It is Repentence When We Change

                                                                                                                              June 3, 2013
Hola mi familia maravillosa!!! 

I have learned so much this week, and I am so excited to share it with you. I have learned a lot about myself, but also about our Heavenly Father and Savior and their work. Sis. L is amazing!!! There is no one more prepared that she is. She loves everything we teach, and if she doubts at all she prays to receive a testimony of it. She is going to be baptized this Saturday!!!!!!!! We are so excited for her and her family!!!!!!!!! And we love teaching her. She continues to teach us and teach herself as she learns through the Spirit. This week is crucial before her baptism, so please pray for her! 

This week we also received many references from members and learned a lot about how we can work with the members to help our rama (branch). One reference looks very promising.  One Sister does not want to hear the lessons, but is deeply affected by music. My companion and I received inspiration that we can teach her the lessons through the hymns. We are going to try to begin this week. I love this work, and I know that the Lord sends the missionaries where He needs them and to find specific people. 

 

Ok real fast, what I have learned this week. I was reading in preach my gospel that when we challenge someone to change, we are asking them to repent, so every time we extend a commitment to one of the principles that we teach, we are asking them to repent. This is the process, and I don´t think I ever really realized it before. I knew that repentance requires change, but it is repentance when we change a little habit, or a bigger habit, either way it is repentance. I can´t really explain it very well, and you probably already all knew that, but I think it is so cool. When we think about calling people to repentance, we think about the prophet from the scriptures who called the people to repentance. But as missionaries, we are calling them to repent too by extending commitments of little change. And I love doing that, because as I do so, I learn what I need to change about myself, and I repent as well. We don´t have the authority to declare repentance like the prophets, but we can help people to repent as we invite them to change, and as we are examples to them. They will start to change just by seeing our examples and the light that we shine, and essentially, they are repenting. It is amazing!

I am so grateful for the Savior Jesus Christ, and for His loving sacrifice that allows us all to repent, and to continue to do so our whole lives. The amazing thing about the gospel and missionary work is that people may feel guilt but not understand why. When they start to live the gospel, and change, and repent, that weight is lifted through the power of the Savior´s atonement, and they come to know exactly who they are, and to feel clean and pure. He has the power to heal us all, and we are His hands in lifting our brothers and sisters and bringing them to know their Savior. I am grateful for the calling that we all share as members of the true restored church of Jesus Christ, the Savior of the World. I feel like I learned so much more this week, but this is all I have time to write and will try to share more next week. Thank you for your love and your prayers and your examples! I pray for you each night too! I hope you all have a great week! Chou!