Hermana Landon

Hermana Landon with the Villarruels and miscellaneous missionaries.

Missionary letters are great and all, but do you ever feel like it's hard to follow all the simultaneous story lines? I'm always wondering "What happened to so-and-so?" and "Who is that person again?" When I clawed (clawed? what the...) through all of Alexa's past emails for the Best of Hermana Landon, I started piecing the puzzle together.  From her emails (copied and pasted - all errors are her's), I give you the inspiring story of the Villarruels family.

I'm so thankful for this opportunity to serve and run every morning at presidents orders (Ed. note: All the missionaries are required to run for thirty minutes in the morning for exercise). He's promised us a better mission if we do the things he asks. I'm learning exact obedience even in the things we think don't matter is important.
Commandments and "rules" are just an opportunity to to receive blessings.

Weeks later...

We found this one family by Gods wonderful had one morning while running. We always change our route for safety and one morning I had no Idea where i wanted to run so we picked a random turn and sister Eastman had a thought to go talk to a man I barely noticed raking the patch of grass/sidewalk <-- ! in front of his yard. Haha it was so funny but, we ran back and half out of breath told him we were missionaries and asked if we could come talk with him another time. And you guessed it(good job).... He (Antonio)said yes! We came back that Saturday he told us he'd be home and they fed us and we only had time to do that and get to know them a bit. We brought his wife flowers from a church mothers-day activity they couldn't make it to and kept trying to catch them at a good time to teach but it wasn't happening.
We decided we were gonna show up at their house yesterday and try and get a ride with them to a "Why I Believe?" talk president was giving at the Visitors Center behind the temple. Antonio and his wife came! and afterwards met the bishop and a awesome family from the ward and president talked to them and told them to go to church and take the sacrament - because it's the most important thing - and other wonderful things. Antonio and his wife were telling everyone they think of us as their children since they don't have any and they adore us. Antonio told us that the morning we found him he usually goes to work at 6 but that morning they told him hi didn't have to come in until 8 for some reason so he decided to do some yard-work. He recognized it was not a coincidence that we met him which is what I told him that morning without knowing that story. I love them so much Bishop kept telling me they are gonna get baptized quick. I completely planing on going back after the mission to come to their sealing! 

Several weeks later...

We've also been trying for forever and have been working so hard to get the Villarruels to come to church but Antonio just wouldn't and especially after that last time he told me to stop asking him that made me kinda mad. I was really frustrated wondering how can we get him to come if he says he wants to but He doesn't know when and even president baker had told him a bit more than a month ago to go to church and take the sacrament. WHY wont he just come we invite and he really is sincere that he want's to come to see how the church is but he doesn't know when?!...... I just kept praying for patience and that they would come. AND THEN!
Sunday they came!!! I texted them in the morning to invite them to FHE monday and wish them a good week but they never replied. So I sat still in church - my companion asking me if they said they were coming --  just Praying they would come at least for the next week. And in the middle of the hymn in they walked.
I couldn't hold my emotions so I sat there so happy - tears running down my face - that now he had decided he would come with his wife and feel the spirit.
I could only think in little more than a year they will have a full opportunity to be sealed in the temple and know the true joy the gospel brings!
He told us he didn't know church was 3 hours so next Sunday he would make more time to come. I'm so happy they're progressing!

The next week...

The Villaruels came for all of church and really loved it. Antonio talked with bishop and told him he feels like he's finally found peace! We're working really hard at getting them friends so that when we get transferred or change they wont be sad. They are so excited to learn! But Antonio is still super resistant to making commitments. He just wants to do it on his own and not because we tell him to. I tried to explain it's not what we're asking it's what God is asking and setting Goals (like a baptismal date) helps us to work towards something. I'm pretty sure he understands. He basically just wants to surprise everyone with his own accomplishments. He did commit to stop drinking!

A couple of weeks after that...

So this last week we set a baptismal date with the Villarruel! Oh my goodness I was so happy. When we went to their house last night with a family from the ward Antonio said he would commit to baptism, They really want to be and they've made their decision, but he wants to go to a baptism first, to be able to feel more comfortable at their own. Bummer they are only ever on sundays! But during the lesson I got a really calming feeling that everything will be just great. So they will be baptized in 2 weeks hopefully.
I love them so much my heart is filled with the most joy I have ever felt when I am with them teaching and especially during our last lesson. I couldn't hold back my smile! I Just want to tell everyone how wonderful they are and how much they've changed! It's a miracle of God. This is his work and he loves his children so much he has given us everything we need to return to live again with him and our families through the true and full gospel of Jesus Christ. 

A couple weeks and a transfer later...

Just got moved out of my first area for the first time! It was so hard but the lord is blessing us in this new area! it's really wonderful, I wish you all could know. We've Had a huge miracle everyday! I've been a little sick lately but sister Zollinger has been so understanding. She's a doll. Super awesome missionary from north Dakota! We're getting baptisms left and right here! It's going so good! I was able to go to the Villarruel's baptism last Sunday in my last zone. It was so great! They were so cute and happy! I'll send pictures next week. Well in one year from August 25th I plan on coming back to go through the temple and see them be sealed!!!