Tuesday, August 26, 2014

Week 18! "Phases Meant to Mold Us"

From 6/2/14

Helllooooo hello hellloooo.
 
Thank you for the emails :D (big smiley face). I got a card from Sister Bolander...please tell her thank you!! I love her letters; they tell a little about everything that`s going on in the ward. And tell Sister Dudley HI back :). And I still haven`t written any boys. Maybe I never will. The time on a mission is whack. :p
 
I shared a part of Mom and Benjamin`s letters with Hna U. And we laughed. We love the images that come to our mind as we read what`s going on at home. jeje Especially because Benjamin is so funny. And I felt a special appreciation for the love and time Mom and Dad have together. It`s a special blessing to have a family strong in the Gospel, who perseveres through anything, and who stay together.
 
Even if, in reality, we live far apart. I`m realizing how special of a blessing it is. Even families who live together don`t necessarily have it "all together." And I`m beginning to understand the differences between what causes our family to behave this way, and what I need to do to have something similar to this in my own family in the future.
 
This week started off heavy and slow. But, as you will read in my note to the President, at the veryyy end of two long, cold, confusing days, He blessed us with "M" and the "Ma" family. I really feel that this was His way of telling me (personally) to wait. Keep going. "I want to see how you handle this..." Wait. Endure. Press on. Than BAM. At the end of the day (twice), He blessed us with little lights that brighten our understanding. There are so many people here who are being prepared. The hard part is finding them. But when we wait, press on, keep going, the Lord will lead us to them (or them to us) when the moment is right. And then He says, "You see? I have sent them right to you. Now teach them and keep going, and I will send more." That`s what I felt about it, anyway.
 
I am so grateful for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I am grateful for the life and light it brings. There are so many reasons to be serving here on a mission right now. I can`t even begin to express how eternally grateful I am to have the opportunity to serve a full-time mission. I know this is what the Lord wants from me right now. And I feel like it`s not just a moment to help other people, but a period of phases of learning. When I perhaps learn one thing, or "graduate" from one phase, He moves me on to the next. It`s really cool. (For lack of a better phrase jeje)
 
"We found a handful of people this week that were pure blessings. One family, Flia Ma, are less active members for 8-10 years. They have 3 young adults ages 28, 25, and 18. The youngest, S, has never been baptized! But he is so friendly and has a really tender spirit. He came to an activity in our ward and enjoyed it. His older sister, A, suffers from cerebral palsy and has severe physical impairments. Hna U and I love her to death.
 
We have a family home evening with them tonight and I am looking forward to it so much! The blessing behind this family is that: I recall several times Hna C and I tried contacting this family, but they were never home or never answered. Hna U and I were having a difficult day and my animos were beginning to dwindle. But, as I have been focusing on the attribute of virtue, I remembered the stories of Joseph Smith, Enoch, Abraham, etc. that I have been studying. And I remembered that when the enemy or trials were strongest, is when they turned to the Lord even more fervently. And, following the trial, comes the blessing.
 
We decided to knock on their door to see if they were home. Shortly after arriving, an active member cousin also approached the gate and let us in....Miracle! And as we conversed, she explained their story a little. We met A and S. We found out S was never baptized....Miracle!
 
I have a testimony of virtue. Perseverance is important if we desire to be led by the Lord. Sometimes He just asks us to 'wait just a little bit' because He has blessings in store for us. Blessings often come after the trial of our faith.
 
We also met M in a similar way. He is the husband of a member in our ward. They`ve been in this ward 2 months now and he has already attended church several times. We have never met or heard of them until last Sunday. We met with him and he is very prepared by the Lord. His wife gave me such a tight hug after the lesson. And, with a very tender and gratitude-filled look in her expression, thanked us for coming to visit.
 
Just to think: these people have been in our sector all along and just now we are finding them! It`s almost as if the Lord is hinting at us to 'keep working...work harder...be diligent. I have people here for you.' And these tender mercies have propelled Hna U and me this week."
 
There are ALWAYS people who live around and among us who are willing to accept and live the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I was sitting in the bus one day just looking around at all the people and thinking, "If we extended an invitation to be baptized to each one of these people, a handful of them would accept and join God`s Kingdom." And, that`s powerful. Because that`s what the prophets have said, and are saying. The work of Salvation is in it`s priiiimee. jejej
 
I love you all!! I hope you keep loving, keep serving, and keep seeking to know what it is we should learn from the Lord in this "phase" of our lives. :)
 
Love you lots and have a good week! YOU ARE MMYYY FAMILY. MINE. :)jeje
 
Hna Fernelius
 
P.S. I turned 5 months on the mission YESTERDAY! Whoot whoooot!!! That number makes me feel old. :) jajaja....No kidddding mannn. :) Love you!

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