How was your week? Is all the Christmas craziness coming to a peak or slowing down now? I hope the latter. This week sure was busy for us what with choir and everything normal on top. But, at the same time, it was good. The fun thing about choir is that we get to spread the Gospel in a different way than usual. We sang in malls several tardes (afternoon-evening) and for the news two different mornings. I thought it was pretty funny how excited different members were to tell us that they had seen us on T.V. I hope some other people really noticed and remembered who we said we were, too. That´s what it´s about. This week we´ll be singing in malls again and on the radio from what I´ve heard. The mission Christmas party is not going to happen this year, so we have more time than we´d thought to perform; that´s why we don´t necessarily know all the gigs we have. We have been able to teach a lot in the buses going to and from all those places, and have even found some people that are from our sector. That seems to be our problem this change. We´ll find some amazing people (or they´ll just start coming to our chapel), teach them and get them started toward baptism (usually we try to put fechas...baptismal dates from the first lesson) and then they end up living in someone else´s sector. We were teaching this jovencita (young lady), Anita, and things were going along fine, until she up and moved to the elders´ sector. Thus, we feel very blessed if we can really work with people from our sector. It will probably help a lot when there´s a capilla (chapel) inside our sector. Yeah.
We`re still working with Irlanda and her kids. The slight worry/complication is that the husband decided to come into town for 8 days. I wrote the other week about what happened last time… However, he has expressed that he is happy with the girls´decision to learn and such. The girls are so excited for the 22nd that I´m pretty sure there won´t be a problem…we´re praying that all goes smoothly as planned. John, you already know how crazy stuff happens right before people are getting baptized.
On Sunday we both spoke in the both wards. The third Sunday of every month is supposed to be dedicated to missionary work, but it doesn´t happen every month, so you never know. It makes me not want to answer the phone on Sunday mornings when we get calls an hour before church starts asking if we will speak. But I answer anyway. We´re missionaries, pues! I spoke about missionary success and what it is as defined by PMG. I also cited the example of Jesus Christ, reading a part of "The Living Christ". Sometimes we can feel so devastated when people do not accept our invitations or feel like failures because our neighbors haven´t been baptized, yet. However, PMG teaches us that success is in serving and loving others, feeling the Spirit as we testify, serving as we should in our wards, etc. (Read that part in ch 1). It comes down to the simple fact that people have their agency. We are called to invite them. As the Lord said to Oliver Cowdery in D&C 6:29-31, blessed are we for doing our part, even if people reject the message we want to share. Even if we are rejected, persecuted and crucified as was the Savior, blessed are we, for we will receive the glory of our Master. We just need to remember that if we are opening our mouths and inviting with the Spirit, we are successful missionaries. That goes for all sorts of missionaries.
Hna Merback spoke about keeping our testimonies strong and ready to share. She talked about an experience in her life when she wanted to marry the hot basketball player she´d been dating, but chose not to, because he wasn´t a member and she decided an eternal marriage was more important. She talked about the Mary and Martha story and that we should remember what one thing is needed. She also cited D&C 6 where the Lord asks Oliver "What greater witness can you have than from God?" I love that. Then He goes on to point out that if we receive a witness from the Lord that no man knoweth, why is that a problem? We seek answers from God, not from men. I like the relation of those scriptures with Hebrews 10: 32-39. Whenever we doubt or struggle, we need to bring to remembrance the former days, the answers and comfort we have received. We cannot throw away our confidence in God just because we are struggling with the trials of life. We must remember and continue with patience until we receive the promises, for they are sure.
I ended with D&C 6:20, which is a great if…then scripture.
20 Behold, thou art Oliver, and I have spoken unto thee because of thy desires; therefore atreasure up these words in thy heart. Be faithful and bdiligent in keeping the commandments of God, and I will encircle thee in the arms of my clove.
I love the verses that name people, because (as I know many of you already do) I love to put my name in them. I know we can receive that great blessing of being encircled in the arms of His love, too. My invitation for all was that they study the life, teachings, example and especially the Atonement of Christ. I know that as people strengthen their testimony of the Saviour, they feel even more desirous to get out and serve and share the Gospel.
Then, we laughed and were very pleased when an older sister in the Condado ward said we got a 10 for our great Spanish. That´s a tender mercy for us.
Take advantage of this time of year (and every time of year…) to share your testimonies and light with the world! We are the salt of the earth, the light that shines forth in all the darkness and confusion. We cannot help others if we hide that light. Show your love for the Savior this Christmas by simply sharing your testimony, serving others, and doing whatever you can think of, small or large, to do what Christ would do. I know He lives and loves us. I know he would have suffered and died as He did, even if I were the only person on the earth. That personal application of the Atonement applies to each and every one of us. I hope we can all do better at feeling the great love the Savior has for us, each day of our lives. I hope we can understand more and more that the Restored Gospel is what empowers us to receive the healing affects of the Atonement in our lives. That single, extraordinary event can make up for all the injustices in life, can heal broken hearts, and free the penitent sinner. Our Father could not have given us a better gift. What infinite love He has for us!
Mom, I hope you can get an idea of something to share with the branch from all this.
Shall we do the Christmas call the 23rd? Will everyone be home? Or would it be better on Christmas day? Whatever you want, we can work it out; you guys know when people will be there. It will be my same house number as in May. :P
I love you all so much. Have a great week!
Hna CS Henrichsen
Ecuabit: I´ve explained a little bit about how people sell things in the street, like food. Well, the food part can be fruit from baskets that people carry around, in big pots that have Ecuathings like humitas and quimbolitos, or on little grills that people bust out in the afternoon to start making things like tripa (intestine) or maybe a shishkabob-like treat. Why don´t you all get your barbeques working and make some good money? You´ll have the corner on the market of your street, I guarantee it! haha
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