Adventures of Hermana Jennifer Duvall: June 8, 2016 First Week Down!

Hey Friends and Family!!
I first just want to start off by saying thanks for all of the love and support! I love you all so much. I know that I am supposed to be out here on a mission serving the Lord for the next 18 months. I can honestly not even remember my life before the mission, and even when I get discouraged or start missing home I just think "What would my life be without a mission?" and I can't even imagine it. I love my savior Jesus Christ, and I know that He atoned for me, and for all of you, and for every single person on this earth. I feel as if i owe my life to Him, but by serving a mission I know that I this is the way that I can show Him how much I really do love him.

Hermana Duvall at Mexico City Temple after traveling from LAX on May 31st Day 1 of Mission

Traveling companions

Many of you know, I was a little nervous about traveling down here and going through immigrations and customs and stuff like that but it was all wonderful! There were 5 other missionaries with my on my plane, so we all got to go through it together.

My companion is awesome. Hermana Anderson. We actually met up at BYU before we left on our missions, hoping we would be companions, and what do you know, we are companions.

CCM Companions Hermana Anderson and Hermana Duvall enjoying their lunch!

My district is awesome. There are four Hermana companionships and 2 elder companionships. We are all already super close, and helping each other with Spanish and our testimonies. Funny story; on our first day of class a bird flew into our classroom and was flying all around. It was kind of sad, but the different reactions of everyone was hilarious. Overall, the end result was a smelly classroom, but our first of many random bonding experiences. I know we were all meant to be in a district together, because each of us have something to offer to strengthen the group.

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June 8, 2016 "Districto 12 A"

How's the Español coming? Well, I can now pray in Spanish and teach lessons in Spanish! This last Sunday I bore my testimony in Sacrament Meeting in all Spanish, and it was awesome. I went up there with notes, but I didn't really even use them. I was just able to speak from my heart and what i really wanted to say in Spanish. It was awesome. Hermana Anderson and I are teaching an investigator named Besner. He is actually one of our teachers in the afternoon, but he is our "investigator" during our lessons. Our first lesson I had a really cool experience, where we got to the point where we started teaching about Joseph Smith, and I had the thought to share my experience going to the Sacred Grove last year and praying to know if Joseph Smith was really a prophet of God. I told him God answered my pray, and I now know for sure that he was!!! I shared that all in Español, although probably not very fluid. But a girl who sat in on the lesson, a Latina, came up to me and said that she loved my testimony about Joseph Smith and that she could feel the Spirit so strongly when I was testifying!!

BOOM. That was on Thursday, my second day in the MTC and I was able to speak and share my testimony about Joseph Smith in Spanish! We've had a lot of cool experiences like that. We committed Besner to baptism in 2 weeks, and he committed to follow the Word of Wisdom (in his words; "no más café!" ha-ha. Even though he isn´t like our real investigator, it´s been cool to have revelation for someone else, and to grow to love someone else and see them how Heavenly Father sees them!!! I's seriously so amazing, and just such a wonderful feeling to know that I really am an instrument in God's hands, helping his lost sheep come unto him, as I speak His words and His teachings.

I really love it here! I wish I could write down all of the wonderful experiences that I have had here, but I don't have that much time left. I just want to end by sharing a thought in 2 Nephi 2:2, which says: Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid; for the Lord Jehovah is my strength and my song; he also has become my salvation.
I just want to end by bearing my testimony that this verse is so true. The Lord really is my strength, and He has helped me in all of the good and bad times throughout my life. I know that He knows me personally and loves me unconditionally. I know that being on a mission isn't always going to be easiest thing, but I know that because of hi, I can always be happy. Because of him I can be forgiven. Because of him, I can feel the burdens lifted from my back. And because of him, I am on a mission trying to following in his perfect footsteps. He is my song. He is the beat to my step that will always get me to keep moving forward.

Te amo,
Hermana Duvall