Our first district meeting (cause since we were all hermanas in our district they kind of combined us with the newbies) was interesting. It had been a really hard day, speaking only spanish and teaching some curveball lessons, and i was feeling pretty drained. But we watched a clip from this really weird movie and its a horse race for about 80 percent of it and we had watched it before but i hadn't really understood anything from it. But there was this part where in the commotion of all the horses running some of the riders fell off their horses or ran into trees or into the river and I was like, dang, if I was there that would probably be me, i'd probably wipe out right away and people would laugh at me when they saw the movie. But then I felt the spirit out of no where testify that if I worked with faith and didn't waver in my trust in the Savior, I won't fall off or run into a tree or anything like that. If we live with trust in our Heavenly Father and act with faith we can be sucessful.
We met Hermano Murillo's family this week! They are perfection and I love them a lot. That's kind of a side note but we met them during TRC when we teach people who come in from the city to talk to the missionaries. This 15 year old girl was waiting to talk to us and wow she just glowed. She has been a member of the church for almost 2 years and she wanted to know how she could help her mom believe in modern day revelation. It was amazing to teach by the spirit. It was nothing like we had planned to say, but I felt the Holy Ghost directing our questions and testimonies and also I just learned a lot from her about how to live the gospel joyfully, because it is a joyful thing and works mighty glorious changes in us as we let it. It's so important to teach by questions because it's not what we say that changes our lives, or our investigator's lives, but what they *do* because of what we say. And i think it is the same with us. It is so good to read the Book of Mormon, but if we don't do anything because we have read it we entirely miss the purpose and the power that can come from that book.
Another funny story. I was playing the piano in sacrament meeting this week and it was kind of a last minute thing and so I didn't have time to practice. I was so nervous! But the closing hymn was Battle Hymn of the Republic and I was doing pretty good and all of a sudden I heard people laughing, like a lot. I started listening to them instead of focusing on the notes and I realized that I was playing so fast! like not so fast in english, but the spanish words were so hard and so everyone was struggling hard core trying to get the words out. Highly amusing.
Also I was teaching Hermana LImb who was role playing an investigator who I was inviting to church in order to prepare for her baptism. I invited her to church and I told her what time it was at and all that and she says "how many years is church"in spanish, completely straight face. I'm like....huh?? and my companion turns around from the role play she is teaching and she goes "...years? hmmm it is 1/2920 years." oh my gosh it was so funny,
Our investigators are doing so well. we had some awesome lessons where we invited them to pray specifically for an answer to a concern they were having during our lesson and wow it was so powerful to hear them pray to their Heavenly Father and feel the power of the answer they receieved. Also it is so exciting when we go to teach them and they have kept their committments and have made changes in their lives because of the influence of the Holy Ghost. G read Helaman 5 this week and we had a lesson about the plan of salvation from that chapter. But when we asked him if he had read he said yes and was so excited to tell us about a personal experience he had in the scriptures when the spirit bore witness to him of truth. He pointed out Helaman 5:12 and explained how he has been having problems since he has stopped doing some things he is addicted to, and how this scripture has helped him remember his faith in Jesus Christ and His power and ability to help him during this challenging part of his life.
Last thought. Baptism by Fire is a baptism that happens after you are baptised by water and after the Holy Ghost is given. It is the trying and purifying baptism that God gives us to give us the opportunity to prove that we have decided to follow Him. Like Shadrack, Meshack ,and Abednego, we have to have faith that God will bring us through that time in the fire and we will be better because of it. Some days here in the CCM have been so hard, but all of it has been wonderful. When things are hard, remember that faith is believing in God's promises when we can't feel or see the truth of it yet. God always, always, always keeps His promises, especially when it is hard. "Therefore, continue your journey and let your hears rejoice; for behold, and lo, I am with you even unto the end". Believe that this is true, because it is! Even when you can't feel God close by I testify that He is. Christ knows exactly precisely what you are experiencing here at this time and is right there with you at every point – thats why He came to earth, so He could help you at this exact moment.
Elder Kinsella is in my district now and he is from Ogden, he's got me so excited to get to Ogden! But I'm also in shock that these past 6 weeks have gone by so fast. Like Nephi's family kind of settled in Bountiful and then couldn't believe it when God told Nephi to build a boat and travel across the water because He had something and someplace better in mind for them, I know that with all the difficult things that happen our Heavenly Father is taking us to better places cause this isn't where He wan'ts us to stay.
PLUS! I've improved at volleyball this week! It's so exciting.
Love you all!
mle