Beloved familia...
Anyway. Yesterday we got to watch the Christmas Devotional! and I thought about all the crazies watching it at
the same time back home and the annual nativity and such. My favorite
song was The First Noel! It made me think back to when we sang it on Temple Square in Choir and I felt the Spirit so strong. We sang the same
version, arranged by Mack Wilberg. I love music so much :) Even though
the devotional was in Spanish... I was really grateful the music wasn't. Hahahaha. Trust me, Spanish Christmas music is not the same.
This
week on Wednesday we had Zone Concilio for december (where the zone
leaders go to a leader meeting and then come back and teach us
everything) and we talked all about baptism and the importance of the Holy Ghost and baptism by fire. We endure to the end by continually
having our rough edges burned off by the Spirit. "Receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost" connotes that we will have to keep doing it, keep living it,
and keep trying to let it burn off our rough spots.
Then,
on Friday, we had a multi-zone! It was so fun, down here we have them
with Nazca so I got to see Hermana Chavez and Hermana Wilkins as well,
so that was fun. I always just love seeing and listening to and being
around President and Hermana Douglas. They remind me sooo much of mom
and dad and they always are so great to us. I got to translate for Hermana Douglas this time! So that was terrifying but it was also a
really really cool experience. She cracks me up. She also accidentally
said fart instead of fault and she was like uhhh... don't translate that. Hahahaha. President talked a lot about helping investigators to have
faith in the Atonement of Christ, not just faith in Jesus. Because tons
of people believe in Jesus and have faith in Him, but they never fully
come to grasp repentance and therefore can never fully partake of this
spiritual burning and refining that comes with the Holy Ghost and
repentance and it will be harder for them to come to know and understand
those things. They also talked about how we are not called to a mission
or to be missionaries because of who we were before, but because of our
potential after. They played the song "Glorious" by David Archuleta and
talked about the importance of seeking God's hand to guide us to what
our part is in this world and in all that we do. Hermana Douglas
finished by saying that the miracle of a mission is that it changes the
missionary-because they submitted to the Lord and His will. It hit me
really hard when she said that, because I feel like maybe I am just
barely starting to grasp that. And it is truly changing me and my
mission :) I hope. :)
Also this week, I was
reading in Alma 32 about faith and the seed. All of a sudden my mind
just started like interviewing me. (Personal revelation crazy person
style. Just talking to myself over here). How is the soil of my soul? Am
I receiving all of the good word that He is giving to me? Am I really
feeling it and internalizing it and changing, or am I just living life a
little bit under my potential? Because it is easier that way? Am I
forgetting who the gardener is and stubbornly trying to do it all on my
own, weeding and planting and watering and all such things in my own way
without listening to the counsel of He who knows? Am I progressing? Do I
feel and obey the whisperings of the Spirit? It was definitely an eye
opener. And then I remembered President told me once, it isn't silly to
be spiritual. And now I think it isn't silly to live in a world of wonder
created by our own marvelling mind at the goodness of God and the way
that everything speaks His name. Because it does :) He is consistently
trying to remind us of His love for us. and we can see it with spiritual
eyes :)
Last night, we had a lesson with a
little familiy of three that is prepping to go to the temple this
weekend with us (oh my heavens please pray for our little caravan. I am
so scared that the adversity is going to strike hard these last couple
days. December 13th:temple or bust!!) And it was amazing. It is a single
mom, her daughter who is now preparing to go on a mission, and her 14
year old son. At the end of the lesson, she started bearing her
testimony to us and said "I know that our roots are deeper now. We are
not ever leaving again. We have never felt the Saviors love so
culminatingly brilliant in our lives, and we are more than excited to
enter the temple on Saturday and help other people to receive this same
blessing". I just started crying, because that is exactly why we are
here! It is working. It was a huge testimony builder to me :)
Right
after that we were greeting everybody and waiting for the devotional to
start and an overwhelming feeling of love and appreciation for these
people, and this mission, and opportunity, and for my Savior just hit me. I
was filled with the kind of joy it talks about in the Book of Mormon
when it talks about the Sons of Mosiah and their missionary work.
I
want you to know that I love this Gospel with all of my heart. That I
know that this is the work of the Lord, and that He is hastening it.
That we are on the winning team. That there is so much beauty in life.
And I want you to know that I love my family. They are my greatest
treasure and joy and strength. I love you with a love that fills me to
the breaking point :)
Don't you ever worry about
me. You have done and given me SO MUCH that has no price that I will
never feel as if I go without. You have given me the pure love of Christ
:) The gift of a family firm in the Gospel and filled with love and
understanding is a gift that fills me and gives me joy every single day.
The best Christmas gift I have ever received is YOU. And I am blessed
enough to have it for eternity :)
I love you so
much. This week is the temple trip! We are working hard to help these
people to make it. Prayers would be appreciated :) Miracles do exist. I
love you all so dang much it hurts :) Never ever forget.
Stay warm!
I love you.
Thank you.
Lauren
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