1. We got to go to the temple! It is a day called Dia en los Cielos and the whole stake goes to the temple for the whole day. We left at 5 in the morning and did 2 sessions before heading home but there were members who were there from 5 in the morning until 10 at night doing work in the temple.
2. Carlos and Ana are going to get married! They are ready to start the process of marriage so that they can get baptized! This week both of them prayed at the end of our lessons and he has a little bit of short term memory loss so he can't remember anything at all that he reads in the book of mormon but he still reads every day like a champ! He has this cheesy grin that he does when we ask him tough questions and they just make me so happy!
3. Vivian came out on visits with us this week and she was solid as a member present! She is reading the book of mormon, going to seminary, and she wants to serve a mission. Obviously we have to work hard with the ward to help her keep this enthusiasm but she's got this spark that she shares with everyone and the whole ward loves her so I'm not too worried:)
4. Today we went as a zone to Chicá and I didnt get eaten by the giant spider and we got to see some cool waterfalls and beautiful beautiful panama. The miracle is really that I get to be in this amazing country serving these amazing people!
5. The stake conference with Elder Alonzo blew my mind. It was just so good so I am going to share a few of my favorite parts-
Our stake president is this tiny little man who speaks like a baptist preacher but he speaks with an authority and a spirit you can't ignore. He started off the conference sharing John chapter 20 when Mary and the apostles saw Christ. ¨when they saw the resurrected Christ they became special witnesses of Christ. I testify that Elder Alonzo is a special witness of Jesus Christ.¨
Then Elder Alonzo stood up with his real scriptures and his Iphone turned off in his pocket. He talked about when the apostles fell asleep while christ was in Getsemane and he says ¨you couldnt wait with me one hour?¨ (which I always relate to when I want to fall asleep during studies) but he was talking about sacrament meeting and how we cant even turn off our phone during the most important hour of our week!
He talks so much about Christ which is awesome. He told us that Christ smiles, He's kind, He's attentive and then he asked us who had seen Christ. Obviously no one raised their hand. ¨Just because we don't remember, we think we´ve never seen him! ALL of us have seen Him, walked with Him, talked with Him¨
Someday our chapels will be the only place where people can find peace and people will be lining up outside, pleading to be baptized.
He called up all of the missionaries and told us to sing I am a Child of God (just like we practiced right? ;) and then he says this:
¨ They aren't perfect but they are the best of what our Heavenly Father has. Every morning they wake up at 6:30 with enthusiasm, study, pray, and every single day people ignore them, reject them, and lie to them. At the end of every day they go home and thank God for the experiences they were able to have. The question is brothers and sisters: What are you going to do with them? When they ask for your help or for references, when they come to your house for dinner or to a ward council, are you going to ignore, reject, or lie to them?¨
If Christ wants fish, he can get fish! What he needs are disciples! Forever! Someone who will preach his gospel, someone who will love him! (¿simon pedro, me amas?)
When Christ comes again do you think he will come to the chapel? Please, He will go directly to His house, the temple. Do you have your recommend?
I dont know how much you can get from my scrabbled notes but this is what I got most from the conference- CHRIST LIVES! He lives and He is right now leading His true church through His chosen prophet and apostles!
Can you believe its already August?
Love you all!
Hermana Smith
No comments:
Post a Comment