You mentioned how Dad pointed out that it was through Heavenly Father's help that you were able to do everything. I agree 100% with him. I have come to see that more and more on my mission. I don't really believe it matters whether I am here or not--any of the other 70,000 missionaries in the world could come and teach the same lessons and love the people. When it comes to people being converted it is really just between them and God and has absolutely nothing to do with me. But God lets me be here and participate in His work to prepare me for eternal life and have the opportunity to share all the things I am so grateful that I know. It's like a reed on a clarinet. You have to change them out all the time. I am just the mouthpiece that extends the invitation to read the scriptures or explains a principle of the gospel, but any other old reed would do. God is everything, we are nothing. But He gives us these experiences for our joy.
I found out this week why a lot of main roads in Texas have
FM before the name. Like FM 1960. Because it used to stand for Farm to Market.
They were the only existing roads and they just went from the farm to the
market...where else do you need to go? I thought that was pretty sweet.
Our investigators are doing SOOOO WELLL!!!!! Oh man I am so excited. We had an awesome lesson with the M. family where we brought the Bishop and his wife and read 2 Ne. 31 to explain the Gospel. We asked if they had thought any more about getting married. The husband is all for it, and it is the wife that is hesitant. When does THAT ever happen?? Usually we are teaching women who are dealing with abusive husbands or that have been abandoned, but hermano M. is such a wonderful man. So tender and loving towards his wife and daughters. I am so excited to see him get the priesthood one day. So they said that for sure they would be coming to church and they would work really hard on Saturday and sunday morning to get all their chores done to get to church on time. you have to understand what a sacrifice that is. They work full-time, until late into the evenings every single day except Sunday and use Sunday to do the mandatory things to be able to keep going through the week--grocery shopping, cleaning, laundry, etc. So when Sacrament meeting rolled around, they weren't there yet. We called them and they said they just hadn't been able to quite finish it, but asked if they could still come to the rest of church. They arrived just in time for 3rd hour and since it was the 5th sunday, the lesson was taught by the Bishop and it was all about the Family Proclamation. EXACTLY what they needed to hear. Hermano M. was just nodding his head the WHOLE time while keeping his youngest daughter entertained, and Hermana M. was just soaking it all in. Not only are they progressing so fast, but they brought their sister-in-law with them. THey are already doing missionary work! I love them so much.
Our other top investigator is
the funny man who offered us pizza. The guy is on fire. What I
mean by that is that we don't have to push and pull and drag him along the
strait and narrow path. He is running all by himself. Every lesson he just
floods us with questions. he came to an activity the ward had about ordinances
where we went on a progressive journey from room to room talking about faith,
repentance, baptism, and the Spirit. We finished by watching the clip from the
Testaments where Christ comes to the Americas. When they turned the lights back
on he looked at us like, "Wow! Can you believe that?" And there were
tears running down his face. He was like, "What? We're not going to watch
the whole movie?" So we dropped a copy off last night and he watched it
last night. He is just so...quick. About everything. He physically moves like
an antelope, his brain fires off a thousand thoughts at the same time, and he
is learning everything really fast. We have to slow him down sometimes because
he asks REALLY deep questions and we're like, "You have to walk
before you run. Just worry about building your faith right now." hahah. He
didn't make it to church yesterday because of work unexpectedly popping up
(Satan. I hate that guy.) But he is sincere so we're not worried about losing
him.
Spiritual thought of the weak:
1 Nefi 2:1 :Blessed art thou
Lehi, because of the things which thou hast done; and because thou hast been
faithful and declared unto this people the things which I commanded thee,
behold, they seek to atake
away thy blife.
When I read that I started to
laugh. I mean, does it sound ironic to anyone else? "Good job Lehi. You
did what I commanded you and because you have been so faithful, people are
going to kill you...and I'm going to call you into the wilderness where you
will experience some of the greatest trials of your life." And I realized something about faith. As our faith increases because of our righteous decisions, our capacity to handle trials increases as well. So as we strive to obey God and increase our faith, everything just gets harder. We think to ourselves, "man, I must be so weak. Everything feels so hard. My faith must not be really strong." But really it is BECAUSE our faith is strong and growing stronger that God sees fit to bless us with challenges that will continue to strengthen us. So if things continue to get harder in your life, if you feel like you are plunging even farther into the unknown and darkness, take heart. It is not because God is displeased with you or has abandoned you. It is because He thinks you are so incredibly faithful that you can handle a bit more of a trial. You will seek to follow Him even when the way is uncertain. You are doing much better than you think you are.
I love my
mission more everyday as I actually understand what these Hispaniards are
saying to me, as I get more comfortable with the routine, and as I learn how I
can be more effective. Time is going by way too fast. But still, when I think
about you, I YEARN to be with you again. and I can't wait for that day.
All my heart and a couple taquitos,
Hermana Carter
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