Semana 39---Halfway!
Bom dia todo mundo!!
Nossa, muito obrigada for the
pictures of my converts in Natal!!! I totally cried... they look SO well and
happy! Also, Adam you are looking HUGE, bro. You´re turning into a real man
now...
Halfway. Halfway there can mean a lot
of things. It can mean I still have 9 whole months to go, to suffer, to walk in
the burning sun, to miss my family. But to me, it means I STILL have 9 whole
months to learn, to grow, to continue to LOVE what I am doing, to learn of
Christ, to preach his gospel, and to serve these people! Oh how I am so
grateful.
I was reflecting this morning of what
I have learned these past 9 months - and I thought of three main lessons.
First, I have started to learn who
Christ really is. The only thing that comes to mind that can begin to describe
my feelings is the talk by Elder Holland on Missionary Work and the Atonement.
Every missionary (and every person) needs to pass through the pain, to walk
just a few of the steps He walked, to shed maybe one of the tears He shed, to
understand what He did for us, and to understand of His eternal love. I can´t
put into words how I have come to learn of Christ, but suffice it to say that
it is ONLY through serving Him and doing His work that we can know Him.
Second, I have learned that
missionaries are angels that the Lord has sent to earth. I think of the
scripture in Moroni 7:29-32
...Nay; neither
have angels ceased to minister unto the children of men.
30 For behold, they are subject unto him,
to minister according to the word of his command, showing themselves unto them
of strong faith and a firm mind in every form of godliness.
31 And the office of their ministry is to
call men unto repentance, and to fulfil and to do the work of the covenants of
the Father, which he hath made unto the children of men, to prepare the way
among the children of men, by declaring the word of Christ unto
the chosenvessels of the Lord, that they may bear testimony of him.
32 And by so doing, the Lord God prepareth
the way that the residue of men may have faith in Christ,
that the Holy Ghost may have place in their hearts, according to the power thereof;
and after this manner bringeth to pass the Father, the covenants which he hath
made unto the children of men.
Third, I have learned how to open my
heart and LOVE others. Love is something that Christ taught as the first and
greatest commandment, to "love thy God with all thy heart", and then
to love our neighbor as ourselves. Missionary work encompasses these two
commandments perfectly. The best moments I have had on the mission were when
the Lord opened my eyes, and let me feel a portion of the Love that He has for
His children. To become overwhelmed with the Spirit and understand, for a few
seconds, who He is and the capacity with which He loves us, and how His love
can cure and change ANYONE.
I am so grateful to the Lord for
allowing me to grow and learn so much, and I can´t wait to see what the next
half of my mission has to offer! I know the lessons are infinite.
As for some updates for this week -
Maria, Aldberto and their family came
to church again! When we went to visit them this week, they had gone to the
city center ALL ALONE and had registered themselves to get married!! That like
never happens, they really are determined and willing! This week has been FULL
of some of the most spiritual lessons on my mission with that family. We taught
them the Plan of Salvation, and when we discussed the spirit world, and that
their two sons are learning the gospel and have the opportunity to accept it
there, Maria told us that she had a dream with them dressed in white, and that
they were calling Maria and Aldberto to join them and that they were happy and
are following Christ. In that moment, I had the strongest impression to say,
"Maria, your sons were the ones who sent us here, to seal your family in
the temple and to help your family reach eternal life." That was a really
powerful moment and strengthened my testimony of the Plan of Salvation.
They have completely changed since we first started visiting them, their
countenances are different, and the Spirit has changed their hearts.
AMO MUITO VOCÊS E TO CONTANDO OS DIAS
PRA NATAL! <3
Sister Brown
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