Well this week was another full of awesome things and hard things, and I am just SO grateful for your support and love and emails, cards, prayers, thoughts. Thank you!!
To start off the highlights :)
Tuesday was a down day for me where the whole day I was fighting the natural man inside my mind and trying to have and really FEEL charity and patience and love, and just was pretty silent all day with my comp talking myself through everything. We were walking down a big hill as I was trying to be better and I was just trying to notice the blessings and the scenery of beautiful plants and trees here, and then looked at the sky and saw the most gorgeous beginnings of a sunset ever. The sun was bright orange pink and the sky all around it was filled with pink, orange, yellow, blue just amazing gorgeous bright, celestial colors. I immediately stopped in my tracks and just watched. My comp had kept walking and turned around to notice me stopped and came back and saw what I was looking at and said, "Wow how beautiful!!" We then stood there and watched the whole sunset (it was surprising how fast it was from the sun being full in the sky to below the horizon.) The whole time I was just so grateful to my Heavenly Father for sending me that tender mercy and for His beautiful creations; and when I have nobody else, He is closer than I think. It was awesome also to watch everybody else in their houses or in the streets staring at us and trying to figure out what the heck we were staring at or why we weren't moving haha. Oh if people could just pay attention to these small yet divine moments, how much happier they would be!!
So Tuesday night, we went to Douglas and Mayra and wow it was awesome how great it was. We taught the law of chastity ( I had felt strongly they needed that and our DM confirmed those impressions) and we had a member accompany us. We got there and Mayra asked all about the Primary activity that was going to happen the coming Saturday to make sure her boys wore the right colored shirt according to their age groups and that her husband had volunteered to do service in the house of an older sister, etc etc. WHAT?!!! What investigators volunteer to do service and want to spend all day Saturday in the activities--how incredible! I was so excited. The lesson was super great and they expressed their feelings that they wanted to get married and wanted to experience those blessings they will receive by keeping that commandment of God, etc. Douglas read the whole pamphlet right away and was just really interested in it. The only problem is they don't have enough money to get married this month so we are trying to work with them and see their desires and work with the ward to figure out a fundraising activity. But it was SO awesome to see that they volunteered to give service, and Mayra has changed so much that she WANTS her family to participate in this also. She also was asking about the RS cake making classes going on, the schedule, etc etc. What a miracle.
Also in the prayer, Eduardo said it and said that we were like 2 angels that had fallen from the sky to help his family. What an amazing 10 year old---he is so sweet and ready and wanting the Gospel in his life.
Wednesday JULY 4th!!!!!! I was freaking out about it all day and people kind of laughed at me, but humored me, so I was grateful haha. I was just proud you know to be an American! We had the awesome company of our ward missionaries, Kevin and Pablo. There are like eight 18-23 year olds that are preparing to serve missions and we have them accompany us all the time, especially Kevin and Pablo and have grown really close to them. We feel way grateful for the opportunity to motivate them and see them in action and see them progress and be able to share experiences with them and help them prepare. I've grown close to Kevin and just feel like I have little brothers here to brighten my day. It is SO awesome and we love them just like little brothers! Kevin and Pablo carried our backpacks on Wednesday cuz my back hurt and it was so cute to see their willingness to help. hahaha It's just awesome to have them accompany us because they are hilarious and we love talking with them and really sharing things with each other, and it's great to see them bear their testimonies and encourage them to do so. It was awesome because Kevin shared with me his conversion experience. He comes from a member home, grew up in the church but when he was 10, his Dad got released from being Bishop and then became inactive. What?! Crazy. That was way hard for his family so they all basically became inactive. Kevin kept going and went to seminary, etc but mostly for his friends. He didn't have a testimony and one day in seminary told his teacher that he didn't pray or read the BOM, didn't want to, didn't have a testimony and wouldn't do anything about it, and didn't go back. One day on a fast and testimony meeting, Kevin started feeling his heart racing and this warm feeling inside and he was so confused and weirded out by that because he had never felt anything like that. It impacted him so much that after church, he went home and really for the first time prayed and repented of his sins and attitude, and asked if the church was true. He said he got an answer immediately and ever since then, has read the BOM, said his prayers, gone to church, had a tesitmony, etc etc and even though he's the only active member in his family, has faith that through his serving a mission, he will come home to his family members being active. I was just so in awe, and encouraged him and bore my testimony of the miracles that happen in the mission and just built him up. What an example right? He is my fav little brother here, though we shouldn't have favorites, haha, but I really feel like he is a Logan or a Dallin in my life right now, and I'm grateful I can be here to experience the joy of helping these young men prepare and feel that happiness the mission brings!
Also Wednesday Elder Falk called at night just to wish me a happy 4th of July! haha He is so great. He said he wanted to call someone to wish them that and thought of me--I'm so grateful to have these great people around me during the hard times. The Lord knew we all would need each other here! :)
Thursday--Logan's 20th birthday!!!! :) During personal study I was reading in PME about praying and got very emotional thinking and really imagining my family praying for me daily by name and naming Ecuador and my comp's name and just who and where I am right now. I got very emotional picturing that and so grateful. How blessed I am!
Also got emotional that justamente we read in PMG my mission scripture, Isaiah 55:8-9.
We had a great comp inventory and she told me things that were so wonderful to hear and we both just felt love and support and patience from one another and felt gratitude and joy for that. The Lord helped Hna Alvarez to express to me what she wants to work on that was exactly what I was hoping for too, cuz it's hard one sided to work on charity, and I just felt grateful.
Also Thursday, DOUGLAS, MAYRA Y EDUARDO!!! They accepted baptismal dates for Eduardo and said they would be baptized too, they just need to get married, and in the prayer Mayra said that being part of this has started to change her home and they will be able to start over, etc. What joy and happiness to see the change in them and especially her, and see their desires to have those blessings!!!! Just felt SO happy and joyful.
Friday night to Saturday didn't sleep AT ALL!!! haha Oh the joys of snoring comps---the Lord is really trying to help me have patience and purify me even when I'm tired. So that's the good news! Also it was hilarious because Pablo told us he didn't sleep at all either and had nightmares of him accompanying us and preaching the gospel all the time! bahahaha Poor thing! :)
Saturday was rough being tired BUT, we went to Jonathan who has a baptismal date for this weekend and he was way sad because a friend's grandma had died, etc so we got to teach him the plan of salvation and I LOVE when the Spirit helps us apply things to peoples' individual needs. It was great.
Also we had planned a workshop for the ward missionaries who are planning to go on missions, with the mission prep teacher, and our ZLs agreed to come help and it was AWESOME! We read parts of PMG, talked about it and taught, then did a bunch of practices and it was hilarious--Elder Falk doing a horrible practice and then a good one. But the best part was watching them doing practices and seeing the kids who didn't have a clue what to say, refer to the board and to the Spirit and ask inspired questions or bear testimony. Elder Falk and I were just dying of happiness and being able to see them progress was so great! I made brownies to share and Kevin and Pablo (the teacher) made chuzos (sausages) and it was just great to be able to help them. That is one of the main joys I experience in this ward--being a part of the missionary work in the ward and helping light that spark within these kids to prepare them. They will fly in the mission because of this, and how impressive it was to see these cool, awesome, hilarious, popular kids choose to be in the chapel on a Saturday night with missionaries. Awesome.
Sunday--I love Sundays even though they are crazy in the mish! The Stake Presidency came and spoke and it was ALL on missionary work because of the amount of jovenes we have here preparing to serve! What a blessing. Somethings he said really touched me. He said that we never would have been even close to knowing our full potential without coming on the mission. (TRUE) He said and counseled that in the field, to not seek for the glories of men. No valen. Instead, seek to serve WITH the Savior. I loved that. Serve with Him! He is our comp! It's hard to not get caught up in wanting to have people be happy with the baptisms, numbers, the bishop and Pres expectations and our leaders, etc BUT NONE of that matters! I love that! What matters is serving with the Savior and doing what He would do, when He would do it, and how He would do it.
Also he read the same scriptures Pres shared with me in my interview in D&C but then also read D&C 84:88. This scripture took on a whole new light for me yesterday and I got so grateful and emotional thinking about it. Christ promises that He, His Spirit and His angles will be with us to bear us up. As the stake pres was testifying of this and how we are NEVER alone in the mission field, I got emotional and realized the MORTAL angels the Lord has put in my path and has sent me during this transfer to bear me up. (Hna Orantes, Elder Falk, Elder Ayala, Kevin, other members, etc). People who literally have been around me (in District meetings or accompanying us 4 times a week) to literally lift and bear me up, lift my spirits, etc. What a blessing and how grateful I am for these mortal angels the Lord sends me to make things ok this transfer. Apart from His help and love and support, He sends us angels of all forms! Wow.
Also the class in Gospel Principles was awesome as always, the teacher is incredible. But something he said really touched me. He said that we, the missionaries, are angels and said to the class, "So if you guys think you've never seen an angel, you are mistaken! We have 2 sitting in the back of the class right now." What a tender mercy.
So this week I have learned a lot. Some things I want to share from my studies:
So in my companionship, I realized I lack charity and was aware of it and trying to work on it. Dad, you addressed some things I really needed to hear last week. Thanks! It is hard to have charity and serve at times, BUT it's just as Christ said in Matt 5:44-46 that anybody can love people who love us. That's easy! And awesome! But He gives us a higher law! When we love those who are more difficult, it says we THEN are Heavenly Father's children because He blesses and loves everyone. Don't I want to be like Him?? It's interesting how much my experiences here are purifying and sanctifying me. I never have considered before in my life that I've had a problem with loving people! Until now. How the Lord knows what we need in each trial to make us more like Him and helps us reach our potential!
I then became determined to start to really try and love her by serving her even when I don't feel like it or won't get a thank you in return. It's going to be hard and take time, but I know the Lord will help me do it. He has helped me do it a bit this week and it helped me feel more love and happiness! It's worth it--I just have to keep reminding myself that!
D&C 49:2--do we want the truth in part or do we want ALL of the truth? People who want to pick and choose are not fully reconciled with God and need to repent. There is no picking and choosing with the things of God!
D&C 50:10-12---the Lord teaches by example that sometimes we have to simplify our manners of teaching or language as we teach for understanding.
50:24-25--when we accept the gospel and God's teachings, we receive light. As we keep the commandments, we endure and that brings us more light and it keeps growing. With that light, we can CHASE darkness from among us! Awesome.
Hebrews 12:1--loved this--just do it all and keep going with patience!
D&C 56:14-17--super harsh stuff! Interesting to note that when people have sins, don't repent, they don't receive forgiveness and don't obey, while it says they might have pleasure, their hearts are not satisfied. Wickedness never was happiness and never will be!
58:14-16--the Lord calls missionaries despite their faults or lack of preparation. That's mercy. BUT we need to be careful of being too lax in our preparation because some things could be our downfall in the mission field. The field is hard and requires preparation, and certain things can be stumbling blocks here if they don't prepare.. I've seen that in others and it's sad because like it says, the mission is a once in a lifetime opportunity! How awesome--so we should prepare! NOW! :)
Ezk 18:21-23, 27-32--the Lord doesn't find pleasure in punishing the wicked. He wants them to repent and receive His blessings--He is SO merciful and loving!!!!
Also in the July Ensign there is an AMAZING article entitled, "The Lesson is Inside the Learner" by Russell T. Osguthorpe. Gold. Changed my life today.
Some awesome quotes:
Anytime we live a principle of the gospel more fully, someone else is blessed either directly or indirectly. (I am a witness of those miracles that happen when we do this)
Love prompts us to prepare and teach differently. (SO True!!! Teach to their needs because we love them!)
We do not learn and teach the gospel for the sole purpose of gaining knowledge. We learn and teach the gospel to gain exaltation. (wow I love that--this will be part of what determines that)
Gospel learning and teaching are not about mastering facts. They are about mastering discipleship. (That's the whole goal, isn't it?! That's why the mission is a jam packed time period of amazing trials and experiences good and bad to help purify us, and that's why life is that way too! The Gospel is to help us become like Christ and really BE His disciples!)
Lastly, we need to remember that the lesson we are teaching is already inside the learner. Our role as parents or teachers is to help learners discover the lesson inside their own hearts and minds.
So cool and so true and HOW BLESSED we are! I feel so blessed. I love being a missionary. I love my Lord. I love you all. I am so grateful for His grace. The church is true and the gospel is true. We have a loving Father in Heaven who always sends us His tender mercies and His angels. Let's recognize those events and people! We will be happier and more grateful. Let us be His disciples and bless others with our light.
I love you! Have a great week!
Hermana Bryan
Hermana Bryan
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| Ward Missionaries, Me, and Hermana Alvarez |
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