Well, what a week we have had! Hermana Dunn got here Tuesday morning and I left for my first exchange on Thursday. She was really blessed to learn the area quickly. She is such a great missionary. It was hard for her to leave her area so unexpectedly, but she is doing really well. I am so grateful for all that she is doing. It is fun to be back together. Hermana Dunn is seriously one of my very best friends. We definite have a life´s work to do after three times of being comps!
I visited San Fernando this week and it was a lot of fun. I was there 2 and a half days and we saw lots of miracles. I was able to go teach a 13 year old that they have been working with and not been able to break through her "wall." Well, I was just praying so hard and I felt extremely impressed to tell her about a memory that I had with Granny about when I was running for Student Body Vice President and aways went after school to tell her about every detail and how it was really hard for me when she passed away before the election. I wasn´t sure why I was telling the story because it didn´t really have anything to do with the lesson, but I followed the prompting. Half way through the story, she just started bawling and at the end, she told a story about how last year, she was going to go and meet her grandma for the first time, but that just a couple hours before she arrived, her Grandma passed away. It was so sad and she said that it was really hard for her still. We had a great lesson after that about the plan of salvation and at the end, she agreed to be baptized next Sunday! It was a miracle, and I was grateful for the chance to be there. I was with Hermanas Smith and Allan and they are both really great. I learned a lot from them and was able to share a few things too. They are opening the area, so it has been difficult, but it will come. They are really organized and I know that they are going to see many miracles.
Since I wasn´t here this week much, I don´t know a lot about the investigators here, but they seem to be doing well. Marcela´s family is progressing and I know that they will get baptized. They have a goal for the 2nd of December, and I am sure they will reach that goal. Marcela and Jonas are great examples in their home.
Maxi (from Flia Suarez) received the priesthood on Sunday! I am so happy for him! He was beaming. It was really special to be a part of that. He is even doing some odd jobs to earn some money so that he can pay his tithing. He is doing really well. I am so proud of him. He is already studying a mission prep manual. What a great example! He has only 3 short years until he is Elder Suarez! Que emocion!!!
We had a great Zone Conference last week. It was so good. I don´t have much time, but I just want to share one thing. President was talking about how sometimes we get into these routines and we are not happy because we don´t understand the why of what we are doing. We do it, because we have to. Not because we love God and His children. He had an Hermana go in and play a very boring descending C Scale over and over and over. Imagine like when I was practicing my scales as a child. He asked her to get up and he was going to do the EXACT same thing, but with a smile. He sat down, and played the exact same notes, but with a different rhythm, and it was "Joy to the World!" Wow. That was really powerful and taught me so much. We can do the same things, but our attitude changes EVERYTHING: We can do it and resent it and be sad, or we can do it with joy and gladness and be happy that we are serving the Lord, doing it out of love. Is missionary work hard? Oh man, YES! It is the most difficult thing that I have ever done! Am I tired? Absolutely exhausted!!! Do I get sick? Of course! Do I feel discouraged at times? It happens. Do we experience sadness? Every day. But it is the BEST and most WONDERFUL thing that I have ever done. It gives me more joy than I have ever experienced. We have the chance to be servants of God. We have 18 months to think of nothing but Him and His children. It is FUN. It is an ADVENTURE. It is HUMBLING. Everything about it is just so great. We choose what our mission will be. I choose to do it with a smile and with JOY. Rhythm is everything.
Well family, I have to go. I love you all SO much. Thank you for aways sending letters. I need that support. I am so grateful for all that you are doing and becoming. I love seeing our progress individually and as a family. I love the gospel. I know that we are in the only true church. I know that we are led by living prophets. I know that we will be able to have an eternal family. I know that the Book of Mormon is true. I know that it contains the fullness of the gospel. I know that Jesus lives. I know that we are children of God. I love you all so much. Keep up with the OLA. Prayers, Book of Mormon, and Attending church. Simple, but critical.
I LOVE YOU ALL!!!
Hermana Shelley
No comments:
Post a Comment