January 6, 2014
Just Keep Swimming
There is just way too much good
to even begin to talk about. Way too much! I really do feel like
Ammon, when he’s like, could we have imagined all of this when we first got
here? No, but then, all thanks to God, it all happened! We just did
everything we could, and in the midst of us working, God made it all happen!
And how blessed are we? That we get to be a part of it? That God
blessed us to bring His love to these His kids, and see the change take place.
It’s so cool! I feel like God, these last few weeks especially,
really is blessing me after the trial of my faith.
Like we told Hermana Judith
this week (who is really being put through trials) that the secret to
succeeding is doing what you know is right when you don’t feel like it. Like
that quote about someone asking a pro swimmer how he went pro, and he said, I swam
when I didn’t want to swim anymore. I feel like that is the secret of being a
missionary, full time or not. Do it when you don’t feel like it.
Walk in the hot sun when you feel like your feet are going to crumble
like cement. Talk to the person who looks like they are going to bite
your head off and might end up kicking you back to your country. Love
someone when you feel like that’s what you are super lacking yourself.
There is this song on the EFY
CD called “It’s Glorious.” And it says, “It’s like a symphony: Just keep listening, and pretty soon you’ll
start to figure out your part.” I know that God rewards His children. We
just have to keep going. Keep listening to Him. Keep following Him.
Keep doing what you know is right. And then, the sun will rise.
And you will find Robert (who tells us about every temptation that he
fights in like the cutest way possible), and Rosa, and the Fam Alban Ancajima
(the dad came to church this week, just because we called him, even though he
does dialysis and has to work, and promised that the whole family would be
there the next week; the mom was baptized ten years ago, and went inactive
immediately, but now, their kids are so willing and darling, and all of them
ask us for different homework), and Sigifredo (the drug addict who honestly
wants to change, but just doesn’t know how, and when we explained to him what we
do, and that God loves him, and that he can have a new life, he said, I would love
that—seriously, honest seeker), and la Fam Farias Peña, and Niller, and sweet
little Flor who is 15 and just lives with her brother and has the cutest smile
ever, and Alonzo. And then 5 families of menos activos (less actives)
come to church, and all of them wave at you huge as they walk in just before
the sacrament and you can’t help but wave back almost as huge with a huge smile. And then in consejo (council meeting?), there
were way too many people to fit in the little room, and our new district leader
is the bomb.com and will make things happen in their
area of the branch too, and I have the sweetest angel of a comp. Man, it’s
just, so cool, right? God makes the coolest things happen! I love that He
loves His kids so much.
So you know how we have that class of mission
prep? They are the coolest and I love them. We got a new addition,
and his name is Eros. He has been a member almost ten months, and is working
on his papers right now. He turns 18 and completes one year of being a
member on the same day in March, and that is his availability date. When
asked why he wants to go a mission, he said, because it’s a commandment.
Is that such a great answer or what? He didn’t need to know
anything else. It doesn’t matter what he wanted—he knows where his
loyalty lies. He is going to be a stellar missionary. So is my
hermanito Marcos. And Jefry. Oh, they are so great! They all
do weird secret handshakes with me, which is a great sign if you ask me. And
they are helping the ward so much.
I just couldn’t feel more
blessed. I have been so happy on my mission, but this last month or so
has just been incredible! It’s hard to describe, because every day I feel
like I couldn’t be happier, and then every day I get happier! Presidente Rowley
(oh man, they are the best—THE BEST) asked me if I am as happy as I look, and I
said, happier. Because there’s no way for my face to show how I feel.
So thank you for praying. You have no idea what it is doing.
You are working miracles. Thank you.
Love,
Hermana J
No comments:
Post a Comment