So we decided I don't know how to teach kids, especially in another language. They just get bored and end up leaving. So I decided to read the friend for some ideas, and I found this quote, "Your Heavenly Father has known you for a very long time. You as his son or daughter were chosen by him to come to earth at this precise time, to be a leader in His great work on earth! You were not chosen for your bodily characteristics but for your spiritual attributes, such as bravery, courage, integrity of heart, a thirst for truth, a hunger for wisdom and desire to serve others!"
EVERYTHING happens for a reason. And at this specific timing. I don't believe anything is a coincidence. Something's are too perfect to be an accident! We truly have been personally selected by our Heavenly Father to be where we are at this time, and if we are willing we can become an effective tool for him! Nothing is impossible! I promise! Even learning to love those "hard to handle" people is possible.
I read another article from last October Conference and a mom didn't understand why her son had made such bad decisions. Why was he sent to her, she had done her best! And the answer she got was...."I knew you could love him, no matter what he did." Those situations can be hard in the moment and I am learning how to love difficult people, but really it is a privilege when you think about it. Look at the trust Heavenly Father has in you!
Everything has a purpose, even our relationships with others!
Sunday, June 8, 2014
Wearing the Gospel
Fun memories this week!
We had mission tour and the ENTIRE mission was in one place! It was really cool to see past companions and cherished friends. The training that we received was amazing as well.
We had spontaneous service projects this week, repackaging wrapping paper for Christmas. It was so cool, and I got a preview of what the 2014 hallmark paper is!! It's way cute, just in case you were wondering. To bad it's not the same in the states.
The ward is doing great and progressing, it's just our investigators that aren't. We leave commitments we have talked about and talked about how important they are, but they are just choosing not to act! Which can be really frustrating. We can't force them.
We have been praying more fervently to find part member families to teach, and that prayer is starting to be answered. We met a less active part member family last night and they seemed really excited for us to come back! We had a member visit last week that was absolutely inspired! We went to Sister O's home, she is a lawyer for the church here in Asia and she has an inspiring story. When she was first transferred to her area they hadn't had a baptism for 8 months and she was really confused why she was there. So she prayed for inspiration and to make a long story short, they started being happy and "wearing the gospel". They then talked to everyone, and not with the pure intent of teaching, but with trust first, and they prayed VERY specifically. The end result, they had 95 baptisms I think it was in a 6 month period.
I know that this is possible in my area as well. It won't be easy but it is possible! Because this is HIS work, and he does not fail!!
We had mission tour and the ENTIRE mission was in one place! It was really cool to see past companions and cherished friends. The training that we received was amazing as well.
We had spontaneous service projects this week, repackaging wrapping paper for Christmas. It was so cool, and I got a preview of what the 2014 hallmark paper is!! It's way cute, just in case you were wondering. To bad it's not the same in the states.
The ward is doing great and progressing, it's just our investigators that aren't. We leave commitments we have talked about and talked about how important they are, but they are just choosing not to act! Which can be really frustrating. We can't force them.
We have been praying more fervently to find part member families to teach, and that prayer is starting to be answered. We met a less active part member family last night and they seemed really excited for us to come back! We had a member visit last week that was absolutely inspired! We went to Sister O's home, she is a lawyer for the church here in Asia and she has an inspiring story. When she was first transferred to her area they hadn't had a baptism for 8 months and she was really confused why she was there. So she prayed for inspiration and to make a long story short, they started being happy and "wearing the gospel". They then talked to everyone, and not with the pure intent of teaching, but with trust first, and they prayed VERY specifically. The end result, they had 95 baptisms I think it was in a 6 month period.
I know that this is possible in my area as well. It won't be easy but it is possible! Because this is HIS work, and he does not fail!!
Thursday, May 29, 2014
The Gardner
So the other day we had a nice day planned out and we were punted (meaning no one let us teach them) at basically every appointment! It was awesome! No, really it wasn't to bad. Since we had no appointments we did what we do best, street contacted. We met this man who knew a member, I had know idea who the member was so we decided to contact him. It turns out he is a less active, I love meeting less actives. They know who we are and they know the lessons. So after that we were back to finding. My feet hurt SO bad at the end of that day. Holy cow I thought they were going to fall off! We only had four appointments. Days like that can be rough and can feel very....unproductive. Then I remembered how sometimes we need to be the Gardner. Before the Gardner can pick his crop he must plant the seeds! So one day he will go out and plant and plant his crops, that's all he does all day. At the end of the day did he accomplish anything? You bet he did! His crops are now planted, so even though our efforts may seem useless at times they aren't. It may be someone else's job to care for the garden or to harvest. We all have a part in this work. So let's get to work!
Atonement and forgiveness
I was supposed to give a talk in church this last week and with it being Easter I decided I was going to give it on the atonement of Jesus Christ. So there I was at my desk looking up scriptures, and thinking about what I wanted to say and then I. It iced the picture of my family, that I use for a book mark. I was reflecting on how much I love each and everyone in that picture and then I thought about how happy it will be when I get to hug each one of them and what it will be like at the airport when I go home (this was my trunks moment for the week, please forgive me). As all of this played out in my mind I had to think to myself that not everyone in that picture would be there, and how I would have only memories of past embraces to hold onto. And then I thought about the type of embrace we will have when we return back to our Heavenly Father! What a glorious. Day that will be!!! That day that we will see our Eternal Father inHeaven and we will recognize him as such!
BUT none of this would be possible if it weren't for our Savior Jesus Christq. Eternal life is only possible because of His suffering in the Garden of Gethsemane, and hHis death on the cross. Those two events are what allows us to have eternal life and to have our bodies joined with our spirit, never again to be separated,always in a glorified and perfect form.
I don't remember who gave the talk in general conference but they talked about how Mary was at the garden tomb and Christ asked her why she was so upset, and she thought he was just the Gardner, until he called her by name. And that is when she recognized him as the resurrected Lord. All of us will be called by our names nod day to face our maker, and we will recognize his loving tone of voice as he embraces each of us, his children!
The plan of salvation is real! And his plan is perfect! He loves us more than we can ever compared and gave us His only Begotten Son so that we could return and live with him. Don't take all of this from me. Find a quiet spots and talk to the Gather who we all left not so long ago and ask him if it is true! Ask him what we should be doing here on our journey. And I promise, as a representative of Jesus Christ that he will give you an answer if you have real intent and a sincere heart! I am just a mortal, and I could not promise such a blessing, that my dear brothers and sisters is coming from your Father in Heaven!
BUT none of this would be possible if it weren't for our Savior Jesus Christq. Eternal life is only possible because of His suffering in the Garden of Gethsemane, and hHis death on the cross. Those two events are what allows us to have eternal life and to have our bodies joined with our spirit, never again to be separated,always in a glorified and perfect form.
I don't remember who gave the talk in general conference but they talked about how Mary was at the garden tomb and Christ asked her why she was so upset, and she thought he was just the Gardner, until he called her by name. And that is when she recognized him as the resurrected Lord. All of us will be called by our names nod day to face our maker, and we will recognize his loving tone of voice as he embraces each of us, his children!
The plan of salvation is real! And his plan is perfect! He loves us more than we can ever compared and gave us His only Begotten Son so that we could return and live with him. Don't take all of this from me. Find a quiet spots and talk to the Gather who we all left not so long ago and ask him if it is true! Ask him what we should be doing here on our journey. And I promise, as a representative of Jesus Christ that he will give you an answer if you have real intent and a sincere heart! I am just a mortal, and I could not promise such a blessing, that my dear brothers and sisters is coming from your Father in Heaven!
Reach for His help
We have a family that was a referral who we have tried to contact but the timing just has not worked out. But to make a long story short and not to share any information that is private we went back this last week and the mom was really upset. She told us that her daughter went missing last week. They don't know if she ran away or if she was taken. Of course just as any mother would be she was upset and very tired from the long nights of no rest and worry. I can't imagine the things that this woman is going through, and I tried to put myself into her shoes and still, I know I can't feel her pain unless I am in her situation.
HOWEVER! There is one person who knows exactly what she is feeling. But I want to look at this in a little different way. We all have a Heavenly Father and Mother, who have exercised their faith in us by sending us here to earth, with the hope that we would live the gospel so that we could return to them one day! Everyday we have the opportunity to make decisions which naturally will allow us to grow closer or further away from them. And I can't imagine the pain that Father in Heaven feels when we choose to essentially "run away" from Him. Or what he must feel when he sends us help and we choose to ignore it!
I know that Heavenly Father has a plan for each of us and his work and his glory is to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man! He is willing to reach out, to give us help on this mortal journey, if we are willing to reach back! There is no need for us to wander in darkness.
HOWEVER! There is one person who knows exactly what she is feeling. But I want to look at this in a little different way. We all have a Heavenly Father and Mother, who have exercised their faith in us by sending us here to earth, with the hope that we would live the gospel so that we could return to them one day! Everyday we have the opportunity to make decisions which naturally will allow us to grow closer or further away from them. And I can't imagine the pain that Father in Heaven feels when we choose to essentially "run away" from Him. Or what he must feel when he sends us help and we choose to ignore it!
I know that Heavenly Father has a plan for each of us and his work and his glory is to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man! He is willing to reach out, to give us help on this mortal journey, if we are willing to reach back! There is no need for us to wander in darkness.
Changing the world, one person at a time!
So next week is June! Can you believe it? Time goes by so ridiculously fast. But you know what that means we are done with summer and moving on to rainy season, YAY!!! I would rather be wet from rain then from sweat.
Great news!! Guess who got baptized last week? Brother Jessie! I was SO excited!!!!
Anyway, the work her in Deparo ward is doing great. We have been doing a lot of finding, and the members are starting to get involved in the work!
I had to give a talk Mathis last Sunday so I decided to share a story's....about a young boy who lived in 1820. At this time there were a lot of different churches who all claimed to have the truth (sound like our time huh?). Well he really wanted to know which church was true. One night he was reading the Bible in James 1:5 where it challenges us to ask God our questions and he will give us answers. So this young man decided to do just that. He went to a grove of trees and started to offer up the desires of his heart. And then in his own words he said, "I saw a pillar of light exactly over my head, above the brightness of the sun, which descended gradually until it fell upon me, when the light rested upon me I saw two personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description. Standing above me in the air one of them spake unto me, calling me by name and said pointing to the other, "Joseph, this is my beloved Son, Hear him." This is the story of a humble boy who wanted to know the truth. On this spring day the true church of God was restored on earth. From this time forward, the world would again have a prophetW, this provides evidence of so many different things. But for one it shows that one person can truly change the world! The "first vision" as it is called changes the world. Let it change your life! For more information or a way to contact the missionaries near you please visit mormon.org
I love you all! Thank you for continually changing my life through your constant prayers, encouragement and support!
Great news!! Guess who got baptized last week? Brother Jessie! I was SO excited!!!!
Anyway, the work her in Deparo ward is doing great. We have been doing a lot of finding, and the members are starting to get involved in the work!
I had to give a talk Mathis last Sunday so I decided to share a story's....about a young boy who lived in 1820. At this time there were a lot of different churches who all claimed to have the truth (sound like our time huh?). Well he really wanted to know which church was true. One night he was reading the Bible in James 1:5 where it challenges us to ask God our questions and he will give us answers. So this young man decided to do just that. He went to a grove of trees and started to offer up the desires of his heart. And then in his own words he said, "I saw a pillar of light exactly over my head, above the brightness of the sun, which descended gradually until it fell upon me, when the light rested upon me I saw two personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description. Standing above me in the air one of them spake unto me, calling me by name and said pointing to the other, "Joseph, this is my beloved Son, Hear him." This is the story of a humble boy who wanted to know the truth. On this spring day the true church of God was restored on earth. From this time forward, the world would again have a prophetW, this provides evidence of so many different things. But for one it shows that one person can truly change the world! The "first vision" as it is called changes the world. Let it change your life! For more information or a way to contact the missionaries near you please visit mormon.org
I love you all! Thank you for continually changing my life through your constant prayers, encouragement and support!
Popcorn
So I was hungry the other day but I was feeling pretty lazy...so...I decided to pop some popcorn...however here in the Philippines, at least as a missionary we don't have a microwave, so we have to make it on the stove! Which is actually really cool,because you get to see the popcorn start to pop! But more than being delicious, it reminded me of faith and how we all have our own timing. We must first be Tried, or heated up, and then we flourish! Then just like once one kernel pops all the others start as well, just like our understanding of the gospel! If we allow, the spirit will enlighten our minds and allow personal revelation to come. But just as I mentioned above, everything has it's timing, and we must be patient in waiting for those things that we need and want! I know and testify that all of our trials and problems have the capability to bring us closer to Christ, if we allow them to! He is our loving Heavenly Father and wants the very best for us! He doesn't give us trials to be mean, but to rather allow us to grow and become more like him. So if you are going through a trial, or that "heat" just wait! You are about to pop and become something truly amazing!!!
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