10/21/2013

Herro Family and Friends! :D

So. It's been about 5 months on my mission. How crazy is that?! Almost 6 months, and then I'll be a third of the way done. Whaaat?! Seriously feels like I just got out. But not really, because now I get impatient with my trainee about not knowing basic things like...how to recite all the points of the first lesson in two sentences, or...how to get people to actually listen to you. ;) Doing well though, doing well. And as such, here we are!

AN UPDATE

So. SOME would say that this area is not really an easy one. Nary a baptism for the past...2 years, community churches that like to blast against us periodically, and a lot of wealth and prosperity (read: complacency). But! I strongly believe that there is no such thing as a bad area, that if faith and a willing mind and heart are there, the Lord will work miracles in your area. So! We're up-ing the faith ante, working hard and preparing for good things. The ward is getting behind us, and as we've adjusted our perspective about some of the challenges we're facing, we're beginning to love the work here. It's pretty sick.

AN EXPERIENCE

Yesterday we stopped by a guy named Pat McCoy. His wife and kids aren't members, and he hasn't been for a while, but he knows it's a good thing. As he talked to us he told us about his conversion, that coming to learn about the church he'd 'never been so happy--ever.' He said he wanted his kids to know that there was a place to go after this life, that there was a reason for all the goodness and beauty of earth. At one point of our conversation he told us of the chance he'd had to baptize somebody, and he started to cry. He said he hadn't felt the spirit in a long time, but that it was 'a warm feeling,' and that it felt good. It was crazy, because we didn't even do anything; nothing but come up to him and talk some about the church...but he was touched any way. Pretty awesome. We set a time to come back next weekend and teach him and his kids about the Plan of Salvation. I think there's some good potential for that to go really well. :)

A SPIRITUAL THOUGHT

Man, all my thoughts are spiritual thoughts these days. :P Which one to pick? Let's go with...

Mosiah 7:33

"But if ye will turn to the Lord with full purpose of heart, and put your trust in him, and serve him with all diligence of mind, if ye do this, he will, according to his own will and pleasure, deliver you out of bondage."

This is King Limhi talking to his people, who have been literally enslaved to the Lamanites for years. And what is he telling them? He's telling them that despite their belief that this is just how they live now, that there's no getting out from under this load of servitude, that they were born this way and they are going to die this way, that despite all this, if they will turn to the Lord and serve him and trust him, they can be released from this bondage of servitude. Really. We're listening to a talk in the car by Sherri Dew that talks about baggage and burdens, and she tells us that it is possible to change, really change. That means change in our circumstance and change in ourselves; change from being spiteful, embittered, jealous, hurt, moody, unkind, sensitive, emotion-less, prideful...it's all subject to change as we try out this God-thing and move towards being a better self. I know that it's possible because lots of crummy things about me have been changed as I've turned things over to the Lord. There's a lot still around that could use a swap for sure, but we are never condemned to be just what we are because it's our nature. Change (being freed from bondage) is possible through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, and that is the good news of the Gospel.

I love you all! Have an AWESOME week.

Sister Hale

PS. I'm not feeling starved for communication, but I found this in the apartment (a 4 page document full of these), and thought you would like it.

"1. And the missionary said unto his friend, Lovest thou me?

2. And the friend said, of course I love thee.

3. He saith a second time, friend, Lovest thou me? And the friend said, Thou knowest that I love thee. He then said, Feed my mailbox.

4. And then spake a third time saying, Lovest thou me? And the friend said, Thou knowest all things, thou knowest I love thee.

5. Then said the missionary, Stuffest my mailbox."

Hahaha! :D Someone had too much time on their hands. OKAY. <3! BAII...!