All in the Tag: Week 61! "Every Day is a Good Day"

From 3/23/15

God has a sense of humor. Did you know that? I´m sure you did, because He shows every one of His children a piece of it at one point or another:

This week we felt a little stressed trying to get to people from both sectors that haven´t been seen as often as they should be. But, Friday we decided we would just do the best we could and enjoy whatever work we would be able to get done. We had a meeting in one, then went to the other to work. We planned to have divisions [splits] with 2 members (my companion would go with one and me with the other) to cover more ground that afternoon. But, after waiting a long time, one of the members never showed up. Something came up. We were concerned because usually she´s punctual but this time she didn´t arrive. So, we went to work with the little time of day we had left. We visited one person. It turned out well...it was our amazing investigator :)

Then it was already time to go back to Area 1 for a noche de hermanamiento [night of fellowshipping] in our ward. We felt a little stressed for only having ONE visit the entire day...because even our lunch appointment fell through :o. But, this entire time being here Hna R has only TOLD me about a large version of a mototaxi called a ranchera. The size is between a bus and moto-taxi, and it has open sides (no doors or windows). The ride to Area 1 is about 25 minutes and there´s a lot of nature. So, it ended up being a very airy, fun ride back. I stuck my head carefully out the sides just to take in the sunset and beautiful view of the nature as the ranchera drove on.

When we got to the chapel, we arrived in a hurry with our hair all over the place! And saw that.....no one had arrived. Only the bishop and ward mission leader were there. Fail. But, the Lord has helped us to feel really calm and in good spirits despite it. Hna R and I decided we would have a noche de hermanamiento anyway with the few who were there (including the other missionaries of the ward). We all fit into the bishop´s office and Hna R and I shared a little message there. We then went outside and played a game. Then went home.

ONE LESSON the entire day. Hm.

The next day! Several members from the branch in Area 2 carpooled together to come to Area 1 for a baptism. We also went to the baptism to support the elders there. It turned out so spiritual and special. There is always a special spirit in the baptismal services :)

The Area 2 branch consists of some of my favorite people. After the baptism (in Area 1) we had to hurry back to have one more appointment (in Area 2). Everyone huddled in the back of the branch president´s little yellow truck. Me and Hna R were privileged and got to ride inside. We were SO MUCH in a hurry to make it back that the elders encouraged us to ride with them and they would look for another means of transportation. Aww Thanks elders. But!!! The Lord KNEW we were in a hurry. He did everything possible to slow down the way:

The radiator of the truck was acting up...we had to stop and fill it with water. The gas ran down...we had to stop at a gas station to fill it. A couple members needed to get home fast...we had to turn off the road to drop them off. And the driver had to stop at the pharmacy before me and Hna R finally made it home. At that point, me and Hna R just kept looking at each other and thinking, "I don´t think we´re making it to the appointment." A typical 25 minute ride ended up taking over an hour! jajaja We felt that the only thing God wanted us to do was to "chill out" and just laugh.

Our Heavenly Father makes every day a good day. Every experience is so wonderful here in the mission. This has been one of my favorite cambios [transfers] of the mission with Hna R teaching me so many things. She has a lot of virtue and refuses to be anything but sincere. She works hard and loves to have fun. Her way of telling stories makes ANY story into a GOOD story. And we crack ourselves up at some of the crazy things and good things that happen every day we are here :)

One member who owns a big restaurant in Area 2 closed her restaurant for the first time in 15 YEARS to go to church this Sunday.Another lady who initially declined to listen to us changed completely to singing praises and glorifying the Lord (uh, not kidding) when me and Hna R simply decided to stop talking and serve with her in cleaning the patio at her side in the rain. She was happy because no one else had done that for her and she recognized us as servants of Christ. She even wants to present us to all of her friends. She´s not shy at all. :) Good.

In a lesson when my companion and I split up to go with the members to separate visits, I initially didn´t know where to go with the lesson nor what the Lord wanted me to say. It began a little uncomfortably, but after saying a prayer in my heart and clearing my head, ideas began to flow to me and the less active member we were teaching opened her eyes wide and said that the words that came out of my mouth were an answer to her prayer that she kneeled down to say that early morning.

The Lord is so good to us. I often I wish I could just absorb every experience of every day in slow motion because they are all so unique and valuable. The Lord´s truths are not changeable...once a truth, always a truth. And every day I am trying to learn more what the words faith, diligence, humility, obedience, knowledge, virtue, hope, and charity actually mean. [Preach My Gospel, chapter 6 :)]

Love you all! Have a great week! Things aren´t always perfect for us, but for those with sincere hearts, God will make it as perfect as it needs to be. (deeeep) :p

Chao!

Hna Fernelius :)

"A is AMAZING!!! The elders have been very serviceable and visited her once to help with the enseñanzas [lessons]...because her baptism is coming up! When we visited her later, we noticed that she has been making extra preparations for her baptism. She bought white material to make her own baptismal dress for this Saturday :). She is very creative and artsy; she is also sewing her own scripture case by hand.

The ward has fellowshipped her so well. They invited her to a Relief Society activity without us even knowing and she feels so befriended in our little branch. She even painted the Relief Society logo on canvas and gave it to the branch as a gift, where one member then offered to put it in a frame with glass.

Spiritually, we can see how she is progressing and receiving spiritual confirmations of the beauty of the restored church of God. She reads the scriptures regularly without waiting for someone to remind her...and even writes summaries of the chapters she reads. She is a miracle of March.

I am studying a lot the character and nature of Christ in the New Testament. With every chapter, I also pick and study an attribute of Christ in Preach My Gospel with it. I am making connections and learning and feeling things that I never have before."