Hello Everybody!

To say that this week has been a long and hard week for my companion and I is an
understatement. We are grateful that today is P-Day and that we have the opportunity to de-stress
from the week. We are keeping positive, working hard and bringing others closer to Christ
because as missionaries that is what we are called to do. The Spanish continues to come along
slowly and surely. Haha it is leaps and bounds ahead of when I started my mission so that is most
certainly a plus! This Tuesday we are going to the temple with some of the Elder
companionships in our district and zone! Hermana Villegas and I LOVE OUR ELDERS! They
are good men, working hard and doing what God would have them do on their missions. So
blessed to be working shoulder to shoulder with them.
On Wednesday, we went to visit a family who has two investigators living with them in their
home and we read 3 Nephi 11:1-17 with them. The Spirit was very strong and the investigator
Nicanor, started crying during the prayer because he felt the Spirit touch his heart. It was truly
wonderful to be apart of that. My companion and I needed to express to the Hermana Avila, that
we cannot continue teaching Nicanor and Adilene if they do not attend our ward because of the
boundaries. They will not progress spiritually. My companion made it to be an invitation to
Adilene and Nicanor to just come to our ward one Sunday and meet the people. She directed
towards them and not at Hermana Avila. Well let me tell you she was not happy. She started
verbally attacking Hermana Villegas and I, but more my companion because she has known her
longer and understands better than I do. She eventually went upstairs because she was so furious
and Nicanor said, "Well if I want to become apart of this church, I should be able to attend
wherever I want." Hermana Villegas cried and told them it was only an invitation and that we
love them so much and want them to grow spiritually. We went out to the car and as soon as we
got in we hear this pounding on my companion's window, it was Hermana Avila. She starts going
off again and saying, "How dare you come to my home to make me out to be a liar to my family.
You know what those people did to me. You are no longer welcome here to this home. I loved
you and you have betrayed me." Something along those lines. People just do not even know how
much I wanted to punch this woman in the face and call it a day. I still feel awful for not
defending my companion. It was hard to stand there and watch her take the heat for a simple
invitation. So the past few days, Hermana Avila was calling everyone, wanted our mission
president's number and it was crazy, all so she could get permission to go to a ward outside of her
area. She has called us a few times, and she has apologized in her messages but both Bishops of
the English and Spanish ward do not want us going back over there or contacting her for awhile.
All I have to say is wow.
To those that are reading this e-mail, do not feel like we should not have experienced this
because this was a good learning experience for both of us to realize that we will never allow
imperfect people to offend us and take away the blessings of happiness of not going to church.
IT. IS. NOT. WORTH. IT. DO. NOT. HOLD. GRUDGES. Satan will steal away the Spirit in
your heart, in your life and in your home. It is real. We felt it last Sunday and on Wednesday. We
are NOT perfect! With God we can become perfect and through the Atonement of Jesus Christ
our hearts can be healed of any pain that we are experiencing at this time or people we need to
forgive for the hurt they caused us. I want to testify that learning to forgive others as well as
yourself for mistakes made is a big part of your happiness here in this life. I am blessed to have

these experiences to teach me what it really means to not forgive people and what it will do to
you and those around you. The affects are bigger than you realize. Be kind to others and realize
nobody is perfect. Learn to be forgiving as Christ forgave others. It is required of us to forgive all
men and that includes others as well as ourselves.
I testify of the Atonement of Jesus Christ and how healing of a power it is. I am so grateful to be
serving a mission for my Savior and for this opportunity that I have to learn from hard
experiences and to develop stronger faith in the One who makes all things possible. I love Him. I
preach of Him. I testify of Him. I am a witness that my Savior lives and that He is loving and
wants all of us to return to live with our Heavenly Father again. Keep the faith. Be HAPPY! Be
KIND! Be FORGIVING!
Con Amor,
Hermana Rackley