Como Estas? So my companion and I got to do some heavy duty sandpapering for a service project this week. If was for a house that someone new is moving into the ward. We worked hard and ate facturas at the same time ;) Genial! after, we were covered from head to toe from the wood ashes and it looked like my companion had gone grey headed ;) haha Service projects are the Best!
Also, my companion and I are on a ROLL, we found 2 families this week and we've been teaching lots of new people the God has put in our path. We had an experience with a guy named, Anibal, who recently lost his job and his wife died about a couple year ago and didn't quite understand why. We had the chance to talk about the plan of salvation, God's grace, and the blessings of the temple. As we continued to teach and give our testimonies, the three of us began to have tears in our eyes, as the spirit deeply touched everyone of our hearts.
Saturday night we had another experience with Juan and Luiz. We caught them "skinning an ostridge".....that was gross!!! We taught them the 10 commandments and once again just about the whole neighborhood kids were listening, including their dogs ;) All the kids from the soccer field stopped their game and came over one by one. In the end I think we had a total of 9 people. With our creative minds...haha....we tried to make a game out of the 10 commandments and I did the hand signals of each one and they all had to guess what commandment it was. I was soo surprised at how much they knew!!! I absolutely loved that moment. Moments like these remind me of how much I love this gospel and for the opportunity to be a missionary/servant of the Lord. As well, I could feel God's presence and His love. Especially His love for everyone of these kids and how important they are to Him in His plan here on earth. It's marvelous!
So this week, I had a "spark" of personal revelation. I was reading a talk by Elder Richard J Maynes, "The Strength to Endure". It was EXACTLY what I need. Honestly, this last week has been a struggle for me "physically". In truthful words, I'm going to put it as, "I'm physically exhausted!" The other day I thought what would it like to have the strength and animo I had when I first started this mission 17 months ago. Now I feel like and old Grandma!! Every time I crawl out of bed I cry because of the pain that burns through my feet, and the first 8 steps are un-explainable. I could name a thousand things I never thought or imagined I would ever go through. I mention these weaknesses because I know I'm not the only one who feels, "Physically exhausted" at times. It's a part of life! At time, we are faced with a challenge/opposition/or adversity. Every one faces it...and even ME!! At times, it can be hard because the pain each individual goes through is different, no one understands...except our dear, loving Savior. He reminds me that these challenges we go through are "but a small moment"
D&C 121:7-8
In the talk, I loved the word ENDURANCE. He said, endurance is an important principle found within the doctrine of Jesus Christ. It is important because the quality of our eternal future is proportional to our ability to endure in righteousness. Endurance is spoken as dedication, perseverance, and self discipline. They apply to both endurance as "good physical condition" and "spiritually conditioned". The apostle Paul stated, "Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us." The race that is set before us on this earth is an endurance race filled with obstacles. The obstacles in this race are the challenges we wake up to each morning. We are here on earth to run the race, to exercise our moral agency and to choose between right and wrong in order to honorably and successfully finish the race and return to our Heavenly Father. We will need to pay the price of dedication, perseverance, and self-discipline. We need to get into spiritual shape. We need to develop spiritual stamina and we need strong testimonies that will lead to true conversion. As a result, we will find with in ourselves the inner peace and strength needed to endure whatever challenges we may face!
I'm sure some of us at one time or another have felt so overwhelmed with opposition or the battles of choosing between good and evil. We begin to be flaunted with personal adversities and then discouragement that can threaten or defeat us. How can we overcome this?
D&C 84:88
88 And whoso receiveth you, there I will be also, for I will go before your face. I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my Spirit shall be in your hearts, and mine angels round about you, to bear you up.
Thanks to our loving Savior, He seems to know just where and when we need comfort and encouragement. He with His perfect love, helps us endure to the end. I'm not perfect and I make mistakes, I have weaknesses and challenges daily.....but.....I"m extremely happy because I have the gospel. God and His angels are at my side as I continue to be obedient and strive to walk in His footsteps. I'm filled with strength physically, emotionally and spiritually. As I return home every night from a long, sunny day in the sandy, rocky streets.....I smile and look at the pile of sand I pour out of my shoes and I say, "I gave my very best", and I gently heart, "well done, thou good and faithful servant."
Homework: Memorize a favorite scripture and share it with someone!
ps - Thank you for your love and prayers!!
Also, my companion and I are on a ROLL, we found 2 families this week and we've been teaching lots of new people the God has put in our path. We had an experience with a guy named, Anibal, who recently lost his job and his wife died about a couple year ago and didn't quite understand why. We had the chance to talk about the plan of salvation, God's grace, and the blessings of the temple. As we continued to teach and give our testimonies, the three of us began to have tears in our eyes, as the spirit deeply touched everyone of our hearts.
Saturday night we had another experience with Juan and Luiz. We caught them "skinning an ostridge".....that was gross!!! We taught them the 10 commandments and once again just about the whole neighborhood kids were listening, including their dogs ;) All the kids from the soccer field stopped their game and came over one by one. In the end I think we had a total of 9 people. With our creative minds...haha....we tried to make a game out of the 10 commandments and I did the hand signals of each one and they all had to guess what commandment it was. I was soo surprised at how much they knew!!! I absolutely loved that moment. Moments like these remind me of how much I love this gospel and for the opportunity to be a missionary/servant of the Lord. As well, I could feel God's presence and His love. Especially His love for everyone of these kids and how important they are to Him in His plan here on earth. It's marvelous!
D&C 121:7-8
7 My son, peace be unto thy soul; thine adversity and thine afflictions shall be but a small moment;
8 And then, if thou endure it well, God shall exalt thee on high; thou shalt triumph over all thy foes.
In the talk, I loved the word ENDURANCE. He said, endurance is an important principle found within the doctrine of Jesus Christ. It is important because the quality of our eternal future is proportional to our ability to endure in righteousness. Endurance is spoken as dedication, perseverance, and self discipline. They apply to both endurance as "good physical condition" and "spiritually conditioned". The apostle Paul stated, "Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us." The race that is set before us on this earth is an endurance race filled with obstacles. The obstacles in this race are the challenges we wake up to each morning. We are here on earth to run the race, to exercise our moral agency and to choose between right and wrong in order to honorably and successfully finish the race and return to our Heavenly Father. We will need to pay the price of dedication, perseverance, and self-discipline. We need to get into spiritual shape. We need to develop spiritual stamina and we need strong testimonies that will lead to true conversion. As a result, we will find with in ourselves the inner peace and strength needed to endure whatever challenges we may face!
I'm sure some of us at one time or another have felt so overwhelmed with opposition or the battles of choosing between good and evil. We begin to be flaunted with personal adversities and then discouragement that can threaten or defeat us. How can we overcome this?
D&C 84:88
88 And whoso receiveth you, there I will be also, for I will go before your face. I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my Spirit shall be in your hearts, and mine angels round about you, to bear you up.
Thanks to our loving Savior, He seems to know just where and when we need comfort and encouragement. He with His perfect love, helps us endure to the end. I'm not perfect and I make mistakes, I have weaknesses and challenges daily.....but.....I"m extremely happy because I have the gospel. God and His angels are at my side as I continue to be obedient and strive to walk in His footsteps. I'm filled with strength physically, emotionally and spiritually. As I return home every night from a long, sunny day in the sandy, rocky streets.....I smile and look at the pile of sand I pour out of my shoes and I say, "I gave my very best", and I gently heart, "well done, thou good and faithful servant."
Homework: Memorize a favorite scripture and share it with someone!
ps - Thank you for your love and prayers!!
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