Hey everyone!
SO the big news! I was emergency transfered out of Montevista on Thursday.
wut??
Yes. So I am now serving in the Mendon Stake. English speaking. I'm in a trio with Sister Sekona and Sister Ramirez. We are having a great time together. English program is waaaay different than the spanish program. We cover 9 wards, which means 9 ward mission leaders, 9 bishops, 9 relief society presidents, and lots and lots of members. This week has been a lot of organizing and building trust with the leadership, it's been a flurry of faces and names, but most importantly the spirit. We've been led in what to do and where to go and, I think the best part, just supported and blessed by the Holy Ghost. Heavenly Father loves these people here, He has big plans for this stake, and I feel so blessed to have a part in it.
It was kind of hard to get the call to leave. Montevista has been such a wonderful place to be, and I have really come to love so many people there. I had the chance to see some people take steps to come closer to Jesus Christ, and some people they were so close, it was hard to leave because I wanted to see them make it all the way to baptism. But Heavenly Father has a perfect plan and it really does feel right for me to be here right now.
The area here has gone through a little bit of a "resting" period in the past few months, and so I'm really excited to be here as it picks up some momentum. The tricky part is the members are very aware of who is not a member, and they have a great "plan" to prepare them for the missionaries. This is awesome, until the point where we don't really know how long this "plan" will take to execute. We are excited to pump the members up and help them to rely on the spirit and trust that Heavenly Father is preparing these people to hear the gospel from the missionaries (us!!)
I can't really think of specific experiences this week. But it has been a blast and we are working hard and meeting some wonderful people.
OH! guess what there is an experience! We went clear out to the middle of nowhere to see a "potential investigator" that had a name and an address and nothing else in our area book. We get there and we find a cute little family who lives out there because they don't like people knocking on their door. awkward. But after the parents made it clear they are not interested now, but if the 12 year old would like to listen he can, we were left with a 12 year old kid. I was pretty confused, but we told him that we wanted to help him come closer to Jesus Christ. He didn't really know who Christ was, so I told him I'd show him a picture. The picture I was going to show him was right next to a picture of pluto I have saved to my iPad. So I showed him the picture of Christ, and we taught a little about who He is. I felt like I should show him the picture of pluto. And wow, this kid got really excited. We told him that Jesus Christ created this planet (cough, dwarf planet) and that He has all power. I pointed out the "heart" that is on the surface, and asked him why he thought pluto had a heart on it, and the spirit testified to him and to me that our Savior loves us so much. That this kid is loved so much, and Christ knows him personally and wants the absolute best for him. There is a way prepared for each one of us to find the potential that is within us, and the happiness that is waiting for us.
My favorite scripture this week is in John 1
3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
7 The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe.
12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
I love this because there is a sacredness to these words that I can feel as I read them. John knew who the Savior was as he wrote this, he had a testimony of Him, and shared it with the world. It has made me reflect on my testimony of the Savior, and the gratitude I have for Him in my life.
I know He lives. He has made it possible to live with our Heavenly Father again. To reach our potential as children of the Most High God. His mortal life was perfect; He has perfect love and perfect power, together to make it possible for us to trust Him, to rely on Him, and find happiness in this crazy world by His merits. I've thought a lot about how I have come to know that this gospel is true. And it is by living the Gospel of Jesus Christ, by having Faith in Him, relying on Him as I repent and draw closer to Him through covenants, and learning and being taught by the gift of the Holy Ghost. But everything starts with Faith, and most importantly Faith in Christ.
Look to Him in every thought. Connect yourself to Heaven through prayer, through studying the scriptures. I promise He is there. It is by His power and love that the sun shines, and by His power and love that we can have hope and joy and progression in this life and the next.
I love you!
mle
SO the big news! I was emergency transfered out of Montevista on Thursday.
wut??
Yes. So I am now serving in the Mendon Stake. English speaking. I'm in a trio with Sister Sekona and Sister Ramirez. We are having a great time together. English program is waaaay different than the spanish program. We cover 9 wards, which means 9 ward mission leaders, 9 bishops, 9 relief society presidents, and lots and lots of members. This week has been a lot of organizing and building trust with the leadership, it's been a flurry of faces and names, but most importantly the spirit. We've been led in what to do and where to go and, I think the best part, just supported and blessed by the Holy Ghost. Heavenly Father loves these people here, He has big plans for this stake, and I feel so blessed to have a part in it.
It was kind of hard to get the call to leave. Montevista has been such a wonderful place to be, and I have really come to love so many people there. I had the chance to see some people take steps to come closer to Jesus Christ, and some people they were so close, it was hard to leave because I wanted to see them make it all the way to baptism. But Heavenly Father has a perfect plan and it really does feel right for me to be here right now.
The area here has gone through a little bit of a "resting" period in the past few months, and so I'm really excited to be here as it picks up some momentum. The tricky part is the members are very aware of who is not a member, and they have a great "plan" to prepare them for the missionaries. This is awesome, until the point where we don't really know how long this "plan" will take to execute. We are excited to pump the members up and help them to rely on the spirit and trust that Heavenly Father is preparing these people to hear the gospel from the missionaries (us!!)
I can't really think of specific experiences this week. But it has been a blast and we are working hard and meeting some wonderful people.
OH! guess what there is an experience! We went clear out to the middle of nowhere to see a "potential investigator" that had a name and an address and nothing else in our area book. We get there and we find a cute little family who lives out there because they don't like people knocking on their door. awkward. But after the parents made it clear they are not interested now, but if the 12 year old would like to listen he can, we were left with a 12 year old kid. I was pretty confused, but we told him that we wanted to help him come closer to Jesus Christ. He didn't really know who Christ was, so I told him I'd show him a picture. The picture I was going to show him was right next to a picture of pluto I have saved to my iPad. So I showed him the picture of Christ, and we taught a little about who He is. I felt like I should show him the picture of pluto. And wow, this kid got really excited. We told him that Jesus Christ created this planet (cough, dwarf planet) and that He has all power. I pointed out the "heart" that is on the surface, and asked him why he thought pluto had a heart on it, and the spirit testified to him and to me that our Savior loves us so much. That this kid is loved so much, and Christ knows him personally and wants the absolute best for him. There is a way prepared for each one of us to find the potential that is within us, and the happiness that is waiting for us.
My favorite scripture this week is in John 1
3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
7 The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe.
12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
I love this because there is a sacredness to these words that I can feel as I read them. John knew who the Savior was as he wrote this, he had a testimony of Him, and shared it with the world. It has made me reflect on my testimony of the Savior, and the gratitude I have for Him in my life.
I know He lives. He has made it possible to live with our Heavenly Father again. To reach our potential as children of the Most High God. His mortal life was perfect; He has perfect love and perfect power, together to make it possible for us to trust Him, to rely on Him, and find happiness in this crazy world by His merits. I've thought a lot about how I have come to know that this gospel is true. And it is by living the Gospel of Jesus Christ, by having Faith in Him, relying on Him as I repent and draw closer to Him through covenants, and learning and being taught by the gift of the Holy Ghost. But everything starts with Faith, and most importantly Faith in Christ.
Look to Him in every thought. Connect yourself to Heaven through prayer, through studying the scriptures. I promise He is there. It is by His power and love that the sun shines, and by His power and love that we can have hope and joy and progression in this life and the next.
I love you!
mle