a fin de que reciban el Evangelio restaurado

This week in the TRC Hna. Gorham and I taught Meredith and her Husband Ricardo. In the TRC, volunteers come and be investigators for us. We meet them and find out what there needs are, and then we return and teach them a lesson. All our lessons have been in English thus far- but we're gonna be teaching in Enspanol en la proxima semana!

Meredith came from Mexico about 15 years ago, and her husband knows a little Spanish too; he was so excited to tell us all about his familia-- todos sus hijos y sus ocho nineto. We taught them a lesson about the Plan of Salvation, and the Word of Wisdom. Ricardo was worried about La Palabra de Sabaduria, because he smokes and drinks. We talked about Joseph Smith-- they believe that he is a prophet, so his words must be really the words of God. Then we talked about why we keep commandments-- to show our love and trust in God. We read the end of D&C 89, and discussed the blessings of keeping this commandment, but Hermano Ricardo was still a little dubious.

'I don't know' he said, 'I smoke a lot.'

My companion and I pulled out our scriptures (that's a figure of speech-- we ALWAYS have out nuestras escrituras!) and we began to testify of the importance of keeping the commandments. I felt to open what is quickly becoming one of my favorite scriptures-- Alma 7:11-12.

'Hermano Ricardo, will you read this scripture for us?'

He began to read about the sacrifice of the Savior, about the Atonement and the Saviors ability to understand us perfectly. After a few lines, he stopped-- his eyes began to moisten, and he was quiet for a long time.

'Hermano Ricardo, what do you think about that scripture?'

'Well, what do you think?' he brushed away the tears, 'I have already quit. I quit right now.'

Part of me knows this is all pretend-- this man (not even a volunteer-- he's actually a worker at the MTC) doesn't need to quit smoking or drinking, and he doesn't need us to convince him to come to church, but he does need to be invited to Christ-- just like everyone we meet.

The spirit was so strong in that TRC room as he bore his testimony of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. My companion and I added our witnesses that this church IS God's church on the earth-- This is his work, and we are all his children. I love to know that when we teach by the Spirit, when we teach through the scriptures, the Lord, who is always gathering his children, will gather us closer to him.

a venir a Cristo

March 18, 2010
Hna. Gorham was asked to say the closing prayer at the fireside on Tuesday so we went early and sat on the stand, watching 1200 elders fill the auditorium. As a group of elders bounded down the stairs with enthusiasm, Elder Hull leaned over to me and quoted "Walk swiftly and with purpose." Oh missionaries! How I love thee!

Each meeting begins with a prelude of hymns that we all sing together. We sang some of my favorites this Tuesday night-- Come follow me, Count your many blessing. Then the chorister stepped to the mic and said "We do not stand to sing the hymns of Zion, but if an apostle were to walk into the room, we would stand to show our respect." The room erupted in whispers! An apostle!? We continued to sing prelude, and then the whole auditorium rose, and I looked to see walking up to the podium Elder cook and his wife. My companion and I exchanged grins. An apostle of the Lord was speaking to us, and here we were sitting just across the stand from him!

He gave a beautiful sermon on bringing God's sheep into the fold. His wife spoke on using the hymns to help us remember to develop Christlike attributes. And at the end of the meeting, Elder Cook blessed us all that we would see the blessing of our service in our lives, in the lives of those we teach, and in the lives of our families. He blessed us that we would not worry about feeling inadequate, "We all feel inadequate, welcome to your mission-- welcome to life!" The spirit that filled the room was certainly not unfamiliar-- it is the Holy Ghost that I spend every day teaching people about-- that warm feeling of gozo y paz is the witness of the Holy Ghost that Elder Cook is an Apostle of the Lord.

After the devotional our district met for a testimony meeting. I love to listen to the elders and sisters in my district because every one of them recognizes their responsibility to "invite others to come unto Christ" and the Spirit is so strong as we talk together of our own knowledge of God. Elder Watkins, always enthusiastic (as only a 19 year old can be) nearly jumped to his feet with excitement when it was his turn to share. "I just kept thinking how this was an Apostle, just like Peter and James and John in the Bible. Christ called apostles to the earth, and these men are just like that! They have the same priesthood, the same responsibility, it's just so cool!!"

We believe in the same organization that existed in the primitive Church, namely apostles, prophets, pastors, teachers, evangelists and so forth. This is the work of God! It has always been His work and it always will be His work. Can we not then go on in so great a cause? (sorry can't pull up the scriptures to quote that right!

I love this work, I love the joy of this truth.

Invitar a las personas

The snow that started to fall last Thursday was still falling 6 inches later on Friday morning. It progressed from beautiful to dangerously slushy to nearly-gone throughout the day, and everyone laughed as it dropped from trees onto the Elders.

I love the MTC because I can allow my life to be simple. My daily goals range from "smile all day" to "serve someone" to "testify 3 times in Spanish today". I love the gospel and I love to learn how to teach it, so that's more like play anyway, and the Spanish we're learning is still mostly review for me, entonces puedo enfocar on relationships and my own growth.

With two weeks of experience under our belts, Hna. Gorham and I have learned a few important things:

1. Shower after gym; it's the only time between 5am and 10pm when you can shower with hot water and water pressure.

2. Gym is the perfect time to memorize scriptures.

3. Do NOT eat the Chicken.

I spent most of Saturday night with poor Hna. Williams, who was sick with food poisoning (future missionaries: be cautions of the left-overs line, especialmente the teriyaki chicken.) Certainly no one wants food poisoning, but I was grateful to be there to play mommy to this wonderful sister that I love so much.

The mission is all about serving! And I LOVE it! All days I look for ways to serve mi companera. My scripture study is spent searching for ways to serve my TRC investigators/teaching appointments/fellow missionaries. Everything I learn about Espanol and about the gospel, I need to serve the people of Los Angeles. And with all this I know that I am serving mi salvador, Jesucristo. I am serving him by being his hands and feet on the earth-- what a privilege!

Thanks so much for all the letters, e-mails and dear elders, It always gives me such a boost to hear from you guys that I love so much!!

P.S. Happy Birthday this week Nicky!

Mi objectivo como misionera es. . . .

They say every day here is like a week and every week here is like a day- never before have I been so busy in my life! But it's not the kind of busy like classes and homework and jobs, and things, it is the kind of busy which demands concentration and fills your thoughts and makes you sleep well at night. I love it.

If I could just send one snapshot that captured this week it would be my companion and I kneeling in an empty classroom praying in gratitude through streaming tears. It was yesterday; nuestras maestra, Hna. Keller asked my comp and I to teach her. We had spent the last few days preparing lessons for each of our teachers. It is a joy to study the gospel with the intent to bring someone else closer to Christ.

My comp and I had felt strongly to teach about the basic doctrines of the atonement, and I know that no matter what you teach, if you teach with the spirit, the Holy Ghost will be there to teach with you. At one point, I felt impressed to testify of God's work a specific instance in her life, and I was struck with the importance of my calling as a representative of Christ. It is MY humble opportunity to speak God's words to his children.

I am so grateful that mi companera also works so hard to always teach by the spirit, so we can truly be the greatest use to our Heavenly Father.

After the lesson my companion and I left, filled up with el Espiritu y le gozo de el evanjelio resorado.

We found an empty classroom and fell to our knees to thank God, in broken Spanish for allowing us to be such instruments in his hands. It is an awesome privilege to be called of God to this work!