Hello and Greetings

Hello and greetings,

 

It has been a few weeks since I have written anything substantial... It is not really because nothing happens but because by Monday so much happens that I forget when I sit down to write. So this week, I took a couple notes to remind myself of what happened.

 

I´m learning a lot. Even when I don´t think I am. Even when I feel like I´m in a rut or things aren´t going as well as I had hoped. The Lord is merciful. I am weak and he knows it, but instead of making me feel bad for it, he carries me. In the beginning of the Book of Mormon, Nephi tells us that as we read we will be shown all of the many tender mercies of the Lord. My mission seems to be a long string of tender mercies. It is humbling.

 

Carlos was baptized this weekend!!!!!! Carlos´s wife and daughter have been members of the Church for a little over a year. Carlos is a fisherman, he works six months on ocean and then is home for six months. He has been taught by many missionaries, many times. He has problems with drinking. But to make a very long story short, the Lord had prepared a way. Carlos was finally ready to make the step, to commit. To change. After we set the date we went back over and talked about addictions, and the importance of obeying God´s commandments, and the blessings we receive by avoiding things that harm our bodies (alcohol). I was able to talk about my experience with my Dad and how harmful alcohol is for the whole well being of the family.

SIDE NOTE:There is a battle raging on this Island. The battle is against Tabaco and alcohol. It is consuming these people´s lives, it is keeping them in poverty, it is dragging them down to despair. They are not happy, they are stuck in chains and I want to bust em all out! I wanna climb into their prison walls of addictions dig a tunnel and show them how to escape. With the Gospel, it´s possible. But don´t take my word for it....

1. 2 Ne. 9: 10
     10 O how great the ^agoodness of our God, who prepareth a way for our ^bescape from the grasp of this awful monster; yea, that monster, ^cdeath and ^dhell, which I call the death of the body, and also the death of the spirit.

So, Carlos has made the step. He was baptized and he will continue forward with his great faith. He can´t read, but he now has the Book of Mormon on CD and he loves to say family prayers. It is incredible to see this family all on their way back to Heavenly Father...Tender Mercy

 

Our branch has changed presidencies. The Branch president is new. So to show us how excited he is about the missionary work here in the branch, he came to a lesson with us this week. It was awesome. We taught one of our investigators named Bruno. Bruno can´t leave his house. He is on house arrest. We don´t know why. But he is awesome. I can´t describe Bruno in a short little paragraph and do him justice. But let me just say, he is repentant. He gets it. He is learning about sincere prayer. He is loving learning about the restored Gospel, and I know that Heavenly Father has a plan for him too. (disclaimer: we don´t go in any house without another female adult present at all times... he lives with his mom and dad....Totally safe.) Teaching him has been a huge blessing to see someone so ready to change, so willing to follow Jesus Christ...Tender Mercy.

 

Sometimes I step back and look at my situation. I look at my giant purpose here on this mission, I look at what the Lord expects of me and I feel like a little fish in a big pond, a little lost, a little in over my head. Just a little fish in a big pond. But then there are moments like last night when we had an incredible lesson with this new couple we are teaching (ruben and nelia), when the right words come to my mind, the spirit testifies and all of a sudden they are learning about Heavenly Father and can´t wait to know for themselves if these things are true.... It all becomes clear and pure and not so scary. I still feel like a little fish but the pond isn´t so big and I´m not so over my head....Tender Mercy.

 

 

Today imra morrison told me a cool description of our faith. She likened it to a nightlight, a flashlight, and a lighthouse. She was evaluating our ``light``(3 Nephi 12:16) and how it is based on our faith. Sometimes the light of our faith is just enough to keep away the bad stuff (nightlight), and at times it becomes strong enough to light your own way (flashlight), and when its strongest we become a lighthouse, we can show others the way. I thought that was great. Really great.

 

Ok well time is up, I´ve written too much. I love you all and hope all is well. Until next week...

 

Sister Liz