Week 14! "Hollla"

From 4/28/14

 

I couldn`t think of a different title. I think this week my brain wanted to take a little vacation...and my brain vacation doesn`t stop until the end of today. I`m still on my P-Day for Pete`s sake jaja. Kidding, I`m kidding.

 

I told Ashley`s story to one of the Hermanas here and we laughed so hard. Why is it that when something scary, big, or uncomfortable happens (like an earthquake or rainstorm), that we fully dive in and enjoy it so much like crazy people? I`m pretty sure we were built for the latter-days jaja.

 

Matthew, thanks for your wisdom. I absolutely love your personal experience from your mission as zone leader. I vaguely remember that experience, but now I actually feel like I understand what a huge miracle that experience really was for you. Wow. Really. Wow. That`s incredible. I hope to be that kind of leader one day: that leaves everything to help harvest miracles from a broader playing-field. Seriously, it takes someone very prepared to be a leader like that. Ash is a leader right now, too.

 

I know the Lord qualifies those whom He calls. He doesn`t call the qualified. He has been preparing all of you your WHOLE LIVE for whatever calling or situation you are currently serving at this very moment. What more preparation do you need? Only to feed your Spirits daily on the basics - prayer, scripture study, church attendance - and the Lord will do the rest. He qualifies whom He calls. So there`s no need to fret or fear. He is here.

 

That`s my motivational thought for the week jeje.

 

But really, the Lord truly is there. He experienced IT ALL. So "if He is for us, who can be against us?" Romans 8:31.

 

Also, I`ve been studying Moses. In Moses 5, I learned something interesting. The first things established from the verrrry beginning are: commandments, all things done in the name of Christ, the ability to choose (agency), and families. From the verrry beginning. And those very things are what the church teaches principally today...

 

"This week we have been teaching one lady named X. She is the wife of a less active member who was the one who actually encountered and contacted us in the street! X has a deep deep desire to know for herself if the gospel is true. She prays and reads the scriptures with her husband. They have faithfully attended every sacrament meeting and activity that they can.

 

Last week we taught her an extensive version of the Plan of Salvation, because she has so many good questions. We used the visual aid that we received in the capacitacion, and she followed the principles so well. Every question she asked, Hna U and I answered with testimony and scripture.

 

The Spirit was very strong as we testified of the power of God`s plan for His children, and what joy this knowledge brings to us. X began crying several times throughout the lesson as she explained that, in her Catholic family, she had always been taught that there is only a heaven and a hell, and that she always wondered what would happen to her father, who lived a life of disobedience. It was such a rewarding experience to know that this is why we are here: to share the joy of God`s Plan revealed in His restored Gospel, and bring that hope to people's lives.

 

Another unique experience this week, and a little different than usual, is that we had to give the 'charla franca' to one of our investigators. 'C' wasn`t showing any progress or interest in completing the commitments we left with her. Finally, we decided to talk with her about it:

 

'Our purpose is to help you follow-through with these commitments so that your faith may grow, and so that you can make covenants with the Lord.'

 

She explained that she liked the visits, but didn`t have a desire to progress. It was a sad conversation (for us) to realize that we would have to let her go. But we extended the invitation that if she ever felt a desire or change of heart to learn more, that we are always here to help and guide her. The Spirit was a strong influence in the course of the conversation. When we ended with a prayer and walked away; interestingly enough, I felt a great relief and peace upon letting her go. My impression was, 'Whew. Now I can focus on the people who truly need us and have potential to progress.'

 

It was the weirdest thing. But lately I`ve also realized that every minute is truly sacred here on the mission. And when, with whom, and how we spend that time is sacred. When we pick up a new investigator, suddenly we are responsible for him or her; they are then under our stewardship. Likewise, when we 'let them go,' they are released from our stewardship and we no longer have that authority to truly help and guide them as we would otherwise.

 

The work of the Lord in the mission field is so special and extraordinary. I am learning, experiencing, and understanding how He works a little more the further and deeper along I submerge myself in His work. It is such a holy and sacred calling. I feel that there is not one person here that we cannot help by means of the principles and ordinances of the Gospel of Jesus Christ."

 

I love you all sooo much!!

 

P.S. Hna U eats a lot but is so skinny. Whaaaa? 

 

I feel your prayers and they always always lift me up. I always receive the guidance and counsel and perspective sometimes just when I need it. And I love it here.

 

Hna Fernelius

 

Me and Hna U! She`s so tiny and cute! :)

This is what I drew in Hna C`s cuaderno. It`s a few experiences we`d had together jejeje. This day was Friday, when we had divisiones with the Hna Lideres. It was fun to go for a day w Hna C again jeje :)

This is how my companion studies in the morning jajaja ‏