The provo temple looks so beautiful! Tell Sadie and Maddie good job with their basketball games and Footlocker! I'm glad dad has someone to be proud of as far as the sports go. haha This week I was able to have several interesting experiences- Everything from service projects splitting huge trees of wood and helping clean the stalls of chanchos (pigs) (some of them were longer than I am tall and weigh at least 6 times as much) to a visita de trabajo en Tungasuka with the Hermana Capacitadoras to being condemned by a man who told me to come back when I've read the whole Bible and am more "prepared". People are so interesting. We are having a hard time entering into the people's houses. We are being lied to a lot "I'm just visiting" "I'm busy" "I'm about to leave" "I've got to watch the baby" and more. I was starting to fall into the trap of self pity and frustration when I read the talk in the General Womens conference by Elder Uchdorf about a visit to great aunt Rose. Despite things not turning out how this woman expected or hoped for, she was able to make a difference in the lives of so many by choosing to see the beauty and miracles that occur every day. It said "Seems to me that the best things, like homemade bread or orange marmalade, take PATIENCE and WORK." I guess if it takes patience to make bread, it's going to take a little bit of patience to find and teach God's chosen children. I got to thinking about how we are to "harvest" the viña de Dios. However, it is impossible to harvest something that isn't first planted, watered, cared for, and waited on. I can't just expect to arrive and harvest without first going through several steps. In Hechos 5:41-42 (Acts 5:41-42) it says: "Y ellos partieron de delonte del concilio GOZOSOS de haber sido tenidos por dignos de padecer por causa del Nombre. Y todos los dias...por las casas no cesaban de enseñar y predicar a Jesucristo". (41 So they departed from the presence of the council, REJOICING that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His[a] name. 42 And daily in the temple, and in every house, they did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ.")These apostles suffered bastante (alot) but were joyful to be taken as worthy to suffer for the name of Christ then continued teaching. I am so grateful for the example of so many faithful servants of the Lord who give me just the slap in the face I need thousands of years later. I want to invite you each to be patient, go to work, and be happy to suffer and share. We promised to do so when we were baptized and as part of the Sacrament, when we renew our covenants,it isn't just renewing in the sense of being able to be cleaned of our sins from the week and receive strength for the upcoming week, but also renewing our promise to serve others, take upon us the name of Christ and keep the commandments. Always remember the power of our covenants with God. He is just waiting to bless us, it's our responsibility to be worthy of it. I hope you have a good week!
Love,
Hermana Stone
 |
| I split this by myself! |
 |
| Because I wasn't there for family pictures... |
No comments:
Post a Comment