So....life has totally switched around for me here in Fuerte. The area is so very different than anywhere I have ever served. The people are so humble and ready to accept the gospel of Jesus Christ. We have had great success over the past few weeks and that has been such a blessing to be a part of. Here are a few of the miracles:
We did splits on Monday so we could visit a list of less-active young women. We taught 7 lessons that day and when we had a follow up lesson with one of them on Wednesday it turned out that this Young Woman and her little sister had not been Baptized...it was such a surprise to all of us. We added them and Sister Great house was able to extend her first invitation to be Baptized and they both accepted for November 17th! They need to attend church every week leading up to it and when sacrament meeting started there was no sign of them. As we sang the 2nd verse of the opening hymn we saw two darling girls nervously peak in the chapel until they caught sight of us and their faces lit up and they ran over to us and sat down. They loved Church and have already asked their grandpa and uncle to Baptize them! :) That was honestly a Miracle that fell right into our lap.
We also went to visit a less active woman and her granddaughter answered the door. She and her less active mom let us share a lesson with them. We had a follow up appointment where we added her and her older sister and invited them to be Baptized in December. They are so so sweet! The spirit was so powerful as we talked about the gift of the holy ghost and what a treasure that is to have. They are both really excited about how living the gospel will help them feel better about themselves and help them feel the love of God more purely and consistently in their lives.
We are so excited about the chance to teach so many of God's children the things that he would have them know so that they may have peace in this life and eternal joy hereafter! It is amazing to see the light of someone's countenance lighten and brighten up as they learn more of our savior Jesus Christ and all that He has done for us.
Another great realization we all had this week came from our personal studies yesterday. We were each lead to the Lord's will. It is so simply...We can do anything we want if we will just do it. I told you it was simple!
We have so much fun and work so hard. Sister Riggs is hilarious and can lighten any mood. Sister Greathouse is so sweet and loves the people here so much. We barely have time to eat and I love that feeling!
You are all wonderful! I love you and I hope you can see how much the Lord appreciates the little things you do to obey the spirit.
In companionship study we were struggling to know what to share with one of our investigators and so we decided to have a prayer. Each of us felt something different but as we spoke, we realized that it all flowed together perfectly. We felt so strongly about it and it led to inviting him to follow the example of Jesus Christ and being Baptized. He struggles a lot because he has been actively attending another Christian Church for over 20 years. Naturally, we were nervous but we each knew it was what we needed to do. It was a powerful lesson and he said he couldn't feel a no, so he made the commitment to prepare for a December Baptism. This lesson was exhausting but that didn't explain the feeling of sorrow I felt throughout our lesson that was robbing my joy.
I was really sad after our lesson and I couldn't figure out why. I felt the spirit so strongly in our last stop by visit of a member and totally lost it in my prayer. Afterwards my persistent companion, Sister Riggs, asked me what was wrong. As I took the time to search (I was not happy about trying figure out what was wrong...there wasn't time for that) I knew what thoughts triggered my mood change. It was all of my thoughts how "easy" things seem to be here and how badly I ache for that same type of success to happen with the people I just poured my heart into for 10 months. I was sad for the many missionaries that will never taste of the sweetness of a baptism on their mission or who lie awake at night wondering in desperation wondering what they are doing wrong or missing in their ministry or companionship to make an area move and to see clearly. That was so hard for me to accept. I wasn't even truly happy with the success we are seeing here because of the questions I had in my heart about my service in my last area. Then I realized how selfish and demanding I was being of the Lord. The root of "success" is not from missionary skills or diligence but in the Lord's will for an area, a time, a ward, a missionary, and his eternal plans for each. The Lord has been trying to teach me my entire mission (and a long while before my mission) to look to Him solely for my validation. That has proven very challenging in today's world and especially with spiritual matters and when one of the most obvious ways to fulfill my purpose is to get Baptisms. Yet, here I am full circle. I was starving for Baptisms and felt that my entire worth as a missionary was dependent upon that. I slowly learned that lesson and many more while absolutely loving my days working with the amazing people in my first 2 areas. Here I am a midst great success and having to relearn it. The Lord is grateful for my efforts and perhaps the challenging and wonderful months before this were shaping me into the missionary he needs me to be right here, right now, and after my mission as a member missionary. I'm not entirely sure what will happen from here...but even if our "success" completely drops...I know what I need to focus on to know of my worth and if I am fulfilling the Lord's will for me. A wise friend that just got home from his mission told me to search for my purpose and that it would help me be an effective tool for the Lord. That has changed my mission...I had to do it more than once...but my entire life is changed for knowing to focus on where my will is at and where it should be....which is right next to the Lord's. Nothing could replace the spirit in my journey to know his will, not even the people around me. Its a special message that comes straight to your heart and mind as you diligently seek it and as you obey your guide (the spirit.)
I hope that makes sense...just needed you to know what I've learned recently and how grateful I am for every second I am here. I have a wealth of knowledge and experience that are changing my life and my heart.
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