Dear family and friends,My 24 months, 2 years, 700+ days, 18 changes have all...come to an end.
This is my last week here in the Mexico Leon Mission and before departing I would just like to take a minute and thank you all.
Thank you for the money you have donated so I would never be hungry and could always enjoy a treat and pay for transportation to take investigators to church. Thank you for your emails of gratitude and encouragement, I can honestly say that I have never been "forgotten" or been so old in the mission that I didn’t receive any more mail as some missionaries claim. Thank you for the packages that brightened my day and the cards and pictures that made me laugh and brought a smile to my face even when things weren’t going as I would have like them to. Thank you for always remembering me and the missionaries in your prayers, I know that much of the success the lord has given me has been due to your prayers and faithfulness.
I am so grateful for family and friends that care. I have always had you behind me to push and encourage me when I needed it most, for this I will be eternally grateful.
I know that God is our father. He did appear to Joseph Smith with his son Jesus Christ. Representing the Savior, His church and spreading his gospel has taught me and brought me so much Joy that it makes it difficult for me to come home. I had a hard time coming to the mission now it’s hard for me to leave!! I hope that all of you who have supported me can be present at my homecoming which will be the 28th of this month in Garden Grove 6th Ward so I can personally thank you.
This is Jesus Christ’s church, his teachings and ordinances have been restored along with the Authority to teach and administer them! We live in the greatest and last dispensation of all times to be able to teach these things to our brothers and sisters that don’t know them.
Con mucho amor escribo estas cosas,
(with much love, I write these things)
Elder Salazar
11 comments:
Elder Salazar - AKA Ben,
Your gratitude says it all. I am touched to think about how well you have represented your family, friends, Ward, and the Lord; you have worked so diligently, sacrificed, and blessed those you have served and yet you are thanking us.
Your last report is the best ever.
Looking forward to seeing you in person and praying for your safe return.
Jeff Trader
Can't wait to see you again Ben!
Hola Elder Salazar,
First, I have to say it's fitting that one of your last pictures from your mission has a motorcycle in the background..too cool.
Second and more seriously, I want you to know of the great example you are to your family, to your friends, to the YM and YW of the GG stake. You rock Elder. And I as so proud of you. Your testimony and knowledge of the gospel has grown by leaps and bounds.
Take care and come home safe.
Siempre tu amigo,
Dan Banagas
Congrats Elder Salazar!
We are all so proud of you and the work you have done in Mexico. You and Greg have been super missionaries. He's right behind you...coming home in April! :-)
May your life always be blessed for your service spent spreading the gospel.
Take care and safe travels home!
Love you,
The Bowden's
Benjamin,
I am so proud of you words can't even express it. All I can say to you is RUN HOME. We all miss you. We are all looking forward to your stories. God bless you and have a safe flight home. See you next week. What an awesome sentence.
Love you with all my heart
Lori
Benj.
Its time to come home, your mom is hard to live with, I think she has cleaned the house 6 times already! On the mnorning you come home right after your mom runs the vacuum one last time Im gonna run all over the carpet in the nice living room, boy I cant wait. LOL
You have served well Elder cant wait to hear all about it. We are proud of you.
Sue C
Elder Salazar:
Our thanks go to you for being such a faithful, diligent, energetic and successful missionary.
You have represented the Church and specifically the GG 6th Ward in a manner that makes us all proud to just know you and, I'm sure, pleases the Lord immensely.
We're looking forward to your return.
Bishop Bowring
Dear Benjamin,
How proud and honored I am as your mother, as you complete your mission. You have served your Heavenly Father well as Representative of his church. Many lives and generation's will be blessed because of your service.The Mexican people will always hold a special place in your heart. You have been a righteous young man, willing to obey the rules and do your best. You could never know how much that means to me. As a result of your service our family has been so blessed. A wedding, a new grandchild to come, your brother's engagement, and so much more. I could go on and on. I'm sure you will look like a grown man when you return, and not that, just graduated high school boy that left us. My hope is that you continue to live your life as close to the spirit as you are doing right now. That you will live, listen, and heed the promptings of the spirit so that you can walk through life with the Lord at your side. The future is now yours! Well done Benjamin, I couldn't be more proud.
Please thank Pres. and Sister Cox for the love and care they have given you.
See you on Monday, in Long beach,
Love,
mom
I can't believe this is my last letter to you in the mission field. The time went by so fast, maybe too fast. We enjoyed your letters and reading about your mission experiences, but most of all we enjoyed watching your transformation from a boy into a man with a deep testimony of Jesus Christ, and the Gospel. Mom and I wonder if we will have a let down from your coming home. We have devoted so much time and thought to you while you were gone, you were always on our minds. We treasured each letter, and we were so proud of how hard you worked, and the leadership positions you were given because of your hard work and dedication. We came to love the people of Mexico, because your love for them showed in your letters.
When you left I told you how our lives change like the seasons. With your homecoming, change will be upon us again. You will go to school, meet a girl, get married, start a career and maybe move away from us. Very soon Heavenly Father will bless our lives with grandchildren, and our lives will be full again with our own little grand babies crawling around, and needing to be held and kissed.
It doesn't seem that long ago that mom and I were teenagers dating at Pacifica. Our lives were full of fun and friends and activities and doing the things that teens do. Then all of a sudden we had our own children and we no longer had the luxury of thinking just of ourselves, but you and your brothers brought so much joy to our lives that any rough spots were soon forgotten. Mom and I often wonder how those years passed so quickly, and whether we enjoyed them enough. If I can offer you any advice at this new stage of your life, it would be to always savor the moment. Sometimes we think things will never change, or always be there for us, and we take things for granted. As you have learned for yourself, with your mission coming to an end, make the most of the time you have, and savor the moment...
I am so very proud of you. You have served an honorable mission, your service has blessed our family as well as the people of Mexico. We love and miss you and look forward to your return. Give Sister and President Cox a hug and a kiss before you leave, for we, you and I, will never forget them, and we will always think fondly of them...
Love,
Dad
THANKS!!!
ELDER SALAZAR
It has been our pleasure to have Elder Salazar called to Preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ here in the México León Misión alongside President Cox and I. He has left his "mark" in the hearts of many as he has taught and bore testimony of the truths of the gospel restored through a prophet of God in these latter days. Many will remember him as their missionary....as President and I do today of ours when we were converted. Our hearts continue to expand as we welcome new Assistants into the offices...but the memories of the special times we shared with Elder Salazar, Elder Callen and Elder Maxfield will always remain in our hearts as "special times". We are so excited for your future....Elder Salazar. Con Amor, Presidente y Hermana Cox
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