going to be
baptized and its going to happen before I leave.

Pablo, Rosemary, Ashley, Gimena, and Filipe.

They are so wonderful and so prepared and accepted everything we taught
them including baptismal dates. The spirit was so strong as we sat with
them all around their kitchen table and there is no greater joy then seeing
a family progress together and accept the gospel in their lives. They are
awesome and I already see them all dressed in white!

Then the ward threw hermana Ponce a surprise birthday party and we all
celebrated. It was a blast!!!!!

Love you all, thanks for your prayers. I feel them.
Hermana Starke