Welp Family,
The time had to come when the best months of my life would end and they did. Way by surprise, but inside we had suspected this for a while and felt it.
I got transferred and am now in Duran Ward in Duran Stake. It's about 45 mins from Guayaquil---super close actually and Hna Alvarez's old ward! Also--Hna Johansen is in my zone now so that's awesome!
I'm trying to be strong and trying not to focus on the pain and the sadness I feel. I know it just means I had so many wonderful experiences and eternal relationships formed that changed my heart and life forever.
To sum up my last week in Condor:
Tuesday we had a great study together and a good zone meeting---I made salsa etc and the assistants were there by surprise. It was a great meeting and Elder Osegueda has progressed SO much as a leader!! He has grown in love and concern. I also was really struck by something I read about agency and future decisions, and situations we see here in the mission so I have made a list of goals for myself for after my mission that I'm really excited about.
Wednesday we went to visit Maria and we got there and she said that she had thought and prayed about it and felt like she needed to stay in her religion---that's what her heart felt, etc. We were sitting there on the couch and had Kevin, David, and Cristian there observing everything. She was being so sweet and soft about it and apologizing--I literally felt like she was breaking up with us. hahaha It was a horrible feeling!! But we knew then we had to teach the Restoration, and the Spirit was very very very present in that lesson. Man I hope she chooses to follow the Spirit and be baptized and let go of her fears!! She is great and would make a great member with her kids.
Also Wednesday Kevin was talking to me and told me how much he has felt different lately, and how everyone has said he has changed, etc and he recognized it finally. He said he sees things differently now and his vision has completely changed---it's more of an eternal perspective and he feels things spiritually now---they affect him spiritually and said that one of the main things is that he has learned and had so much love grow in his heart that he never knew he had. He said that is key. He said it was all from accompanying us and I was way astounded at the extent of our influence on him. What a miracle and blessing, and I just felt SO grateful to my Heavenly Father for planning all this and allowing me to be part of it. Miracles in the mission. There are no coincidences!
Thursday (my 14 month anniversary!) Gaby, Kevin's sister, accompanied us and we had a scary experience. haha Some creeper guy who called and wanted to visit with us and he has lots of problems and tried to get us lost going to his house,etc. Poor Gaby, hahaha. Also all week we taught Genesis and Karina and Eduardo. I'm so sad I won't get to see that progress!!!! I love them.
Friday I found out about some things that made me mad about Kevin's family's situation and other situations and decisions, and people not wanting to be baptized and I just felt like I don't have control, and I was frustrated I don't have more control over lots of things and would like to help the world---why don't people get it?!
Also realized I have to put God first in everything---before studies as well, and everything will be good but that includes dedicating more time to the things of the Lord. Many things I recognized.
Saturday we didn't have a single lesson ALL afternoon!!! But Karina and Eduardo put on a BBQ to fundraise their wedding and made 70 bucks, so we were excited about that. They are SO ready.
Sunday was a great day. We had lunch with Kevin's family, had a wonderful lesson with his mom and brother and sister. We visited Angela and I know she will accept one day and I hope it's soon! Visited Steven, Karina and Eduardo, and Genesis. While watching a video about the temples with Genesis, I got so teary and just felt like everything would be ok and that (the temple and eternity) is what really matters. I can't wait to go back there and find answers and feel the strength again and reassurance there. I miss the temple!!!! How blessed we are.
Well, then transfer calls came late at night, and I have to say I'm so grateful the Lord helped me to say goodbye to the people I loved, and to have seen so many miracles in that ward. Truly best months of my life. I know many things are to come here, and I'm going to be strong and give it my all. 3 months!!
LOVE YOU!!!! The church is true!!!
Hermana Bryan
Monday, September 17, 2012
Monday, September 10, 2012
No os Canseis de hacer lo Bueno
Hola familia and friends!!!
I love you all :)
I wanted to thank Hna Angulo and Hna Goering for their emails last week---exactly exactly what I needed and tender mercies for sure. Thank you!!
So this week was pretty hard but also full of tender mercies. I sound like a broken record saying that week after week probably. haha That's the way life and the mission go right?! Awesome.
Tuesday at Zone meeting our ZLs Elder Osegueda and Elder Tibanlombo were totally making fun of my man/cracked/sick voice at the back of the room as I was sharing ideas and bearing testimony. hahaha Sad. Also the hermano who lives next door heard me cough and he was like, "Oh YOU were the one who kept us up all night! I thought it was a huge man downstairs dying or something!" hahaha So sad.
Tuesday the Lord helped us get everywhere in time by sending us cars or members at the exact time we were somewhere to get us to somewhere else. The Lord takes care of us! Also David's birthday was Tuesday and we got together with the Fam Valarezo and all their fam and had a mini FHE about missions and celebrated---it was so cool :) I love these people!
Wednesday and Saturday we saw Stefania again and she knows it all and knows it's true, and just is not willing to exercise her agency accordingly yet. Sad. I hope the Lord gives her another opportunity because I feel like this is her time and she isn't taking advantage of it!
Wednesday we also had a hard lesson with Karina and Eduardo---we fought the Spirit a lot for it to be there and Eduardo wanted to contend quite a bit but then in the end, recognized the truth of our message and their need to increase their faith and the truthfulness of this message. Also Maria is a new person---a reference from a member and we got to see her for a small period of time on Wednesday and the Spirit told me strongly that she needed to hear the Plan of Salvation. Turns out her husband had died and she is a widow---how grateful I am for the Spirit!
Thursday we had a great planning session and comp inventory. I had a cool experience in the mirror getting ready. I looked at my reflection and responded in Spanish without even thinking about it to something my comp asked me, and saw my nametag and just had this mini revelation again, and an awesome, joyful recognition that I'M A MISSIONARY!!!! What joy!!!! I never thought I would be living this or experiencing this, yet here I am joyfully living this life as a missionary as it has become such a normal thing to me and my everyday life. Love it.
I felt the Spirit's guidance and protection on Thursday----not getting on a bus, etc. We had a really cool and strong experience with Elizabeth. She is a reference that hasn't been able to meet with us much but we always feel really good with her. Wow. The Spirit was SO strong and the member who accompanied us never had accompanied us before but it was perfect--the Lord provided her company and testimony and I just had chills the whole time! Elizabeth accepted baptism!!!!! Even though she was a Catholic missionary and has trouble accepting why Jesus´s name is Jehovah and not God´s name---that's her big question and doubt and we've tried explaining with scriptures but she still doesn't understand----Stefania related a personal experience about praying and then accepting the answer if it's true, it's ALL true.
We are still gaining Angela's confidence and she is reading the BOM and being touched very little by little :)
Friday we had a strong opposition day learning to make correct decisions and learning how to make things work, and talk things out as a companionship and communicate more instead of just assuming. I hate being human sometimes and how we have weaknesses and make mistakes, but it all helps us learn and grow! Lots and lots, and we are being prepared. That is FOR sure.
Steven accompanied us on Friday!!!!! He is so awesome. He shared his STRONG testimony and how this gospel has changed his life. Wow he´s incredible and his life has made a complete 180 degree turn. He is already preparing himself to go on a mission and he's already a missionary! I love his thirst for knowledge and doing the things of God and dropping whatever to go on visits, etc. This is the joy of missionary work!! Seeing conversion and the after-effects and fruits of this conversion!!! What a blessing.
Saturday I woke up at 4am pretty dang sick---what else is new? haha My former infection hadn't left and I got another infection, but my theme all day was: Every trial is a blessing! I felt like the pioneers with the sun so hot and strong shining down and me being sick and dizzy etc and just said in my mind, "If they could do it for Christ, so can I!"
The Lord has blessed us with a doctor here in the ward on the street behind us so she helped me out.
We had a lesson with Maria and I got really teary hearing the hermana who is her friend share her experience and testimony, and then she bore testimony of the missionaries. She said we were angels and we do all we do and make sacrifices for Christ, and as she said that I looked up and saw the huge picture of Christ in their house, and in my situation felt that we won't be sick after this life and it's all worth it now and here---I accepted this before this life and now He is the reason why we keep moving forward!! He made all sacrifices for us so why can't I?! How I love my Savior and His grace.
Genesis---David's cousin is going great and is excited for her baptism and marriage. Elizabeth prayed and got her answer that the church is true and described her feelings as feeling something strong in her chest and wanting to cry. She was way excited! Pray for them that they continue and remember their answers and can be baptized the 22nd.
Karina and Eduardo are so ready---they just need a paper to get married that seems like it will take forever so we are praying for a miracle. Prayers are very welcome for them and their situation!
Sunday everyone came to church!! Angela (which was a miracle because she was supposed to work but the hermanas persuaded her to come haha) and her daughter Adriana, Karina and Eduardo, Genesis, Stefania.
There was a talk given about missionary work and I loved what was said---I felt like the Lord was talking to me. He spoke a lot about grace (wouldn't ya know!) and about not getting tired of doing good and keeping our attitudes up and high (which I needed reminders of as I'm tired now in the mish in many aspects but can't let that affect anything!) He said, "This is the work of the Lord and the only thing that qualifies us for it, besides D&C 4, is His grace." He also said as human beings that we are, we couldn't do it---it all depends on His grace.
He then talked about how many people pray for the missionaries and then said that the Lord doesn't ask many things of us, just a broken heart and a contrite spirit and a good attitude. He quoted the scripture, "No os canseis de hacer lo bueno" (which I've read so many times lately--coincidence I think not!)
Sunday morning we were waiting for church to start and I was in the bathroom and I heard someone come in and ask Hna Alvarez if she was my companion and I said HOLA! But thought it was someone from the ward, etc, and I came out and saw Marcela Diaz (the mom of the Diaz family from Francisco de Orellana!!!) She had come to visit me---tender mercy for sure. Another tender mercy was going to a lesson and seeing Douglas with 2 other men doing visits in their white shirts and ties and recognizing how awesome it is seeing them every week in their white shirts and ties and Mayra in her skirts, and them paying tithing and preparing to do baptisms on Saturday, etc. WHAT JOY! Wow sometimes I overlook these things and then realize how blessed I am to even have this opportunity, and what joy it is to have been able to participate in a very small way in their conversion or their lives. And how much I love them all!
I love that in 2 Nephi 30:8 it says God's work. He works! We are privileged enough to be helping Him in His work!
Today I found something that I LOVED in the mission handbook about dedicating a home. It described 5 purposes of a home, and this is what I had and what I am determined to create in my future home. What a blessing to be able to strive to create a home where:
1) the Holy Ghost dwells
2) family members worship the Lord
3) family members find refuge from the world
4) family members progress spiritually
5) family members prepare to have eternal relationships
Create a home like this! :) There is so much joy and love that awaits us as we follow Christ and His example and share the Gospel with others and strive to be better each and every day. Let us depend on His grace and then get up and get to work and do our part!!! I love this Gospel. It is true! I love being a misionary. I love my Savior. So so much. I know He lives and I know He loves us. It is something I know because I have felt it, I have prayed about it, I have received answers, and I have lived this. The Book of Mormon is true. There is a prophet of God on earth today to guide us. Heavenly Father wants to give us knowledge, guidance, and answers to our prayers. Let us do our part to make that possible and have Him bless our lives. He loves you! Share the Gospel with someone this week :)
Love you so much!
Hermana Bryan
I love you all :)
I wanted to thank Hna Angulo and Hna Goering for their emails last week---exactly exactly what I needed and tender mercies for sure. Thank you!!
So this week was pretty hard but also full of tender mercies. I sound like a broken record saying that week after week probably. haha That's the way life and the mission go right?! Awesome.
Tuesday at Zone meeting our ZLs Elder Osegueda and Elder Tibanlombo were totally making fun of my man/cracked/sick voice at the back of the room as I was sharing ideas and bearing testimony. hahaha Sad. Also the hermano who lives next door heard me cough and he was like, "Oh YOU were the one who kept us up all night! I thought it was a huge man downstairs dying or something!" hahaha So sad.
Tuesday the Lord helped us get everywhere in time by sending us cars or members at the exact time we were somewhere to get us to somewhere else. The Lord takes care of us! Also David's birthday was Tuesday and we got together with the Fam Valarezo and all their fam and had a mini FHE about missions and celebrated---it was so cool :) I love these people!
Wednesday and Saturday we saw Stefania again and she knows it all and knows it's true, and just is not willing to exercise her agency accordingly yet. Sad. I hope the Lord gives her another opportunity because I feel like this is her time and she isn't taking advantage of it!
Wednesday we also had a hard lesson with Karina and Eduardo---we fought the Spirit a lot for it to be there and Eduardo wanted to contend quite a bit but then in the end, recognized the truth of our message and their need to increase their faith and the truthfulness of this message. Also Maria is a new person---a reference from a member and we got to see her for a small period of time on Wednesday and the Spirit told me strongly that she needed to hear the Plan of Salvation. Turns out her husband had died and she is a widow---how grateful I am for the Spirit!
Thursday we had a great planning session and comp inventory. I had a cool experience in the mirror getting ready. I looked at my reflection and responded in Spanish without even thinking about it to something my comp asked me, and saw my nametag and just had this mini revelation again, and an awesome, joyful recognition that I'M A MISSIONARY!!!! What joy!!!! I never thought I would be living this or experiencing this, yet here I am joyfully living this life as a missionary as it has become such a normal thing to me and my everyday life. Love it.
I felt the Spirit's guidance and protection on Thursday----not getting on a bus, etc. We had a really cool and strong experience with Elizabeth. She is a reference that hasn't been able to meet with us much but we always feel really good with her. Wow. The Spirit was SO strong and the member who accompanied us never had accompanied us before but it was perfect--the Lord provided her company and testimony and I just had chills the whole time! Elizabeth accepted baptism!!!!! Even though she was a Catholic missionary and has trouble accepting why Jesus´s name is Jehovah and not God´s name---that's her big question and doubt and we've tried explaining with scriptures but she still doesn't understand----Stefania related a personal experience about praying and then accepting the answer if it's true, it's ALL true.
We are still gaining Angela's confidence and she is reading the BOM and being touched very little by little :)
Friday we had a strong opposition day learning to make correct decisions and learning how to make things work, and talk things out as a companionship and communicate more instead of just assuming. I hate being human sometimes and how we have weaknesses and make mistakes, but it all helps us learn and grow! Lots and lots, and we are being prepared. That is FOR sure.
Steven accompanied us on Friday!!!!! He is so awesome. He shared his STRONG testimony and how this gospel has changed his life. Wow he´s incredible and his life has made a complete 180 degree turn. He is already preparing himself to go on a mission and he's already a missionary! I love his thirst for knowledge and doing the things of God and dropping whatever to go on visits, etc. This is the joy of missionary work!! Seeing conversion and the after-effects and fruits of this conversion!!! What a blessing.
Saturday I woke up at 4am pretty dang sick---what else is new? haha My former infection hadn't left and I got another infection, but my theme all day was: Every trial is a blessing! I felt like the pioneers with the sun so hot and strong shining down and me being sick and dizzy etc and just said in my mind, "If they could do it for Christ, so can I!"
The Lord has blessed us with a doctor here in the ward on the street behind us so she helped me out.
We had a lesson with Maria and I got really teary hearing the hermana who is her friend share her experience and testimony, and then she bore testimony of the missionaries. She said we were angels and we do all we do and make sacrifices for Christ, and as she said that I looked up and saw the huge picture of Christ in their house, and in my situation felt that we won't be sick after this life and it's all worth it now and here---I accepted this before this life and now He is the reason why we keep moving forward!! He made all sacrifices for us so why can't I?! How I love my Savior and His grace.
Genesis---David's cousin is going great and is excited for her baptism and marriage. Elizabeth prayed and got her answer that the church is true and described her feelings as feeling something strong in her chest and wanting to cry. She was way excited! Pray for them that they continue and remember their answers and can be baptized the 22nd.
Karina and Eduardo are so ready---they just need a paper to get married that seems like it will take forever so we are praying for a miracle. Prayers are very welcome for them and their situation!
Sunday everyone came to church!! Angela (which was a miracle because she was supposed to work but the hermanas persuaded her to come haha) and her daughter Adriana, Karina and Eduardo, Genesis, Stefania.
There was a talk given about missionary work and I loved what was said---I felt like the Lord was talking to me. He spoke a lot about grace (wouldn't ya know!) and about not getting tired of doing good and keeping our attitudes up and high (which I needed reminders of as I'm tired now in the mish in many aspects but can't let that affect anything!) He said, "This is the work of the Lord and the only thing that qualifies us for it, besides D&C 4, is His grace." He also said as human beings that we are, we couldn't do it---it all depends on His grace.
He then talked about how many people pray for the missionaries and then said that the Lord doesn't ask many things of us, just a broken heart and a contrite spirit and a good attitude. He quoted the scripture, "No os canseis de hacer lo bueno" (which I've read so many times lately--coincidence I think not!)
Sunday morning we were waiting for church to start and I was in the bathroom and I heard someone come in and ask Hna Alvarez if she was my companion and I said HOLA! But thought it was someone from the ward, etc, and I came out and saw Marcela Diaz (the mom of the Diaz family from Francisco de Orellana!!!) She had come to visit me---tender mercy for sure. Another tender mercy was going to a lesson and seeing Douglas with 2 other men doing visits in their white shirts and ties and recognizing how awesome it is seeing them every week in their white shirts and ties and Mayra in her skirts, and them paying tithing and preparing to do baptisms on Saturday, etc. WHAT JOY! Wow sometimes I overlook these things and then realize how blessed I am to even have this opportunity, and what joy it is to have been able to participate in a very small way in their conversion or their lives. And how much I love them all!
I love that in 2 Nephi 30:8 it says God's work. He works! We are privileged enough to be helping Him in His work!
Today I found something that I LOVED in the mission handbook about dedicating a home. It described 5 purposes of a home, and this is what I had and what I am determined to create in my future home. What a blessing to be able to strive to create a home where:
1) the Holy Ghost dwells
2) family members worship the Lord
3) family members find refuge from the world
4) family members progress spiritually
5) family members prepare to have eternal relationships
Create a home like this! :) There is so much joy and love that awaits us as we follow Christ and His example and share the Gospel with others and strive to be better each and every day. Let us depend on His grace and then get up and get to work and do our part!!! I love this Gospel. It is true! I love being a misionary. I love my Savior. So so much. I know He lives and I know He loves us. It is something I know because I have felt it, I have prayed about it, I have received answers, and I have lived this. The Book of Mormon is true. There is a prophet of God on earth today to guide us. Heavenly Father wants to give us knowledge, guidance, and answers to our prayers. Let us do our part to make that possible and have Him bless our lives. He loves you! Share the Gospel with someone this week :)
Love you so much!
Hermana Bryan
Monday, September 3, 2012
The Lord's Mouthpieces
Hola familia and friends!!
Well don't have much time so I will get going :)
Tuesday: we had a zone meeting and it was SO inspiring. The Lord has prepared our ZLs now to take over and receive revelation and I felt the Spirit so strongly and it was exactly what we needed to hear. What a blessing! We then went to eat lunch at the RS president's house and it was so touching to talk to her and listen to her and hear about her service. She told us that the ward loves us a lot a lot and that was very touching to hear from a leader and their perspective. She then expounded on situations in the ward she would like us to be aware about that not even her counselors know because she doesn't trust many people. Knowing those things is kind of heavy and I want to save everyone and have everything be ok! Dang it agency :)
So Stefania was going to have her interview for baptism on Tuesday and we went by her house and she wasn't there. We were like, man not again. We called her and she didn't answer and then the Lord blessed her to answer the second time and she was actualy home but didn't hear us so we got to go to the interview and she passed and was set to get baptized!!!
Also Karina and Eduardo are progressing so so much and love the company of the ward missionaries :) What a blessing.
Also on Tuesday Elder Osegueda told me that he put Elder Garcia in my district and not the other way around haha, and so we are trying really hard to have charity and love and serve him and help him the best we can.
Wednesday I woke up SO happy! I loved the scripture Alma 57:27. Before lunch, we went over to Kevin's house to help his mom with her work and share a message with her. She ended up opening up everything to us and crying and we were there to comfort her and set goals and she is great, and I just love love love that family! I know things will be fine if she keeps working. This has shown me that in hard hard trials, if I give up, I will spiritually go downhill and we can't give up!! Ever!
We had burritos at lunch and that was so so awesome after a year plus of not tasting that :)
The Lord helped us meet our goals this day and we were SO tired but we can't get tired of doing good as D&C states! :)
We enjoyed Kevin's and Cristian's company and gospel conversations and insights, and it's been SO incredible to see their progress and hear their testimonies. Wow! Also this day we went by Ronald again because I had been feeling strongly like we should and he asked us why we came back and I laughed and told him sincerely I didn't know but just felt like we should, and he was way surprised and grateful and just thanked and thanked us for coming. We will see if he progresses but at least we were able to comfort and bless his life in a very small way as Christ would do.
Thursday was a pretty rough day for me. Satan is such a piece---he knows that he can't get me in any other way so he attacks my feelings sometimes. I was super super down on myself for my weaknesses and have been SO beyond aware of them and was just tired of recognizing so many of them and trying to overcome them because I felt like no matter how hard I try or what I do or how many great intentions or desires I have, it will never be enough and I will never measure up.
BUT
Friday the Lord helped me have an AWESOME study about grace. I read the definition in the Bible Dictionary and some words and feeling stuck out to me and then I read in the April Ensign by Elder Bednar his talk about the Atonement and grace and it was INCREDIBLE and so helped me (pgs 15-19 especially.) I loved Alma 31:38 and am a witness of that. We will not suffer afflictions more than what we feel in the joy we experience. In the mission there are lots of trials but lots of JOY and the joy swallows up the pain and sadness in an instant! I was so touched by the mercy and love and grace of the Lord for us and how He considers His own trials as nothing, and thus, wants to help us in ours. What mercy and love. I'm so so so grateful for His grace. I know that we can all receive it if we do all we can.
We then had a great day with Kevin's family, with Stefania that she totally totally resisted temptation and said she didn't even want to do those things anymore and had experienced that change of heart and conversion, etc. We had a fight of a lesson with Angela and with the Spirit and are just praying she opens her heart and feels this and can be baptized.
Saturday we had the incredible blessing of being able to have a conference with Elder D. Todd Christofferson of the 12 Apostles. Wow! We got there and they had Hna Alvarez and I sit on the very front row. I had prepared questions throughout the week and written them down--questions I wanted answers to and knew they would be answered but didn't know how powerfully.
First we got to hear from the wife of Elder Rafael Pino of the 70 and she was cute.
We then got to hear from Elder Rafael Pino and he was awesome!! Something he said I loved was that if we look for harmony in our lives, we will receive sweet feelings to know what to do in our lives. He focused a lot on having an eternal perspective of things so we can appreciate more and fulfill our callings in life. He then did a mini example where he had an elder come up and as if he was finishing the mission he removed his nametags, took his mission handbook and asked some questions: What time will you get up the next day? Will you study your scriptures? What kind of TV or music will you allow? What will you do?, etc
Some good things to think about. He then told us to take advantage of our time and not lose it, and to convert ourselves to the Lord, Jesus Christ, and focus on our objective and we will see the blessings from doing that all throughout our lives.
Hermana Christofferson then spoke and then Elder Christofferson. Wow he is awesome and has a great sense of humor too! His hair was so so glowy white :) and he was just super smiley and warm the whole time. We got to shake his hand one by one and he started off his talk by telling us how much they love us. I could literally feel that when he said it. He talked a lot about charity and service and how there is little defense against love :) haha so true! He spoke a lot about the power of the BOM and the need to use it in all lessons and let it change these peoples' lives. He talked about re-activation and old investigators. He talked a ton about faith and how we literally walk by faith every day because we have no idea how our day will end or how each lesson will go, etc. He said that when we act and walk by faith, the Lord will guide and provide for us, but that sometimes we have to start without knowing how it all will end.
I loved when he said that each time, it's more easy to perceive and understand the Lord's will, the Spirit's promptings and that we will be able to fulfill what we need to do with our lives' missions.
He then said that when they see our pictures and assign us missions, they feel the profound love of our Heavenly Father for us. How neat it was to hear and watch him try to express that. He then said, "You are not unknown in any way to our Heavenly Father. He knows your desires, your worries, your thoughts. He always takes you into account. With TONS of confidence and trust, you can ask for His help and express everything to Him."
His talk was based on 5 questions he asked from the audience of all us missionaries and he expounded on those.
He then gave us his Apostalic blessing which was my FAVORITE part. He blessed us that we can perceive more than ever the love our Heavenly Father has for us, and that in these days we will be able to feel and perceive that and that He knows us. He blessed us with a more profound faith and that the knowledge of that love that God has for us will help us get up, work, and continue growing and progressing so we can get to a point where our faith becomes a power that has capacity to change (reality or circumstances, he said.) He blessed us with faith to be obedient, to get married and raise a family, to be faithful and then said that the saints with faith will be happy and will overcome.
He blessed us with spiritual gifts to be able to be better teachers, to give stronger testimony, etc and if it is our desire, we can receive the exact words and power that like Nephi, people won't be able to disbelieve or doubt when we teach.
He then paused for a long time and looked down and then up and said, "Some of you are wondering and asking if your service is worthy before the Lord, if He accepts your offering, if He respects your offering and if you are worthy. If it is your desire to know, I bless you that you can receive your answer through a feeling that YOU ARE WORTHY and HE ACCEPTS. There isn't a greater answer than knowing that you are worthy. He is pleased and happy and you are deserving to be here." He then asked us to imagine us kneeling before the Lord one day as He tells us He is happy with us and pleased for our service, and that that vision will give us the faith, strength, courage to continue forward forever. He then mentioned Christ's grace and that it is sufficient to purify and sanctify us.
WOW. I literally felt Heavenly Father's voice through Elder Christofferson answering my heart's deepest questions or concerns. I was bawling and needed that answer, and felt the Lord's personal love and awareness of me and my situation. How grateful I am for the priesthood, to have apostles and prophets on the earth today to guide and direct us and bless our lives and be the Lord's literal witnesses and mouthpieces. I KNOW they are called of God. It is something I know. I testify that Elder Christofferson is an Apostle of God and everyone who heard him this weekend has felt that. I know that God lives and He loves us and is aware of us and always blesses us with comfort and answers to our prayers.
Bad news of the week was that we were walking to go to the baptism and got a phone call (on our new cell phone they gave us yeaaahhh!!! finally have a cell) that Stefania had left and said she wasn't going to be baptized after all and just bolted out of her house. WHAT?! Crazy. We have no idea what's going on with her but were too happy and filled of trust and faith and gratitude from the conference that we kept walking and teaching and know that it's the Lord's will.
Sunday was good--we have had oppostition with finding new people and finding people who want to progress. Kevin and David and Cristian accompanied us and something really neat was talking to Cristian's dad and him expressing to us how much of a help we have been to his sons and their progress and testimonies and how grateful he is. Wow. We feel the same way for them! It's INCREDIBLE seeing their progress and change and feeling them testify with the Spirit now!! David gave us a ref of his cousin's wife and we went there and the Lord blessed us so much. We went in there and she expressed to us why she wanted to hear the lessons again, etc and the Lord guided my words to extend a baptismal date for Sept 22 and she accepted and it was incredible. David was shining with happiness and surprise and we just KNEW she is one of those elect the Lord has blessed us with. We are so grateful for that!
Well I have to go, but I LOVE you all!! Thank you for your prayers and love and thoughts. I know this church is true. I love being a missionary and am excited to continue in this work all throughout my life and throughout the eternities. Missionary work is the best, and there is no other joy or happiness or love that quite compares. Let this joy and light and love into your lives and make it contagious! Love you all! Have a great week!
Hermana Bryan
Well don't have much time so I will get going :)
Tuesday: we had a zone meeting and it was SO inspiring. The Lord has prepared our ZLs now to take over and receive revelation and I felt the Spirit so strongly and it was exactly what we needed to hear. What a blessing! We then went to eat lunch at the RS president's house and it was so touching to talk to her and listen to her and hear about her service. She told us that the ward loves us a lot a lot and that was very touching to hear from a leader and their perspective. She then expounded on situations in the ward she would like us to be aware about that not even her counselors know because she doesn't trust many people. Knowing those things is kind of heavy and I want to save everyone and have everything be ok! Dang it agency :)
So Stefania was going to have her interview for baptism on Tuesday and we went by her house and she wasn't there. We were like, man not again. We called her and she didn't answer and then the Lord blessed her to answer the second time and she was actualy home but didn't hear us so we got to go to the interview and she passed and was set to get baptized!!!
Also Karina and Eduardo are progressing so so much and love the company of the ward missionaries :) What a blessing.
Also on Tuesday Elder Osegueda told me that he put Elder Garcia in my district and not the other way around haha, and so we are trying really hard to have charity and love and serve him and help him the best we can.
Wednesday I woke up SO happy! I loved the scripture Alma 57:27. Before lunch, we went over to Kevin's house to help his mom with her work and share a message with her. She ended up opening up everything to us and crying and we were there to comfort her and set goals and she is great, and I just love love love that family! I know things will be fine if she keeps working. This has shown me that in hard hard trials, if I give up, I will spiritually go downhill and we can't give up!! Ever!
We had burritos at lunch and that was so so awesome after a year plus of not tasting that :)
The Lord helped us meet our goals this day and we were SO tired but we can't get tired of doing good as D&C states! :)
We enjoyed Kevin's and Cristian's company and gospel conversations and insights, and it's been SO incredible to see their progress and hear their testimonies. Wow! Also this day we went by Ronald again because I had been feeling strongly like we should and he asked us why we came back and I laughed and told him sincerely I didn't know but just felt like we should, and he was way surprised and grateful and just thanked and thanked us for coming. We will see if he progresses but at least we were able to comfort and bless his life in a very small way as Christ would do.
Thursday was a pretty rough day for me. Satan is such a piece---he knows that he can't get me in any other way so he attacks my feelings sometimes. I was super super down on myself for my weaknesses and have been SO beyond aware of them and was just tired of recognizing so many of them and trying to overcome them because I felt like no matter how hard I try or what I do or how many great intentions or desires I have, it will never be enough and I will never measure up.
BUT
Friday the Lord helped me have an AWESOME study about grace. I read the definition in the Bible Dictionary and some words and feeling stuck out to me and then I read in the April Ensign by Elder Bednar his talk about the Atonement and grace and it was INCREDIBLE and so helped me (pgs 15-19 especially.) I loved Alma 31:38 and am a witness of that. We will not suffer afflictions more than what we feel in the joy we experience. In the mission there are lots of trials but lots of JOY and the joy swallows up the pain and sadness in an instant! I was so touched by the mercy and love and grace of the Lord for us and how He considers His own trials as nothing, and thus, wants to help us in ours. What mercy and love. I'm so so so grateful for His grace. I know that we can all receive it if we do all we can.
We then had a great day with Kevin's family, with Stefania that she totally totally resisted temptation and said she didn't even want to do those things anymore and had experienced that change of heart and conversion, etc. We had a fight of a lesson with Angela and with the Spirit and are just praying she opens her heart and feels this and can be baptized.
Saturday we had the incredible blessing of being able to have a conference with Elder D. Todd Christofferson of the 12 Apostles. Wow! We got there and they had Hna Alvarez and I sit on the very front row. I had prepared questions throughout the week and written them down--questions I wanted answers to and knew they would be answered but didn't know how powerfully.
First we got to hear from the wife of Elder Rafael Pino of the 70 and she was cute.
We then got to hear from Elder Rafael Pino and he was awesome!! Something he said I loved was that if we look for harmony in our lives, we will receive sweet feelings to know what to do in our lives. He focused a lot on having an eternal perspective of things so we can appreciate more and fulfill our callings in life. He then did a mini example where he had an elder come up and as if he was finishing the mission he removed his nametags, took his mission handbook and asked some questions: What time will you get up the next day? Will you study your scriptures? What kind of TV or music will you allow? What will you do?, etc
Some good things to think about. He then told us to take advantage of our time and not lose it, and to convert ourselves to the Lord, Jesus Christ, and focus on our objective and we will see the blessings from doing that all throughout our lives.
Hermana Christofferson then spoke and then Elder Christofferson. Wow he is awesome and has a great sense of humor too! His hair was so so glowy white :) and he was just super smiley and warm the whole time. We got to shake his hand one by one and he started off his talk by telling us how much they love us. I could literally feel that when he said it. He talked a lot about charity and service and how there is little defense against love :) haha so true! He spoke a lot about the power of the BOM and the need to use it in all lessons and let it change these peoples' lives. He talked about re-activation and old investigators. He talked a ton about faith and how we literally walk by faith every day because we have no idea how our day will end or how each lesson will go, etc. He said that when we act and walk by faith, the Lord will guide and provide for us, but that sometimes we have to start without knowing how it all will end.
I loved when he said that each time, it's more easy to perceive and understand the Lord's will, the Spirit's promptings and that we will be able to fulfill what we need to do with our lives' missions.
He then said that when they see our pictures and assign us missions, they feel the profound love of our Heavenly Father for us. How neat it was to hear and watch him try to express that. He then said, "You are not unknown in any way to our Heavenly Father. He knows your desires, your worries, your thoughts. He always takes you into account. With TONS of confidence and trust, you can ask for His help and express everything to Him."
His talk was based on 5 questions he asked from the audience of all us missionaries and he expounded on those.
He then gave us his Apostalic blessing which was my FAVORITE part. He blessed us that we can perceive more than ever the love our Heavenly Father has for us, and that in these days we will be able to feel and perceive that and that He knows us. He blessed us with a more profound faith and that the knowledge of that love that God has for us will help us get up, work, and continue growing and progressing so we can get to a point where our faith becomes a power that has capacity to change (reality or circumstances, he said.) He blessed us with faith to be obedient, to get married and raise a family, to be faithful and then said that the saints with faith will be happy and will overcome.
He blessed us with spiritual gifts to be able to be better teachers, to give stronger testimony, etc and if it is our desire, we can receive the exact words and power that like Nephi, people won't be able to disbelieve or doubt when we teach.
He then paused for a long time and looked down and then up and said, "Some of you are wondering and asking if your service is worthy before the Lord, if He accepts your offering, if He respects your offering and if you are worthy. If it is your desire to know, I bless you that you can receive your answer through a feeling that YOU ARE WORTHY and HE ACCEPTS. There isn't a greater answer than knowing that you are worthy. He is pleased and happy and you are deserving to be here." He then asked us to imagine us kneeling before the Lord one day as He tells us He is happy with us and pleased for our service, and that that vision will give us the faith, strength, courage to continue forward forever. He then mentioned Christ's grace and that it is sufficient to purify and sanctify us.
WOW. I literally felt Heavenly Father's voice through Elder Christofferson answering my heart's deepest questions or concerns. I was bawling and needed that answer, and felt the Lord's personal love and awareness of me and my situation. How grateful I am for the priesthood, to have apostles and prophets on the earth today to guide and direct us and bless our lives and be the Lord's literal witnesses and mouthpieces. I KNOW they are called of God. It is something I know. I testify that Elder Christofferson is an Apostle of God and everyone who heard him this weekend has felt that. I know that God lives and He loves us and is aware of us and always blesses us with comfort and answers to our prayers.
Bad news of the week was that we were walking to go to the baptism and got a phone call (on our new cell phone they gave us yeaaahhh!!! finally have a cell) that Stefania had left and said she wasn't going to be baptized after all and just bolted out of her house. WHAT?! Crazy. We have no idea what's going on with her but were too happy and filled of trust and faith and gratitude from the conference that we kept walking and teaching and know that it's the Lord's will.
Sunday was good--we have had oppostition with finding new people and finding people who want to progress. Kevin and David and Cristian accompanied us and something really neat was talking to Cristian's dad and him expressing to us how much of a help we have been to his sons and their progress and testimonies and how grateful he is. Wow. We feel the same way for them! It's INCREDIBLE seeing their progress and change and feeling them testify with the Spirit now!! David gave us a ref of his cousin's wife and we went there and the Lord blessed us so much. We went in there and she expressed to us why she wanted to hear the lessons again, etc and the Lord guided my words to extend a baptismal date for Sept 22 and she accepted and it was incredible. David was shining with happiness and surprise and we just KNEW she is one of those elect the Lord has blessed us with. We are so grateful for that!
Well I have to go, but I LOVE you all!! Thank you for your prayers and love and thoughts. I know this church is true. I love being a missionary and am excited to continue in this work all throughout my life and throughout the eternities. Missionary work is the best, and there is no other joy or happiness or love that quite compares. Let this joy and light and love into your lives and make it contagious! Love you all! Have a great week!
Hermana Bryan
Monday, August 27, 2012
Opposition in all Things
Hola family and friends!!
First off I want to thank the DV Primary and Rios famiy for their awesome packages that made my day!! THANKS :)
This week was pretty crazy full of emotions, experiences, trials and lots of opposition to make us grow. But that's awesome right? Because that's how we learn and develop into who we need to become!
Tuesday I was all pumped up and feeling the focus and strength of my prayers and prayers from all of you and lots of things happened to try and make me disconcentrated so that was a battle all day, haha, but I love that my comp and I share everything so we battled together :) Also Tuesday I was SO beyond tired and basically wanting to fall asleep all day and in the lessons, and I was just praying during one lesson to please have the strength and the words to say with the Spirit, and I sat up and just opened my mouth and it was INCREDIBLE the strength and energy and Spirit and words I was blessed with as the Lord fulfilled His promise to fill our mouths. Wow and as soon as my time was done, immediately my exhaust came back. So Cool.
Wednesday was a pretty weird day and I felt SO beyond sad---like profoundly, and had no idea why. Everything failed us basically and everything fell through until the night time. And the whole day fighting this feeling and everything failing us, at the end just felt like why do we ever doubt?! Heavenly Father knows everything and guides us. He knew the PRECISE moment when Stefania would be home, when Moises would pass by with Morocho and we would be late or another lesson fall through and when we got to Angela she was JUST coming home and 5 mins before we would have missed her, etc. Sometimes there is a divine reason for things falling through and He guides us with His Spirit and according to what He knows needs to happen.
Also Wed I got really teary thinking about Logan and my fam and felt really close to Logan in his mish and prayed for the trials you are facing, Logee. I prayed that you would feel angels around you and feel God's love.
Also Kevin helped motivate us and shared D&C 20:31 and it was exactly what I needed to read that day!
Thursday I boiled water for my shower and it was SO nice to have a hot shower for the first time in months and months :) haha forgot about that. My personal and comp study was just incredible that day and we understood so much more about the depth of the mercy and love of our Heavenly Father. We had an amazing planning session and were pumped for Stefania's interview, etc. We got there and she had left, texting her mom that she wasn't going to go and she wasn't ready etc etc. WHAT!!!! Not expected with our everyday visits and her faith and excitement about her change and baptism...so crazy opposition and shows how hard Satan works and how everything the whole week was failing and we couldn't fnd new people etc. So we went and called her and tried visiting her house like all afternoon and night and nothing. But it was funny how these experiences don't get me as riled up as before, we just trust in the Lord and that His will always will be done! :)
Friday was one of the hardest days OF MY LIFE. I don't want to go into details but I finally understood the meaning of the word afflicted. Afflicted body and mind--I was sick physically and afflicted mentally and emotionally and we felt all kinds of opposition for sure. Hna Alvarez also felt the opposition and desanimo and Satan trying SO hard to get us down and destroy us and the good we try to do. I have never felt so disheartened or afflicted in my life. I needed extra help because normally I can just pray and talk about it and I'm fine a few mins later but this was deep. I have never felt such a NEED for a priesthood blessng or divine help before in my life and was sitting on my bed just in tears needing a blessing and wishing Dad or Logan was there. I called Kevin and he was at the temple working in the distribution center so unable to help but without asking, he went WAY out of his way to find someone to write my name in the temple and take it to the session that was being done and said he would help out when he got home. We went out to work and the Lord put his tender mercies in our path for sure. He put every single Valarezo family in our paths to make us smile and laugh and cry and I felt like I found an answer to my prayers in D&C 132:49-50. Then it was such a tender mercy seeing Cristian--ward missionary---his progress in testifying, giving us a reference, expressing how we have helped him, etc. Then Kevin and Cristian gave me a blessing and it was so special. The nerves, sadness, and afflictions and sickness I had been experiencing went away completely and Kevin told me exactly what I needed to hear from my Heavenly Father---it was clear, concise, and so very special. Priesthood holders, PLEASE always be worthy and ready to give a blessing and magnify your callings and priesthood. It becomes a huge blessing, and at times a need for us, women, to receive that divine help and strength and grace from our Heavenly Father through you. I am SO grateful for the power of the Priesthood and for Heavenly Father's grace and mercy and love.
Saturday we passed by Angela, Cristina, and Allisson's house on the way to another lesson and it was so wonderful to be able to hear from their house Do What is Right playing!!! What joy and love and the miracle of conversion! :)
Also we went to Douglas and Mayra and she broke down about the trials and pains of raising children and wayward chldren, etc and we gave her love and counsel and turns out in RS on Sunday the lesson was about that and she turned to us and said this lesson was for ME!!! :) Love them!
Saturday was STEVEN'S baptism!!!!! Stefania didn't get baptized but we are still working with her and hope this week or the next. Pray for her! Saturday was crazy because Steven came like an hour late to his baptism and he came in all huffing and puffing and apologizing and said, "You wanna know why I'm late?!!" And I said, "Satan." And he laughed and said yep. Lots of opposition all week! But it didn't stop Steven. It was so special to witness his baptism and his conversion and the baptism was very spiritual. Kevin gave a powerful testimony, David and Jonathan spoke (love our ward missionaries), and the Bishop spoke and made an inside joke to me and Hna Alvarez which showed us he loves us and trusts us and appreciates us now, and then he welcomed Steven and then turned to us and said, "We will never ever forget Steven, and when we pass through the veil there will be tons of hugs of joy and memories and gratitude shared on that joyous day." He was teary and just thanked us for serving a mission and coming to Ecuador and I was just crying. I LOVE THE MISSION and love my Savior and love seeing the change in these wonderful elect of God. Steven will serve a mission and be incredible. He came to ward conference on Sunday in a suit! I included a pic :)
Sunday was ward conference and it was incredible to see the results of ward visits and invitations that we had 290 peope there and 16 investigators (including Moises! :) ) Two more of our ward missionaries, Israel and Pablo got mission calls and I got all teary again watching them go up to receive their calls and remembering everything and recognizing now what that call means---a call and privilege and blessing to be the Lord's representative despite our human weaknesses, to participate in His work as His companion, to see His miracles, to experience joy, to become a better person and more like Him, so many blessings and experiences and eternity changing moments! Wow. What a blesing and what a miracle.
They are also going to Mexico!!! CRAZY!!! 3 of them :) Israel to Mexico City and Pablo to Merida, Mexico. VIVA MEXICO hahaha.
We had a wonderful lunch with the fam Valarezo and Kevin's dad gave the prayer so that was good, and they have prayed as a fam a couple of times this week---progress but they will come back. We are working with Angela, Stefania, and Karina and Eduardo and praying lots to find new people because we need it, but have full faith and trust in the Lord that His miracles will happen according to our diligence and work and faith.
This coming Saturday elder Christofferson comes---what a blessing! Well I'm out of time but I LOVE you!
This church is true. The Book of Mormon changes lives. The Atonement covers all pain, afflictions, and trials. The power of the priesthood is real and God lives and loves us. We can become like Him with His help. Families are forever!! What blessings we have. Share this with those you know and love! Change a life and experience joy! :)
Love you!
Hermana Bryan
First off I want to thank the DV Primary and Rios famiy for their awesome packages that made my day!! THANKS :)
This week was pretty crazy full of emotions, experiences, trials and lots of opposition to make us grow. But that's awesome right? Because that's how we learn and develop into who we need to become!
Tuesday I was all pumped up and feeling the focus and strength of my prayers and prayers from all of you and lots of things happened to try and make me disconcentrated so that was a battle all day, haha, but I love that my comp and I share everything so we battled together :) Also Tuesday I was SO beyond tired and basically wanting to fall asleep all day and in the lessons, and I was just praying during one lesson to please have the strength and the words to say with the Spirit, and I sat up and just opened my mouth and it was INCREDIBLE the strength and energy and Spirit and words I was blessed with as the Lord fulfilled His promise to fill our mouths. Wow and as soon as my time was done, immediately my exhaust came back. So Cool.
Wednesday was a pretty weird day and I felt SO beyond sad---like profoundly, and had no idea why. Everything failed us basically and everything fell through until the night time. And the whole day fighting this feeling and everything failing us, at the end just felt like why do we ever doubt?! Heavenly Father knows everything and guides us. He knew the PRECISE moment when Stefania would be home, when Moises would pass by with Morocho and we would be late or another lesson fall through and when we got to Angela she was JUST coming home and 5 mins before we would have missed her, etc. Sometimes there is a divine reason for things falling through and He guides us with His Spirit and according to what He knows needs to happen.
Also Wed I got really teary thinking about Logan and my fam and felt really close to Logan in his mish and prayed for the trials you are facing, Logee. I prayed that you would feel angels around you and feel God's love.
Also Kevin helped motivate us and shared D&C 20:31 and it was exactly what I needed to read that day!
Thursday I boiled water for my shower and it was SO nice to have a hot shower for the first time in months and months :) haha forgot about that. My personal and comp study was just incredible that day and we understood so much more about the depth of the mercy and love of our Heavenly Father. We had an amazing planning session and were pumped for Stefania's interview, etc. We got there and she had left, texting her mom that she wasn't going to go and she wasn't ready etc etc. WHAT!!!! Not expected with our everyday visits and her faith and excitement about her change and baptism...so crazy opposition and shows how hard Satan works and how everything the whole week was failing and we couldn't fnd new people etc. So we went and called her and tried visiting her house like all afternoon and night and nothing. But it was funny how these experiences don't get me as riled up as before, we just trust in the Lord and that His will always will be done! :)
Friday was one of the hardest days OF MY LIFE. I don't want to go into details but I finally understood the meaning of the word afflicted. Afflicted body and mind--I was sick physically and afflicted mentally and emotionally and we felt all kinds of opposition for sure. Hna Alvarez also felt the opposition and desanimo and Satan trying SO hard to get us down and destroy us and the good we try to do. I have never felt so disheartened or afflicted in my life. I needed extra help because normally I can just pray and talk about it and I'm fine a few mins later but this was deep. I have never felt such a NEED for a priesthood blessng or divine help before in my life and was sitting on my bed just in tears needing a blessing and wishing Dad or Logan was there. I called Kevin and he was at the temple working in the distribution center so unable to help but without asking, he went WAY out of his way to find someone to write my name in the temple and take it to the session that was being done and said he would help out when he got home. We went out to work and the Lord put his tender mercies in our path for sure. He put every single Valarezo family in our paths to make us smile and laugh and cry and I felt like I found an answer to my prayers in D&C 132:49-50. Then it was such a tender mercy seeing Cristian--ward missionary---his progress in testifying, giving us a reference, expressing how we have helped him, etc. Then Kevin and Cristian gave me a blessing and it was so special. The nerves, sadness, and afflictions and sickness I had been experiencing went away completely and Kevin told me exactly what I needed to hear from my Heavenly Father---it was clear, concise, and so very special. Priesthood holders, PLEASE always be worthy and ready to give a blessing and magnify your callings and priesthood. It becomes a huge blessing, and at times a need for us, women, to receive that divine help and strength and grace from our Heavenly Father through you. I am SO grateful for the power of the Priesthood and for Heavenly Father's grace and mercy and love.
Saturday we passed by Angela, Cristina, and Allisson's house on the way to another lesson and it was so wonderful to be able to hear from their house Do What is Right playing!!! What joy and love and the miracle of conversion! :)
Also we went to Douglas and Mayra and she broke down about the trials and pains of raising children and wayward chldren, etc and we gave her love and counsel and turns out in RS on Sunday the lesson was about that and she turned to us and said this lesson was for ME!!! :) Love them!
Saturday was STEVEN'S baptism!!!!! Stefania didn't get baptized but we are still working with her and hope this week or the next. Pray for her! Saturday was crazy because Steven came like an hour late to his baptism and he came in all huffing and puffing and apologizing and said, "You wanna know why I'm late?!!" And I said, "Satan." And he laughed and said yep. Lots of opposition all week! But it didn't stop Steven. It was so special to witness his baptism and his conversion and the baptism was very spiritual. Kevin gave a powerful testimony, David and Jonathan spoke (love our ward missionaries), and the Bishop spoke and made an inside joke to me and Hna Alvarez which showed us he loves us and trusts us and appreciates us now, and then he welcomed Steven and then turned to us and said, "We will never ever forget Steven, and when we pass through the veil there will be tons of hugs of joy and memories and gratitude shared on that joyous day." He was teary and just thanked us for serving a mission and coming to Ecuador and I was just crying. I LOVE THE MISSION and love my Savior and love seeing the change in these wonderful elect of God. Steven will serve a mission and be incredible. He came to ward conference on Sunday in a suit! I included a pic :)
Sunday was ward conference and it was incredible to see the results of ward visits and invitations that we had 290 peope there and 16 investigators (including Moises! :) ) Two more of our ward missionaries, Israel and Pablo got mission calls and I got all teary again watching them go up to receive their calls and remembering everything and recognizing now what that call means---a call and privilege and blessing to be the Lord's representative despite our human weaknesses, to participate in His work as His companion, to see His miracles, to experience joy, to become a better person and more like Him, so many blessings and experiences and eternity changing moments! Wow. What a blesing and what a miracle.
They are also going to Mexico!!! CRAZY!!! 3 of them :) Israel to Mexico City and Pablo to Merida, Mexico. VIVA MEXICO hahaha.
We had a wonderful lunch with the fam Valarezo and Kevin's dad gave the prayer so that was good, and they have prayed as a fam a couple of times this week---progress but they will come back. We are working with Angela, Stefania, and Karina and Eduardo and praying lots to find new people because we need it, but have full faith and trust in the Lord that His miracles will happen according to our diligence and work and faith.
This coming Saturday elder Christofferson comes---what a blessing! Well I'm out of time but I LOVE you!
This church is true. The Book of Mormon changes lives. The Atonement covers all pain, afflictions, and trials. The power of the priesthood is real and God lives and loves us. We can become like Him with His help. Families are forever!! What blessings we have. Share this with those you know and love! Change a life and experience joy! :)
Love you!
Hermana Bryan
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| Steven in his Suit!!! |
Monday, August 20, 2012
Condor
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| The Ward Missionaries and Ward Mission Leader--we gave them envelopes that included counsel we wish we would have had while preparing to serve our own missions, a talk, and a picture of us! We were missing 2 that day! |
HOLA familia and friends!!!
Well this week has been a good week--pretty normal full of learning experiences, miracles, trials, and everything the mish brings. We are so grateful to still be here in Condor and together!
Last Monday night we got a phone call from Kevin at night telling us that he had taken Steven out to eat and to find a job and had talked about the baptismal date I extended on Sunday (for the 25th that he originally didn't accept). Well at the end of their conversation, Steven made the decision to be baptized!!! I was SOOOO HAPPY!!!!!! We couldn't even believe it. What blessings.
Tuesday we went to District Meeting with a new DL and a new ZL and found out that the whole zone basically changed. We are one of 2 companionships that stayed the same. Crazy! I'm trying hard to have a good attitude about it all....haha it's the same feeling again like the other zones. The leaders have a hard time being animated and loving and teaching with the Spirit, and we are trying to think and be creative of how to pump up the zone and how to help the leaders motivate us and how to help us all rise up to our potential and LOVE and JOY in this work, which is what it should be. So maybe that is one of the reasons we were left together. The zone is pessima right now haha but it's all good! I definitely miss Elder Ayala and Elder Falk. Oh also, Sister Welch is here now in Guayacanes and we are going to lunch with her right now.
Tuesday we had a super funny and awesome teaching experience with Steven. He´s hilarious--way simple and likes it clear and firm and just accepts, and he is getting baptized the 25th!!!!! Also we got to see some of the ward missionaries and people were astounded that we were preaching--just Hna Alvarez and me that day because usually we have other ward missionaries with us haha. It's so great to see and feel and note their progress.
Wednesday was a good day and we got to visit Angela--Jonathan's mom. We figured out we have to go way slowly with her but have faith that she will accept little by little. This is what she needs. Also Wednesday Kevin expressed how sad they all were and he was thinking about changes to the point of tears--I guess I didn't realize that all the feelings I feel inside, the love, emotions, sadness thinking about leaving, etc they feel as well and we all have our hearts knit together. It's wonderful but painful at the same time haha but just goes to show what a miracle it is to have people change your hearts forever, and they have changed mine and vice versa.
Wednesday also Hna Alvarez and I were praying to set the goal for September and no matter what number we prayed about didn't feel much and didn't get an answer. We both got the impression, however, that the Lord was telling us now, "You already know the answer." Haha we laughed at the fact that we both felt that, and we knew we had to trust in the Lord and set a high goal and that he would help us reach it as He has done in the past and with all His miracles. It's 4 for September so we are looking for miracles.
Thursday we got sick from lunch so that was pretty fun. Poor Hna Alvarez experienced what us gringos have to experience a lot more often here in the mish haha. We also had a lesson with Steven and he basically opened up his heart and told us his whole life story. I was dumbfounded. Literally NEVER in my life had I expected to know someone with a life like his. Everything I've ever seen in movies or heard about or situations, etc he has lived. He lived in Colombia on the streets for a while and has crazy stories and experiences and things that have marked his life, and I was so in awe of the miracle the Lord brought about in his life. What a miracle! Hna Alvarez and I commented on the fact after the lesson that we now understood a little bit more fully the depth of the Atonement and how far it reaches. The Atonement covers ALL of that. Wow. How incredible it is to think about the fact that our Savior and Lord and Redeemer suffered for all of the sins, pains, tragedies, sicknesses, wickedness, etc etc etc of the whole world. And that He blesses people who don't even expect it to help them reach their full potential and fulfill the plan He has for them. Steven wants to serve a mission, change his life, etc. and just in 3 weeks has flipped his world upside down all thanks to the Savior and His blessings and miracles and Atonement.
Friday I felt pretty dang sick still from Thursday and struggled while being out, and we ended up going to the Fam Correa´s house--Kevin's family and being there helping his mom and then talking to his younger sister. It was wonderful to have a home and family to go to when I felt so sick. Gaby opened up her heart and expressed the fact that she wants to do family prayers and FHEs and everything but is scared to be the one to mention or bring it up and take control (she's pretty shy). She opened up everything to us and we supported her and motivated her and she said that she would try again to get them to do family prayer.
Friday at night we went over to Angela´s --Jonathan's mom and we taught a mini lesson and knowing their situation that they have nothing and have debts and her husband left her and she has to work to support 3 kids, etc etc, offered us dinner. I told her we couldn't and that was for them and she just insisted and her daughter told us to just accept. We were dumbfounded and felt so badly but it was wow incredible. That is charity. That is the pure love of Christ and that is consecration. She said that the things we have shared with her have helped her feel better and it was the least she could do because she hadn't had anything to offer us beforehand and she could make the food spread and multiply that night. They have nothing! I was shocked and then felt happy for the incredible blessings she will receive for that act of giving when she had nothing. The Lord always recompenses. These are the people I live with and love so much and I can't believe the blessings I receive from knowing and observing and loving them.
Saturday wow was a fail of a day hahaha we haven't had a day like that in a long long time! Every single lesson we had fell through and every single plan B we had fell through and everyone we passed by for fell through! Every single one hahaha.
The good news of Saturday was Steven's bapismal interview---he passed and our DL was dumbfounded at him and how prepared he is and his strong desires to serve a mish, etc. I love Steven!!!
Also I found a quote in Jesus the Christ on Saturday that I love and made me think a lot. It says, "In mercy the Father sometimes delays the granting that the asking may be more fervent." I guess I had never thought about the fact that sometimes we don't receive answers to our prayers right away because we need to ask harder and really really fervently want it and ask. And that that is not punishment or cruel, but a mercy from the Lord. Mercy because when we ask and feel that fervently, we grow, we remember the Lord, and are humbled. Then when He grants those answers to our fervent prayers, we grow in gratitude and love for Him and grow in humility and testimony and faith and see His miracles and blessings.
Sunday was pretty disappointing because only Steven came to church. Stefania basically disappeared during the week and didn't come to church, and Karina and Eduardo were sleeping and didn't come, and Andres left for Quito, and Angela didn't show up. BUT there is just something so wonderful about Sundays and the Spirit of church and the LOVE and JOY I feel in this ward. We were helping the primary president set up chairs before church and I saw a white, blonde, tall girl walk in and then her family and knew they were gringos. They smiled looking at me and stopped and I hugged them and said, "Buenos Dias," and the dad shook my hand and said, "Buenos Dias" and the mom just a bit desperately said, ".....Hi!!!" haha poor thing. I asked them how they were and they sighed with relief hearing English. Turns out Brother Hart had served his mission in our ward 27 years ago when the boundaries were different etc but came back to visit. His daughter, Becky, has been in Quito for 2 months with OSO (the program that Brit Taufer did a while back) and her parents came out and have been there for 2 weeks and they went to the Amazon, touring and finished here. They are from California. Bishop asked Bro Hart to give a talk hahahaha and he had to refresh his Spanish and talk about missionary work. It was so neat to hear his testimony and hear him say that he feels like he has 2 countries in his heart, half of his heart in USA and half in Ecuador and when he said that, Sis Correa looked up directly at me smiling. How true that is. My heart will always be here :)
In Relief Society, I tried to help Sis Hart and Becky understand by translating and that is when I realized how much of a problem I am going to have when I come home and try to speak in English all the time. I was trying to translate Spanish words for other Spanish words explaining them and just kept apologizing for my English and my elementary school like explanations! hahaha They just laughed and said don't worry. Man, rough times ahead hahaha. But that makes me happy too :)
We had a lesson with Karina and Eduardo and they accepted a baptismal date for Sept 1 so we have to pray lots for them that they progres towards that date.
Also we had an amazing lesson with Stefania and she told us that she had received her answer but fallen into temptation again this week but knew that the Atonement was the answer to her prayers and that she feels this is the truth and told us she wants to be baptized on Saturday to receive the blessings more quickly. WOW. Such blessings!
Also Steven was just so happy all day at church and at lunch with the Bishop, Steven was the one to remind about the prayer before eating, etc. How neat it is to see that! :)
So we are working and trying to find new people---haven't found many new people but have faith that references will come and we will be guided towards the Lord's elect and these wonderful people will keep progressing and that we will have 2 baptisms on Saturday!
1 Nephi 22:25--Christ numbers His sheep and those sheep KNOW Him. O sea, His true disciples know Him, know and follow His ways, know and follow His counsel, have a relationship with Him, recognize and heed His voice, etc. Are we His sheep?? Do we know Christ??
Thank you for your prayers, love, support. I need them, believe me, and am always praying for you! I know this church is true. God is a God of miracles. Jesus Christ lives and loves us. He is our Savior! Because of Him, we can find happiness and joy in this life and forever. Because of Him and His sacrifice families can be together forever. Because of Him, I live and love. This Gospel changes lives eternally. Share the Gospel with someone this week. Pray for missionary experiences. We can't do this without your help---we are one big team with God and His angels at our side. This is the most joyous work that exists and how blessed I am to be a small part of it! Hurrah for Israel! I love my Heavenly Father. I don't feel deserving of His many blessings but know He helps refine me and make me better. That is the purpose of our mortal life---to become more like Him. And ironically, only with His help, can we do so! What mercy and grace He gives us. I love Him. I love you and I love missionary work. Let the joy and love of this work into your lives!
Love you :)
Hermana Bryan
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| The Valarezo Sisters--Sara, Griselda (Kevin's Mom) and Janeth--Love Them |
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| Kevin and Me being who we are--remind you of Dallin? :) |
Monday, August 13, 2012
Gratitude
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| Birthday Cake! |
Well this week has probably been one of the fullest weeks of my life, one of the best ones and one of the ones most full of emotions! HOW grateful I am to my Father in Heaven for being in this ward. I've never felt this way about any other ward and any other people--it's incredible the feelings of just LOVE and gratitude and family I feel here!
GOOD NEWS= we don't have changes!!!!! We were SO nervous and were sure that I would be gone---everyone was crying and saying goodbye to me and wishing I didn't have to go but I screamed for joy last night when we found out we were staying. At least for now! And I'm SO grateful :)
Monday was awesome because we went to lunch with Hna Johansen and her comp! How I love her :) yet I also realized how much I love my current comp and it's crazy because I NEVER thought I would get to this point with her! What a blessing :)
We also had a great lesson with Stefania (a sister of 3 recent converts who hasn't wanted anything to do with the church but was touched by a lesson Sergio gave one time and wants to change and hear the lessons now---tender mercy for sure).
Tuesday = my 23rd birthday!
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| Presents, and More Presents!!! |
I woke up to a text message from Kevin that completely touched and made my day. What a thoughtful person--his whole family is like that--I love them so much! Then we had a very long Zone meeting but it was so great at the end listening to Elder Falk give his beast and bold last lesson and final testimony to the zone. He leaves today (Monday August 13) and will be home tomorrow! What a blessing it has been to have him as my leader these last 3-4 months. I made this candy poster thing for him and he just thanked and thanked me and handed me a letter he had written. Turns out Sister Orantes had bought me a cake and made me a "remember when" book thing with pics, etc as a present and the zone sang me happy birthday. It was way nice. Well we came home and then went to lunch.
We went to eat at the house of the fam Noriega--they are awesome--part of our fam here and then the Valarezo sisters (Kevin's aunts) showed up and Kevin and they had prepared this awesome lunch and cake and candles and presents all for me. I was SO beyond touched at what they did and spending time with the people I love so much and feeling their love. Wow.
Then we had a good lesson with Steven and Andres about the Restoration and Steven completely believes this and feels it and wants to be baptized, but not yet. They come from hard hard lives and situations and don't understand things completely or want to give everything up, so we are working hard with that.
Then we went to the RS Pres, Deisy´s house and she had prepared cake, presents, and a mini fiesta with her family all for me, and Sergio showed up at the end and I was just in shock of overload of love and care and time and presents and just so so touched and shocked and surprised.
Then we went to Angela and Cristina and Allison's and they too had a present and cake and candles waiting for me and at one point I just said outloud without thinking, "Wow mucha fiesta!" and Kevin just laughed and said, "Let us do it! It's only once and you deserve so much more than this." Wow not true---I came home loaded with gifts and hugs and love and care and attention and time and just was DUMBFOUNDED. I didn't feel like I deserved any of that but was SO grateful for how much I love them and how the Lord has blessed me to be here and form relationships that have eternally changed me! Also at the end of the day, I was dying to just testify and share the gospel---I couldn't handle it any longer--NOT testifying haha, so I made Angela and them agree to have a lesson with them. How much I will miss testifying and living for sharing the Gospel! It's what makes me happy.
Anyway, I was beyond overwhelmed and utterly grateful and shocked by the love and time of the members here. I've never had a birthday quite like that---it was one of the best I've had, and one I sure will never ever forget!
Wednesday we had a good day with lessons, etc.
Thursday morning I was pretty down on myself for weakenesses, human follies and temptations, etc etc and felt the need to really repent, and Hna Alvarez was so cute because she saw me in our room reading something and praying and she was worried and said she felt so weird not having me by her side during language study and she had never felt such worry or love or attachment to any other friend before in her life---not even her family really, and she feels that for me. I love her! Well we talked about what I was feeling and I shared with her and shared my confidence in repentance and forgiveness, etc and then TENDER MERCY because I was still sad or down and all of a sudden the song "In the Meantime" came on and Dad, those words you typed up a few weeks ago and shared with me---this song was the answer to my prayers. Thank you---I felt like Heavenly Father was telling me this directly, and felt something SO special in all of my body and soul when I listened to the words and KNOW the gift of repentance and forgiveness is real and know the mercy of the Lord. He loves us and knows our potential and helps us reach that sometimes without us even realizing it!
Friday we had a good lesson with Andres and Steven--it was a bit of a fight with the Spirit to try and see how we can help them and touch their lives and help them realize the blessings that come from accepting and accepting NOW. Pray for them! Then went to eat lunch at Kevin's house and we got there and his aunt, Janett who we LOVE opened the door and covered my eyes and said I couldn't look---I didn't think anything cuz she's crazy and crazy fun like that, so just I laughed and accepted until we got inside and I heard the music HAPPY BIRTHDAY and opened my eyes and it was all decorated with Happy Birthday and they put a part hat on me, etc. Kevin's mom said she had wanted to come on my birthday but couldn't and they all wanted to do something special for me and made a delicious lunch and more presents. I was again utterly shocked and again overwhelmed by the love and thoughts of these people I LOVE. Holy Moly.
Then we went and visited Jonathan our convert and his mom. His stepdad and stepsister left them the other day and took lots of things and Jonathan's mom is caught in a really really rough situation. We entered and it was amazing the LIGHT we felt and the change and Spirit that came into their house. I know the Lord gives trials at times to help people prepare to hear the Gospel and accept it. We are working with his mom now!
Also--blessing was to go to a couple who came to the baptism last week who supposedly didn't want to listen before but now they do! The Lord always prepares the timing.
Saturday Kevin received his endowments and we were totally wanting to accompany him and asked Pres and the worst part is that Pres was going to let us cuz he liked the idea but the area has changed rules that no missionaries can go to the temple now! What?! Well anyway, haha, we had to do with hearing all about his experience after. His testimony for sure changed and had a fire about it the whole day as he accompanied us. What a blessing the temple is!!! While he was there, we visited his family and shared about hope and what hopes they have and what they are going to do to reach those, and they shared with us their hopes and goals and those all included re-activation, etc!! I KNOW they will return--they are doing it slowly yet surely! How I love them.
We had a wonderful lesson with a less active lady who doesn't know what she believes anymore and just felt so deeply Heavenly Father's love for her, and when she told us she lost a son yet didn't believe in life after death, the blessing that comes from testifying with all we have that she will see her son again. This church is true! The Plan of Salvation is true! What a blessing to share that with others and to know and love these truths.
Sunday we were all melancholy because we literally felt that there would be transfers. Church was incredible! I received SO many tender mercies of the Lord I don't even know what to do with them anymore sometimes, it's so overwhelming. How I love my Heavenly Father. I entered church only to find Karen Cruz from Tarqui waiting for me with this gorgeous drawing of the SLC temple and her wanting to say goodbye because she goes on her mish to Peru in a month! Then the Spirit was SO strong in the Gospel Principles class as we talked about sacrifices and analyzed the blessings we receive from sacrificing. We had 8 investigators and Karina and Eduardo came (the couple), Steven and Andres, Stefania, etc. We were so happy seeing them all there!!! Then in Relief Society I was busy writing and signing photos to give to people if I had transfers and the Valarezos were teary looking at them when the teacher asked Hna Alvarez and I to stand up and she introduced us as their representatives of Jesus Christ and full time missionaries. She asked us to share our testimonies and I went last. As I bore testimony, I felt the love and fire of this work and Gospel and expressed my love to them all as well, and Deisy, the Valarezo sisters, etc were all just crying. As I testified of miracles and eternal families and missionary work, Mayra kept looking at me and just smiling knowingly. WHAT MIRACLES!!!!
Then I looked out the door as I sat down and saw Josue (my ward mission leader from Francisco de Orellana ward waiting for me) and he had also come to say goodbye with a letter etc because he goes on his mish to Peru in less than a month! I was dumbfounded at the love and timing of all this and because of all that was SURE I was getting transferred hahahaha.
We had a way strong lesson with the Bishop at lunch and finally feel his approval and service and love :)
We had a tough lesson with Steven and Andres---we'll see what happens there.
Miracle--Stefania told us in our lesson with her yesterday that she was going to tell us to not come by, but after the sacrifice lesson, said no I need to hear them today. She said she had been thinking about the date I extended to her the last time for the 25th and was very honest with us with what was holding her back and I bore testimony about what she had felt during the sacrifice lesson was no coincidence but God letting her know He will bless her for sacrificing. We taught a short but powerful lesson and when I asked her if she would be baptized the 25th, without thinking she accepted! WHAT?!!! She was hard hearted before. The Lord does miracles here and prepares the hearts of people for the exact timing. What a blessing!!!
Then we had a great FHE with Karina and Eduardo and Deisy and other members about eternal marriage, and Mayra and Douglas were there and just SHINING. They are SO happy and progressing and just excited. They go to the temple on Sat to do baptisms! Everyone was telling us not to leave and asked us to call them if we had changes, etc etc and Kevin was SO sad as he walked away from accompanying us not knowing if it was the last time. Waiting for that call was the longest 2 hours of my life haha but we screamed for JOY and just hugged each other like crazy as we found out the Lord's will for now is to keep us here.
I KNOW more miracles are in store. How blessed I feel to be here and to be a missionary. I LOVE this work with ALL I have. Something that comforted my heart and soul this week was something I read in my patriarchal blessing that I have the responsibility of being a missionary throughout my life and the eternities and I got SO happy as I thought--wait it's not just here in the mish! It's ok! I will be able to keep doing this FOREVER!!! What JOY!!! :) I want to do this forever and am determined to do so. This gospel brings joy. Love like the Savior does, serve like He did, be what He knows we can be, and share this good news and joy with others. I love this Gospel and love you all. Thank you for your prayers, emails, love, thoughts, etc. I love you all!!
I feel like D&C 111:11---the Lord at times pours blessings out upon us depending on how fast or much we can receive them!
D&C 112:14---counsel from the Savior to us: 1) arise--get up and be willing to go and do! 2) gird up your loins---preparation 3) take up your cross--pass through difficulties and trials and sacrifice 4) follow me--do and BE what Christ did and is 5) feed my sheep---always serve others and share the gospel.
Love it!
Love,
Hermana Bryan
Hermana Bryan
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| My Favorite People here in Condor |
Monday, August 6, 2012
Love Bursting
Hola Familia y Amigos!!!
Wow I don't think I can say enough THANK-YOU´s for ALL the birthday wishes and emails, and I wish I had time to send thank you's back to each and every one of you, but please know how much your emails and wishes touched my day and brought tears to my eyes and smiles to my face and made me feel so much love and joy. How blessed I am to know and love you all!! Wow thank you!!!
Monday we went and visited Gustavo (Hna Jo's convert) and felt the Spirit SO strongly and left feeling SO joyful (Hna Alvarez and I.) We walked away just hugging each other and said to each other, "THIS is what the mish is about!!! NOT P-day!" We both hadn't wanted p-day and wanted to just work and feel the joy! It was wonderful to feel that.
We also got to see the ward missionaries teach part of a lesson for the first time and then give testimony and it's so great seeing their progress.
Tuesday we got a surprise that we couldn't go to DM because my visa was going to expire and we had to go to the governmental buildings. We got there and waited forever only to find out they couldn't attend us and we had to be back the next day at 7am. So we lost inspiration and awesome testimonies and the Spirit for nothing. I also hadn't slept the night before AT ALL (I think wayyyyy too much sometimes without recognizing it haha) and so Tuesday was a rough day for me. The Lord tried my patience a LOT that day and I learned a lot of my weaknesses and the patience and charity of my comp. What a blessing. Also the Lord ALWAYS provides here! We basically started this week without new people and without references because everyone has been baptized, but just had faith the Lord would provide. The Lord gave us and put in our paths 3 refs and new people on Tuesday without us even trying hard to find them. Wow.
Also Tuesday (after much calling and asking from our parts, we finally found Angela's registro from her baptism 20 yrs ago and found out she would be able to go to the temple just like I had testified to her the Friday before and felt strongly I needed to tell her that, and then we worked to make it happen and she was so excited she bought new clothes and shoes to go to the temple! wow)
Wednesday we got to go visit Mayra and Douglas for the first time after their baptism and entering in that house was such a difference! We entered and felt light and joy and the Spirit. What a blessing. Such light and joy! We started repassing the BOM what they had read and after 2 verses Douglas remembered everything and briefly and BEASTLY summed it up and his fav parts and then just smugly said, "Bueno sigamos con la lectura." bahahahaha We were DYING laughing and it was such joy seeing them reading the BOM and loving it and just so awesome to see that family and their change!
Also something I forgot to talk about last week was on Sunday when we had nobody, we were pretty distracted because of some things and frustrated and just wanted to find more of God's elect, and so we turned our backs to the jovenes accompanying us and said a prayer (Hna Alvarez and I) and I prayed hard that the Lord would guide us and indicate to us where to go by His Spirit to find one of His elect. Just at that moment we heard the loud beastly voice of the guy who sells Morocho (arroz con leche hot drink here) yell out and we turned to each other and bolted running. This guy walks SO FAST so we had to run the whole way to catch up to him. I'm pretty sure Kevin and his cousin David and the girl accompanying us will never forget the missionaries without saying anything, bolting off chasing the Morocho man to talk to him. Moises is his name and he shared with us his life and how he ruined his life with drugs and how he decided to start over and basically is alone because of everything he did but knows God will bless him and loves him. It was so awesome and we saw his light and longing to feel God's love and purpose here. Well that was Sunday. Monday we saw him and gave him a BOM and explained briefly and gave testimony. We basically teach him briefly in the streets--it's awesome. Wednesday we saw him again and he told us he had read the BOM every single morning and night and remembered everything! Wow the BOM does have power and we have seen such a difference in the light in his eyes and he told us he has felt so much happier! I hope the missionaries that live in his area contact him soon but we are teaching him briefly every time we see him in the streets and it's such a feeling of PURE JOY everytime we see him and his happiness that comes from this gospel! It changes lives and brings joy and love into our hearts. What a blessing!
Thursday I was fighting off feelings of being down with changes and leaving these people and how much I love them and how much I miss our converts and seeing them all the time and so grateful for the miracles of the mission! Well we had an awesome awesome awesome comp inventory and we were both crying and recognized how much the Lord has blessed us to truly develop an eternal friendship and companionship. It was incredible thinking back to our first few weeks together and seeing her now and seeing her progress---what joy and what a blessing it is to see that and have been able to have a very small part in that!
Also Thursday (and every day before that) we had gone to the niños Peter, Jose, and Maria Fernanda and it was incredible to go on Thurs and have Peter (the 10 year old) tell us he is in 1 Nephi 20. Alone. Wow!!!! These kids are so so special and awesome.
Friday we received 2 refs from Sergio--two 16 year old kids who are relatives of his who decided to come to Ecuador and change their lives and somehow got in contact with Sergio and he is helping them with everything. Amazing stories and amazing references and blessings of the Lord that he just hands us references and new people and places us at the EXACT time they will be there and run into us. So blessed! We felt the Spirit SO strongly with them! Also we went to Jonathan our recent convert and he was having such a hard time being depressed and struggling with problems, etc and I felt strongly that Kevin and Christian (the ward missionaries) could give him a blessing so I suggested it and they got surprised because they never had done it which I figured, so we pulled out the handy dandy manual misional and they performed their first blessing of comfort. The Spirit was very strong. Later on Kevin was just smiling and laughing and saying he is so much happier and has felt God's love so much more lately and just smiled and thanked me for everything we have done and how it's hilarious how all his friends know that he spends his time accompanying us. He never imagined that.
Also a miracle when we went to visit los niños, was their parents were there waiting to give us ice cream. Wow that was a blessing---the mom was pretty hard hearted and a non member and slowly has warmed up to us and the dad is a menos activo guy who is married to someone else but living with the mom of these kids and so it's a hard situation and there are lots of family problems but the Lord is touching their hearts through their angel children!
Saturday we had the baptismal interviews of the niños and they passed and were so happy! We got to chill and chat with Elder Falk which is always awesome.
Saturday was a stressful day BUT Maria Fernanda, Peter, and Jose got baptized!!!!! It was incredible because Eduardo spoke at the baptism and it was SO cute seeing him and seeing Mayra and Douglas worrying and helping him practice and praising him and hugging him like crazy after he spoke and did a wonderful job. What a family and what a blessing to witness that miracle!
We completed our goal for August in the first week (3). The Lord is so great and we are just gunna keep looking for more but just going out and working and letting Him do the rest. That has been the key.
I never thought I would feel like this in the mission. I always thought it would remain way hard and hard work and fights to find and baptize people. I feel so blessed and astounded as to why the Lord saw it fit to bless me so much in this area. We literally don't have to contact hardly at all---He hand places people in our paths (mostly refs from the ward) and helps us as long as we follow the Spirit, He directs our paths and really does miracles here. What a blessing to be merely the instrument. I don't feel like we do anything but leave the house, want to work, try to follow the Spirit, and love. Nada mas. I truly feel so so blessed.
Studies this week:
I loved this quote in Jesus the Christ about Christ's disciples and it applies to us as we strive to do the work of the Lord as mere human beings yet children of the Divine:
"The Master chose them. They did not choose themselves. By Him they were ordained, and they could in consequence rely the more implicitly upon His guidance and support. To them much was given. Much of them was required...He recognized in each the characteristics of fitness developed in the primeval world of Spirits."
1 Nephi 7:17 and while listening to Elder Bednar's talk about being a PMG missionary, Nephi understood the enabling power of grace. He didn't pray for his situation to change. Rather, he prayed for the strength to change his situation!
"Only by doing the will of the Father is the saving grace of the Son obtainable."
1 Nephi 11:20-22--just by focusing on and witnessing Christ, Nephi felt and understood the love of God and the meaning of that love. All just because he saw and felt of Christ. We understand immediately upon centering and focusing on Christ and feeling His redeeming love.
I testify that God loves us. He lives! We are His children! What a blessing to have something so divine living within each of us! Our job is to recognize that divinity and make it grow until that becomes us and He purifies us to become like Him. The joy that comes from living and loving the Gospel is indescribable. What a blessing! What a miracle to be here. What a miracle to LOVE these people and have my heart and life forever changed and impressed by these people and my experiences. How great is my God. I LOVE Him! Please do the things in your lives to bring about this joy and love in your hearts and lives. Give your heart and life to Him and let the miracles flow. He is so merciful and I feel so grateful and humbled by His miracles in my life and my mission. Love bursting for sure :)
Thanks for everything--for your prayers, thoughts, examples, lives, love.
I love you and thanks for your birthday wishes! Have a GREAT week!!!
Love,
Hermana Bryan
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