So this week was a week of learning. I really loved my studies in Luke 15 this morning. I love the parable of the prodigal son. It really touched my heart that God really is always ready to receive us with open arms if we do repent and come back! I loved this verse: ''Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.'' Luke 15:10
Truly there is joy in heaven when we repent and come unto Him. So Luis Espinoza is still doing great! He is getting baptized the 12th! We taught him some commandments this week. We taught him the Sabbath, ten commandments and tithing. He is the best. I admire his faith a lot. He said is it is a commandment then I will obey it, when we explained fasting. He is willing to do everything to keep the commandments. I love it. And well we got to teach his sister Laura and little brother Nicolas this week too.... they are also getting baptized the 12th with Luis! Its awesome! We are also teaching Jimena (theres a picture attatched) She is super cool. She had forgotten to pray all week and was again struggling. We testified of how prayer helps and that if she prayed again she would be able to feel that peace again. She wants to come to church too but is struggling to not work Sundays. Shes great though and we have lots of faith in her! She said she would pray that night again and begin to trust in Him again. So also many of our investigators this week felt they could not pray because they felt unworthy to...It was really sad, so we explained that God always wants to hear our prayers not matter how obedient we are being. Through prayer we can find peace that we cannot feel in any other way and it is also through prayer that we begin a change in our hearts to feel worthy. I called Nargila my first convert and she is doing really well! She is going to church and has friends too! It makes me super happy that she has stayed strong in the gospel! But yeah that was may week! A few of random things. a bird pooped on my comps leg during a lesson hahaha English classes are on fire with our only 2 investigators haha but its super fun so its ok. They learned how to pray in English it was so cute, Laura can now pray in English!! And we also finally got pics with the ''Cochabamba''
0 Comments
Every Week is a great week when you're with Hna. Christensen!
This week we found a pretty blue wall! And she tried getting on a big white van hahah thinking that it was a trufi heading where we wanted to go. it was hilarious haha she opened the slidey door and we see two cholitas with their family and the whole time I was confused like what are you doing??? but laughing to much to explain to her that it wasnt a trufi. ah yea our week was pretty funny. & they called us Elders so many times this week haha We really love being together and spending the longest transfer in the mission together (9 weeks) So this week was hmm AWESOME! The Espinoza Family came to church on Sunday! They are so cute! They stayed the whole time and thought it was fun, Luis has 3 attendances but this was Laura's first time! We have been blessed with lots of people to teach! We somehow ended the week with 11 new investigators! It was pretty sweet! And the best part is that each is awesome and I feel love for each one. One of them is Emilsa! We met her on Satruday knocking doors we taught her about Jesus Christ and His atonement and invited her to come to church with us ''tomorrow'' she said yea! So we picked her up in the morning! It amazes me that she was so willing and ready. She had inspired q's that helped us be able to mention some points of the restoration which we will teach her this week! She asked: How can I be sure that I can have eternal life? and How can I be sure that God's promises in the scriptures are really his Words? I bet I probably smile each time they ask really great questions like these. In my studies this week I really liked John 4:29,39 because its a testimony that can cause such a great change in others. Here an unnamed woman testifies of Christ and many do believe in Him. Despite our imperfections our witness can be inspiring. So share what you know is true! Testify to the world about Christ :) To end I really liked this quote too: '' things that enlarge the soul inevitably require our effort'' I know this is true. This week was hard but I know that God has a purpose in all and wants me to grow. 1) Gotta take a pic when you find a pretty wall 2) I love her 3) Luis and his baby nephew Cris 4) Familia Espinoza (Nicolas, Laura, Luis and baby Cris) So this week was great! They always are when you have such a loving comp But well The highlighs of the week include again Luis Espinoza! He's seriosuly the best! He went to church this week and brought his brother and they thought it started at 7am so they got there an hour early haha ooops But he is doing really good, he told us he is so happy and motivated to make changes in his life, like not drink and he even cleaned his room haha (on sunday they taught a class on cleanliness in our homes haha) ah He is great! I turned 1 Year this week on thursday! It feels so unreal but I love it, I have a great comp she made me something funny, she was trying to make it the night before secretly but she kept laughing that I figured out what she was doing, she also made me breakfast!! :) How AWESOME is that! Crepes with buttermilk syrup and bananas. yummm & she turned 14 months this week!! We're old. This week we also had intercambios with Hnas de Pagador they are so cute! I got to be with Hna Bennet! she taught me so much about being diligent and really worry about the investigators needs! So the Tree of life activity turned out really cool, so much better than expected! Everyone played we had them all be blinfolded and hold onto a rope ''iron rod'' and the lights were off and there were distractions and all and at the end a christmas tree ''tree of life'' with candy on them ''fruit'' haha They liked it and we had a talk at the end about holding on and ignoring temptations. On Tuesday we made Tacos with the Espinoza Family! They came out sooooo good probably the best Ive made. This week we have been having some very inspired studies! I am so grateful for quiet personal study time and the revelation that I can receive through the words of God (scriptures and talks). I have felt so happy this week, content with the work we are doing and grateful for all I get to learn each day and the amazing people we meet daily that accept us in their homes and take us in as their own family! I loved this because I can say it is my favorite thing about the mission: ''As you serve you will build rich eternal memories and friendships. I know of no field which produces a more bounteous harvest of happiness than the mission field.'' Thomas S. Monson I also love this: '' I can only know partially how much Jesus feels joy each time you as His disciple help Him bring a moment of peace and joy to a child of Heavenly Father.'' Henry B. Eyring YES! ITs true, God and Jesus Christ just want us to bring moments of peace and joy to his children. Everyone needs a moment, a feeling of hope and to hear that God loves them and is there for them! Missionary work is a lifetime work and anyone can be a part of it! Photos: 1) The Tree of life activity for missionary ward activity! My comp has drawing talent! 2) The activity in action! It was so fun 3) Making ugly faces with Wilber his mom is a recent convert and he wants to go on a mission! 4) US! With the Elders in our ward and our Ward mission leader 1) Lunch time! haha my comps gets the best pics haha 2) so we maybe had a mini water fight this week ahah its too hot! 3) Anticuchos! WE had cow heart! Its really good! wow 4) When I decide to close my eyes for a few mins my comp decides its perf for a photo haha 1) What my comp made me for my year mark 2) Our study room haha which is my desk? its funny I always bug her about her desk 3) Brushing ... what can I say we do everything together, theres a funny video about this but its too big to send 4) Dogs' nap time Lo que como aqui y hoy lavamos toda nuestra ropa (garments) y limpiamos la casa. 1) Whenever we see a colored wall this happens! 2) Familia Espinoza at taco night 3) TAcos! 4) Mariano our almost pet was really sick this week ;( we covered him up aw its so sad to love dogs, hope he gets better Hola amigos!
Well, this week the 13th I turn 1 year of being here in my loved Bolivia! I seriously love it so much here! The culture, the people, all the fruit and being a missionary! This year Ive learned to; 1. Be an expert at walking around the cancha and finding just about anything! (big marketplace) 2. Know what the prices of food should be at the local tiendita (market) 3. Survive off of oatmeal haha 4. Love the cholitas 5. Listen to the spirit and act I am grateful to be out here and be able to meet such wonderful and faithful people. I have learned to listen to the spirit so much here especially in this las month. We've been able to find tons of great people to teach and be guided right where we needed to be not knowing why and then finding out why later when we meet someone or we visit someone right when they most need it! I am amazed how the simple message of the restoration can change people! We are teaching Luis Espinoza! He is the best seriously. He is a miracle and so is his family! He just gets it, even before we teach him, he has inspired questions, and wants to be baptized, he told us yesterday. He says he has seen a change in himself these 3 weeks we have been teaching him! He has felt a need to be better and not go out and he has this light on his face!!! We have only taught him the plan of salvation and the restoration! I love being able to feel the spirit and know with all my heart that we are teaching is true. That it inspires people to live a better life. That it brings peace and joy to anyone who with an open heart listens. So yeah we had such an amazing week with miracles like that! I love my comp! I feel like we really are a team, and with her I am inspired to be a better person! I love that and how happy I feel too! I am also happy that she is starting to like dogs! slowly and then all of a sudden! (I guess thats what marriage should feel like hahaha, sorry trunky moment) WE also got to meet our mission president this week! at consejo and zone conf. So he is a scripture master! I feel like I learn so much from him when he teaches us with the scriptures! I am excited to learn a lot these months! So that was my week! It was hot and cold at night! It was filled with funny moments with my comp and also miracles that brought us to tears! This gospel is REAL. I know without a doubt that This is His True Chruch! 1) Chinese food today! 2) Met some brazilians today at the cancha 3) FHE with our investigator family Espinoza at Rosemary Guaygua's house 4) Luis' first time at church!!! 1) Yummy Api and buñelos that F' Espinoza made us 2) On the curb waiting for a member to go to an appointment Water in a bag! 3) dogs! 4) english class! Our only student was Luis haha 1) At MLC Consejo with the new presidente! 2) Picture with President Montoya and his wife and Elder Olsen in the back haha 3) Matching with her 4) Our cute area! 1) My comp and Mariano Our house owners dog that loves us haha 2) Proof shes starting to like dogs! 3) This is how much fruit we can buy here with 10 dolars & Our pretty area Hey there friends and family1 So this week was really great apart from catching a cold.
So first off we have a new mission president. He is Presidente Montoya from Peru and we will meet him tomorrow at MLC. So this week it was freezing cold, even more than it usually is but its okay. After an appointment an hermana let us borrow some blankets haha to go outside to be warm, we felt so funny walking around with those but they helped so its okay. So something funny we realized while planning was that all of our investigators last names are Choque haha I dont know how that happened but Its a great coincidence. Its time for the Choques to progress haha. So here theres more dogs on the street than people to talk to, this week my comp decided to count all the dogs she saw in one day and she got to 61 before 8am hahaha its a dog city! So this week we met a ''family that is super smiley and loves to cook'' They are the Espinoza family. We mainly met with Laura and Luis they are siblings, they were cooking and we offered to help! We peeled potatoes for them! haha they made really good food I am so grateful! But mostly because they are so receptive and sweet. She asked about baptizing her baby that is around 8 months old but we explained what is the purpose of baptism, that is to clean of our sins and she understood right away, ''oh yea then I wont because my baby is innocent'' it was such a sweet moment where I felt the spirit work with her. The Ward is being so supportive with the missioanries they are implementing this new system of family orientation for the investigators that are progressing. They each get visiting teachers. So what each presidency did is set apart members that didnt have someone to visit so they are vacant to help us out.They are ready to work with us and our investigators! Its the best seriosuly, we feel so much support from the bishop and the council it makes all the difference. And lastly, This Saturday Rosemary got baptized! She is so very special to me, an eternal friend and It was such a blessing to be there for such a special moment for her! The mission is the best! When someone enters the waters of baptism it is always a moment to rejoice and remember God's plan for his children. I know its not all about baptisms its more about conversion. The real success is measured in how we are converted, how we live our lives after the mission and how we raise our families. I am grateful to say I love the mission for many reasons, I love the people, I love that my testimony of my Savior has grown and that I understand obedience so much more than I ever did. Obedience is not about how many miracles you get to see but rather how you feel. I know that when we are obedient we feel happy and peaceful. |
Viridiana CampanaHi everyone, Archives
December 2017
Categories
All
|