HOLA!!!!!
This week has been full of moments that test our faith and make me reflect on many things. While I feel like there aren't many people willing to listen, or accept a follow-up appointment, or answer their phones, we feel a bit lost and tend to think.. what are we doing wrong?!? Or better put... where does the Lord want us to improve? What is the Lord trying to teach us? I feel like so many people we teach have just fallen off the face of the earth! Haha but these weeks come every once and a while, we just learn to that the Lord wants us to focus on a different aspect of the work! From my studies and experiences this week, I have learned so much! I love looking back and seeing how it all connects together.
I want to be better at learning how to do MY PART or what the Lord asks of us as missionaries (or really our lives in general, since the mission really is just training for being strong members and leaders after). The Lord simply asks us to: be worthy of guidance from His spirit, follow the promptings we receive, and constantly seek this spirit. I still feel like I have SO MUCH to learn about recognizing what a prompting is and following it without question, because I know it is key in missionary work. And I was thinking about it as I studied.. I ALWAYS want to seek His spirit. I cannot imagine living in this world and trying to be a student, daughter, sister, or mother without the Lord's divine guidance. I know that when we do OUR PART, always seeking to become better and live His will, we can be assured that we are His hands and feet and we are having little victories along the way in His eyes.
Did you know that ACTS in the Bible is often called "Acts of the Holy Spirit with the Apostles"? (not sure if i translated that very well form Spanish to English... hehe). To help me recognize the importance of this spirit more, I began to read and take note of why this guidance is so important and how we feel when we follow it. I LOVE IT!!
37 Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?
38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
39 For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call
...and what we feel when we live according to the promptings of the spirit that we receive:
42 And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.
43 And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles.
44 And all that believed were together, and had all things common;
45 And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need.
46 And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart,
47 Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.
While studying I wrote this is my journal: WOW this is incredible to recognize the role of the spirit. The apostles LIVED to have the spirit with them, how scary that would be to be walking next to Christ everyday and then find yourself looking for the same feelings of peace and comfort that they had with Him. I should live for this same spirit in my life. I am so grateful that we do not walk alone, this is the promise Christ gave to them and it applies to us. I want this spirit to guide me in my life, in everything that I do. We need these "fruits of the spirit everyday of our lives. So that is my long-term goal for life. It is hard to describe the "cloud nine" type of feeling when we study the words of the Lord, but I know they give me a desire to be better, live on a higher plane, and it is as if the Lord sees us with a great potential and gives us small goals to achieve so that we can become like Him. I want to return to Him, look at His face, and feel comfortable in His presence in that day, and I want my family by my side, I want to be sealed with them for all eternity. What a beautiful gospel we are a part of! Why not share it!!
Also, a little side note
14 For the body is not one member, but many.
15 If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?
16 And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?
17 If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling?
18 But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him.
19 And if they were all one member, where were the body?
20 But now are they many members, yet but one body.
21 And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you.
22 Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary:
I read this and thought of all those moments that we feel weak and inadequate, or when we judgmentally look at others. But is that what Christ taught? no! We are ALL needed in this work. Especially when we feel weak. So I thought to myself, if I am just an ear, that is okay! As long as I am an instrument in the Lord´s hands and He has need of me, He has need of each of us. He is preparing us for greater things!
I love my companion. I love that she pushes me to be better EVERYDAY!!! I love having studies and feeling so spiritually uplifted afterwards, and the strength that we find in teaching and testifying together. It is truly inspired that we have companions to push us in so many ways.
Victor continues to progress :) He is basically a member of the church, sometimes I forget that he is not. He said to us the other day that he didn´t think it was fair that he can't serve a mission, haha because he is 35 years old.. he has experimented so much change for the good and come to know his Savior, but we are working on helping him to share little by little with his family members who live here. And Marcela... little Marcela.. haha her and her little timid jokes are great. Still progressing slowly. She teaches me patience and that I need to obtain more Christlike Attributes, haha.
I hope you are all well! I love you so much!!!!
Until next week!!
Love,
Hermana Mather
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