I keep forgetting that we're getting a new mission president. I think it might just be that I'm in denial because I love my current Presidente Erickson! I'm sure we will all grow to love the new guy, but it'll be different.
This week flew by, as we were working hard to get to know all 21 conversos (converts) in our ward. (21 people were baptized in this GINORMOUS area in the last 12 months) Unfortunately, some of them are now menos activos but we are excited to start working with them and other menos activos. This week I was able to have a visita de trabajo con mis nuevos hermana capacitadoras (work visit with my new sister trainers). I was with Hermana Hailstone (who is my grandma of the mission, o sea (in other words), she was the trainer of my trainer aka mom of my mom Hermana Haro! Yeah, we have weird sayings in the mission... :) Work visits are 24 hours and I went to their area and Hermana Eliason, the other capacitadora (trainer), came here to work with Hermana Magne. It is always interesting to work with other people because as we are teaching the "same lessons", every investigador/converso/menos activo/compañera is different! She taught with SO MUCH LOVE and I learned that maybe I need to show a little bit more of what she was doing. It was funny because with all of the contacts it went something like "I'm hermana Stone, and I'm hermana Hailstone" and the people just looked at us funny. It didn't help that we're two gringas!
This week I really had my testimony grow that God leads us to people who need the gospel. It's so weird because I always thought that God would lead us to people, but that I would feel drawn to a person or feel a really warm feeling in my heart or have names pass through my mind very clearly. However, it turns out that we get turned down by someone and our plan B isn't home and finally we end up at a house that has someone ready to change their life. In this same way, we came across a woman who hasn't gone to church in several years and told us of her desires to come back to the "fold of God". We went to teach her twice this week and were able to find her husband who now has desires to get baptized. We are working with them right now to get married in order to get baptized. (This happens a lot in Peru because EVERYONE it seems like is just living together, not married). They are a young family with a son named Sebastian who's a year and a half old and so cute. He likes to eat our restoration pamphlets haha. We were able to find several people in this manera (manner), and I know that God is blessing us with people as we show him that we are willing to work hard.
I came across a quote this week that says: "Sin motivación, no hay sacrificio. Sin sacrificio no hay disciplina, y sin disciplina, no hay éxito." (Without motivation, there is no sacrifice. Without sacrifice there is no discipline, and without discipline, there is no success.) I was reading through the talk "The fourth missionary" (I think I've mentioned it before, but if not, read it! It is specifically for missionaries, but can apply to anyone) and realized that discipline and obedience truly are the basis of success, especially in God's kingdom. He has given us lower laws (commandments, ordinances) so that we are accustomed to obeying Him to be able to live the higher laws of heaven. By keeping the commandments, and keeping them without complaint, we show God that we love Him and trust Him enough to do what He says. I know that He always gives us counsel not to keep us busy or be needy, but because He really has our best interest at heart and knows PERFECTLY how we can be successful, be perfeccionado (perfected), and llegar a ser como Él (to become like Him). I know that He is our Father in Heaven. I know that He hears and responds to every prayer. And I know that as we SHOW our faith and do as He says, we will not only be hearers of the Word, but doers as well. And he. will. bless. us. I hope you have a great week and send some snow our way!
Love always,
Hermana Stone
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| Con Hermana Hailstone |
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| Stefy got her hair stuck in a tree and Jon Paul (who comes with us to teach sometimes who is preparing for the mission) had to help her. I'm glad I'm not the only one who has stuff like that happen to me! |
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| Dinner with Moises and fam! |
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| From Previous area (San Felipe) |
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