Semana 38
Famlia!
Did you LOVE conference? I came to Conference with a lot of
questions that I needed answered and I'm so grateful that I did. The
Lord listens to us. I loved so many of them, but I've been thinking a
lot about Elder Nelson's talk. He talked a lot about how our decisions
shape our eternal trajectory. DECISIONS FOR ETERNITY-- that is something
that I'm really going to focus on this week. I know that there are
small, little, everyday decisions that we make as a missionary that can
make a difference in someone's life. For example, choosing to talk to
someone on the street, listen to music that isn't approved or just plain
slacking on language study. I make so many choices everyday that are
either leading me closer to the Lord and the Spirit, or farther away. I
forget that so many of my decisions are affecting the people that the
Lord has given me to teach. Sometimes the responsiblity is really heavy,
but I'm working on even making my little decisions count for the
better.
Unfortunately I am on a time crunch to email you all this week, BUT
SO MANY GOOD THINGS HAPPENED. The hand of the Lord is in the lives of
these people and the missionaries. Something that I have really come to
learn is that my mission is not my own and that I need to stop trying to
make it anything but the Lord's. I've really struggled with trying to
see "success" the way that I want it (aka baptisms) but really I just
need to stop worrying and let the Lord take control.
Want to hear of a fun accomplishment of Hermana Jensen and I did?
We went on a juice fast for a whole week. SIX days we didn't eat
anything and just juiced. (A member in our ward bought us a juicer so we
just juiced fresh fruits and veggies all week) Talk about learning how
to master our appetites! It was really crazy, but I think that I can
apply learning how to master our appetites a lot to what Elder Nelson
said yesterday in his talk. I felt like a lot of the talks were centered
on putting the Lord first. That is really something I've been trying to
work on these past couple of weeks. Like I said, this isn't my mission,
it is the Lord's. I'm really learning how to consecrate my will to His
will, and I'll let you know, it is a daily battle.
SO MANY MIRACLES I wish I could write you about, but I can't. I
loved the authorities talks about praying for our missionaries by name
and their investigators. Could you please pray for a couple of our
investigators by name? These people are so close to baptism I can't even
tell you. I would love to be serving in this area when they are
baptized. I don't know if that is the Lord's will. I know the Lord loves
these children and I know that He wants what is best for them. I'm
grateful that I get to be a part of that, even if it is just a small
part.... but I also know that they could use your prayers. Sister Jensen
and I are working really hard to make help these people accomplish what
the Lord has in store for them!
Betty, Oscar, Jocelyn, Marianna, "Betita",
Erika
Jodi
Mom, can you send me my medicine? I'm going to run out probably this week. I really need some synthroid.
Dad, should I get a flu shot out here? I've never gotten the flu before, but I've never not haven the flu
The weather is getting SO COLD again. (Can you send me some socks
mom? Last night it was pouring rain and Sister Jensen and I didn't have
ANY kind of umbrella, jacket, boots or anything. We were at the church,
didn't have a car, or a ride. We said a prayer before we left. We prayed
that He would bless us for being obedient and I also prayed that He
would lead us to whom He had prepared. WELL because we didn't have a car
or anything so we were led to tracting in an area in the dark where we
had never been before.... We were hesistant at first, but then we forgot
ourselves and found these super prepared 14 year old girls.... here's
the story: We knocked on this sketchy house and this kind of
questionable guy answered the door. We didn't know what to do and
honestly what was going through my head was "Man, how long ago did this
guy get of prison." (A thought I need to repent of...) but anyway he
looked at us and said, oh you are here to see Heather. And we just
nodded our heads even though we had no clue who Heather was.... So he
let us in and he brought us to his daughters room. We got in there. She
said we could come sit on her bed like it was no big deal, we took off
our jackets (by then we had gotten hold of our jackets) and we sat on
her bed still wet from the rain. We asked her if she knew who
missionaries were. She said she had never met them, but someone had
dropped off a book of mormon at her house last week. WHAT DO YOU KNOW?
She was actually a fair referral that we had tracted into. We taught her
and her friend about the Book of Mormon and she accepted a return
appointment and said she would read and pray about it! MIRACLE. We were
led to her. I KNOW WE WERE SUPPOSED TO FIND HER. Man, just think if we
had thought of ourselves and chosen to not go out or take the easy way
that evening and avoid being in the rain. One of her questions for us
was if God speaks..... remember one of the talks yesterday about that
same thing? Well, we promised her that GOD DOES SPEAK TO US TODAY and
that the Book of Mormon is evidence of that. Such a tender mercy of the
Lord for guiding us to meet Heather and her friend. The Lord is so in
the details.
Familia! I wish I could say more, but I would like to leave y'all
with this word of wisdom that our investigator Betty told us. I wrote it
on the back of my picture of the family that I carry around in my
scriptures (forgive my spanish on this one...)
3 cosas yo quiero mi familia a recordar
1. Dios existe
2. El Amor de su familia
3. Sea humilde
La Mejor Madre
-Ecsucha a sus hijos
-Quiere su hijos
Con Amor,
Hermana Rich
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