Because He Loves Us!!

                                                                                                 May 12, 2014
Hola mi famila preciosa! It was so much fun to be able to talk to all of you last night. I´m glad to know that you are all safe even though the storm ended our skype time a little early. You are all amazing and I am so proud of each of you! I am especially proud that you are all amazing missionaries and are sharing the gospel with everyone you can! It is so important that we do this, because everyone needs the blessings of the gospel! Thanks for your righteous examples! 

 

This week was amazing!!! We have so many people progressing towards baptism. Mario and Yocelyn have a baptismal date for the 31st of May and they came to church for the first time this week! Fernando also has a baptismal date for the 31st, and Javiera will be baptized this Saturday!!! Javiera´s mom also came to church!! Please pray for all of these people! Thank you for your prayers! We have seen so many miracles this week, as people take steps to come closer to Heavenly Father and to follow the Savior so that they can return to live with them. 

 

This week we were thinking a lot about how we can help more people come unto Christ through baptism. I read a talk about being the type of missionary that challenges and testifies. The author was talking about how we can´t just teach the gospel doctrine to try and convince them that the gospel is true because it makes so much sense. Instead, we need to testify and challenge them to find out for themselves and be baptized. The author asked a missionary how he was able to help so many people come unto Christ and receive the blessings of baptism, and the missionary said, ¨well we just help them feel that their Heavenly Father loves them, and that He wants them to be baptized in His restored church.¨ As I read that, I thought, that is the key!! I had been so focused on teaching the doctrine that they need to know, that I kind of forgot that it is more important that they can feel the Spirit because the Spirit converts, and then they can learn about the doctrine. My companion and I immediately put this into practice. We made sure that everyone we taught could feel the Spìrit as we testified that Heavenly Father loves them, and wants them to be baptized in His restored church. As was applied this, they felt the Spirit testify of the love of God, and they wanted to follow Him and do what He wants. I know that as people feel His love, they will do His will. Because He loves us, He gave us the opportunity to come to earth and progress and choose for ourselves. Because He loves us, He sent Jesus Christ to be our Savior, and to suffer the punishment for our sins, and to give His life for us, so that we may all return to live with Him if we do His will. Because He loves us, He has given us the gospel in our lives to bless us. Because He loves all of His children, He is making it possible that everyone can hear the restored gospel. Everything He does, He does it because He loves us. I know that as we help people feel His love, and learn His will, they will feel the Spirit and they will follow the promptings to be baptized and join the church because they will know that they are doing the Lord´s will. It is my prayer that we can all be instruments in our Father´s hands to help others feel His love, and take the important steps to return to Him. 

 

That is what I am going to do for the rest of my mission, and for the rest of my life!!!

 

We learned a lot of other lessons this week too. One night we were hungry and there was a food place on the way to a lesson and so we stopped really fast to get something (probably not very diligent). While we were waiting for the food, I noticed a bee on the wall and pointed it out to my companion. Then this guy came over that was smoking and I coughed a little, and put my hand directly on top of the bee haha. I bet you can guess what happened. That little bee left its stinger in my hand, and the next thing I knew, my hand was on fire (don't worry, not literally). I learned a great lesson that night. We are never going to buy food again at night. We are going to be diligent in every moment, even if we are a little hungry. There are people out there who are waiting to hear the gospel, and if we aren´t diligent in all moments, they may never hear it! May we be diligent in all things! Maybe then we can avoid being stung by bees. 

 

On Saturday we had an amazing activity. The youth put on a talent show for all of the mothers in the ward, and they invited the missionaries to do something. We decided to dance as pillow people. I don't know if you have ever seen that, but its when you have a pillowcase on your head (we had really big white potatoe sacks instead), and you draw a huge face on it, and then around your hips you put a shirt, and stuff the sleeves with newspaper and pin the ends to the sides of the shirt. Then you dance crazily and it is really funny because the head is huge and the body really small, and when you move your hips, the shoulders of the pillow person move. I can´t describe it really well, you have to see it. You can look for examples on youtube. We have a video of us, but it is too big to send haha it was so fun. The ward loved it!!! They were laughing so hard. And we were laughing so hard. I love the mission so much! Every day is an adventure and I love it!!! 

 

Well, thats my week! Let me know about your funny or spiritual moments! I love you all, and I am so proud of you!!! Love you tons!!!

 

Have an amazing week! Hasta luego!

Love, Hermana Harris