HELLO MY FAM BAM!!!!
Where or where do I begin?! Let's
just start with yesterday...... So since I've been here for a while, our
district was asked to host the new missionaries yesterday. (remember how there
was an elder that helped me with my bags at the curb) So, the sisters
don't get to be at the curb but we get to help the sisters once they check in
and we get to take them to their rooms, help them get their books, and then
drop them off at their classroom. I had been praying and praying that I would get
to host Meliss (not sure if that is a completely appropriate, but I did). So I
hosted two other sisters and then I saw that they were getting to the S's and I
told the lady that my best friend was coming in so she let me stay and wait for
her! Oh, I can't even describe to you how sweet of a reunion it was! I know it
has only been about six weeks since I've seen her, but I never really got to
say goodbye to her (only on the phone) and I never thought I'd be seeing
her in her. She was in shock that I was hosting her. We both just hugged
eachother with tears streaming down our faces. Gosh, I love that girl! So, I
got to take her to her room and her class and we just talked and hugged and it
was so fun. Of course, then it was hard to focus for the rest of the day, but
it made my entire week. I didn't have my camera so I didn't get a picture, but
Meliss did so she should be sending a picture home in the next few days so ask
the Stewarts. Anyway, such a neat and special experience for both of us!
I honestly can't remember what all
happened this week. The weeks are beginning to just blend together. We are in
our sixth week here and so we start reviewing next week. I am so glad we have
these next three weeks to review because I think it will really help to solidfy
the spanish that we have learned as long as we work hard. The hard thing about
the three weeks of review is that our schedule isn't as planned out and
structured, so a lot of the districts haven't really pushed themselves because
they are just done with the MTC and are ready to get out to their mission. This
week I have really felt like I haven't progressed as much as I should so I'm
going to try a lot harder this next week to really stay focused and be diligent
in my spanish and the gospel. We can never get comfortable with where we are at
here, but it is so easy to do this! I just know that the Lord gives us
this time here as missionaries to prepare in the ways that He needs us to so
that we will be ready for those that He has prepared for us in our mission.
This time is so precious and I'm going to push myself and work harder this week
to really try and prepare myself in the way that the Lord wants.
My companion
and I had such a neat experience this week with our new investigator Jose
(remember that our investigators here are really our teachers portraying
someone that they taught on their mission). Jose is in such a sad and hard
place right now in his life. It's heartbreaking. We went into our first lesson
planning to talk about Christ but we could sense that he needed to hear about
prayer and his relationship with his Heavenly Father. It is in these
moments when we are led to talk about another topic than we have
discussed, that we realize that this is not our work but His and as we follow
the things that the Holy Ghost tells us to say, we see that Heavenly Father
truly loves and knows what each of His children need. As we taught Jose
about the why's and how's of prayer, I began to see that his heart was
softening. In the beginning we asked if we could kneel and prayer
and he said that we could but that he would not, but by the end, we
invited him to pray with us and asked if he would say the prayer
and he said he would give it a try. As we all knelt together and
listened to Jose offer his very humble prayer, tears filled my eyes as I
heard him bear his soul to God. It this moment, I felt like I saw a
glimpse of what this work is all about, bringing souls to our Heavenly
Father and Jesus Christ. The spirit in that prayer was indescribable. It just
got me thinking about how much this gospel can truly help and heal souls. It
also made me think, how often do we (as members) completely bear our
soul in prayer to our Father in Heaven who knows all. I know that I don't
do this enough and I from this experience I learned that I need to trust
more deeply in the Lord and bear my soul more often to Him if I really
want to completely submit to his will. I sure hope this all makes sense. It
makes sense in my head, but who knows!
One last spiritual thought
that I had this week came from our Tuesday night fireside. Elder Clarke
(from the seventy) came and spoke to us. He said that God doesn't count
baptisms, but converts. I loved this! I think to often missionaries get so
wrapped up in numbers that we forget what this work is really all about. He
held up the Book Of Mormon and said, " Nobody will ever become a true
convert or stay, until they come to love this book." It was so powerful!
He said that if the Book of Mormon isn't our favorite book, let it become it.
There is so much power in the Book of Mormon. As missionaries, it is our
greatest tool. I know that in my life I have taken this book for granted and
haven't read as often or as sincerely as I should. As I have been here and have
been able to study/ read it each day, I can truly say that I know that we can
come closer to Christ through it. Yo se el Libro de Mormon es verdadero y es
las palabras de Dios. READ IT EVERYDAY! He said there shouldn't be a day that
goes by that we don't read from this book. I know that it is written for our
day and that as we read it each day, we will be able to feel of the spirit more
and recieve answers to our questions.
I love you guys so much! Ashy, know
that I'm thinking about you all day tomorrow on your special day. Don't be too
worried, just enjoy the spirit that is there. I love the temple and the peace
and spirit that you can feel there. How is Jana doing? And, for the third week
in a row...... make AUBREY write me already! hahahaha Les Amo!!!!!!! ME ENCANTA
ESTE EVANGELIO!
p.s.
also, everyone needs to go
watch the Mormon message "earthly father, heavenly father" it's
on lds.org.
We watched it this past sunday and bawled! It is so good! (it definitely made
me think of you dad. thanks for being such wonderful daddy to all of us! I love
you so much!)
okay, my time is way up..... but I love all of you so
much! I am sersioulsy beyond blessed to have your support! You guys are the
BEST! LOVE YOU MUCHO MUCHO!
1. I finally found an hermana that's
going to my mission! She speaks spanish fluently because her parents are from
Chile, which is fabulous! I sure hope we are companeras at some point. She was
so sweet!
Here's our whole zone! I love them
all! Some of them are leaving this next week:(
Here we are on our weekly sunday
temple walk.... these are the hermanas in my zone!
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