Hola Familia!! Como han estado?! Feliz Cuarto de Julio!
I hope you had a great independence day! We celebrated with fireworks (from the window of our apartment :) Hispanics love an excuse to party so they celebrated Americas independence day as well with a picnic full of rice, beans, and lots of tortillas; just the way i like it! (Im pretty sure every email includes something that I ate in the last week... I can’t help it, I’m in LOVE with Mexican food!)
Anyway, let’s get down to the nitty gritty... Life's great as a missionary.
Just a miracle to start things off. Lucky we haven't had to knock at all these last few transfers, Aurora is great in the sense that basically all you have to do is walk outside and we find new people to teach. Progressing on the other hand seems to be the hard part. They just don’t really want to give up their silly habits like working on Sundays and “si Dios quiere” waiting for Him to provide an easy way to follow the commandment. That’s a little harsh, most are just so busy trying to provide a better future that they have a hard time making time for God. However, we are being very blessed.
Saturday we felt a strong impression to knock this door. We met Lucy and her 2 kids. They were on their way out but we figured they had 5 minutes to listen to the most important message they will ever hear, so we began to give a brief restoration. As I began to recite the first vision we could feel the spirit testify very strongly. As I finished, Hermana Sewell asked Lucy how she felt about this message, she looked at us laughing and said, "Well you made me cry. I don't know why I'm crying or why I feel so happy but good job, you made me cry." We all laughed a little bit, and then proceeded to explain why she felt the way that she did. The first vision brings the spirit. Truth brings the spirit. It was a very powerful experience, and another testimony builder that the spirit is the teacher. I know Joseph smith was a prophet of God and this Church is true. I know he saw what he said he did and that the restored gospel makes us the best people we can be.
We are starting our mini missions today, we have one set up after another and then exchanges at the end of the week, we are excited to see some miracles and help the youth share their testimonies.
Another miracle, Priscilla came to church yesterday. Her little girls loved it and asked her if they could come back every day. (I wish everyone was that excited about church.) Pricilla really felt the spirit and is trying to get work off Sundays so she can set a baptism date.
As for me, I am working to control the spirit better in lessons and surprisingly this week I saw improvement. Before lessons I prayed to be better receptive to the spirit and focus on the investigator, and I was able to stay focused and not become frustrated. I'm thankful Heavenly Father is willing to help with even the little things.
Im reading a talk by Elder Ballard called “Rise to Your Call” (Oct. 2002). He gives a few tips for anyone serving in The Restored Church. He said, “It is by giving our whole hearts to the Master and keeping his commandments that we come to know Him. In time, the power of the atonement, our hearts are changed, and we become like Him. Our callings in the church have power beyond any other endeavor in which humans can engage. That power depends on the faith of those called to serve in it.” What a privileged it is to serve my Heavenly Father as a full-time missionary. I left on my mission thinking that I was going to repay my Savior for the continual blessings I have received throughout my life. After a year, I am well-aware that I will never even come close to giving back what I have received. I haven’t even made a dent. Because any sacrifice that I make, He repays me in double fold. However I am eternally grateful for the changes he has made in me. The gospel changes people, I know that to be true, because it has changed me and I am so thankful for that!
Thanks for everything you do, I hope you all have a great week. Te quiero mucho!! Gracias por su apoyo, cartas, y oraciones!
Con mucho amor,
Hermana Johnson
No comments:
Post a Comment