Monday, December 2, 2013

Learning to Look With Love

Merry Christmas!!!!!!! I hope the houses are all decorated and ready for the Christmas Hollidays!!! It really doesn't feel like Christmas here in the heat but lots of houses are decorated with their trees and lights. Santa doesn't exist here. he can't come because there is no snow. But mostly they are too poor they don't really give gifts here. But it is fun to see the lights. Also everyone is out of school and this is the time for camps and EFY (really weird that it is in December!).
This week we did celebrate Thanksgiving as a zone. So we had the Elders from Bluefills come. A sister in our branch cooked turkey and chicken and we had mashed potatoes and rolls. Then brownies and ice cream. We spent 3,000 cordobas. But it was really good!!! Fun to see all the Elders and talk to them. 

We had some pretty rough mometns this week. Wednesday we went out to work and NOBODY wanted to listen to us. Every single person we talked to wanted nothing to do with us. But I guess every missionary has to experience a day like that :) Even Jesus had to deal with a lot of naysayers so why not me. My companion kept asking if I had had days like that before and to be honest that was the first!! But we just laughed at all the silliness and hard heartedness of the people. Then On Thursday we went to meet with a man named John Baker. He was prepared with his Bible and scriptures written to combat anything we said. I had to insist we start with a pray (he didn't want to, bad sign). But he went on to tell us our church was a curse and invented by men. That there was no truth in it. And he went on from there. I kept praying for inspiration as to what to say but nothing came to my mind. He finally let us leave and I guess the Lord had nothing to say to this poor man. He felt like he had woni the battle and stumped us, but he is so very wrong. Hope that later on he will see the light!! But when we left he told us that our 18 monhts was nothing to the life that some preachers give to the work.....um.....don't think I ever felt my spirit so upset and ofended before. But we did feel like the apostles of Jesus when he told them they would leave some houses shaking the dirt of their feet....what a day.
But it wasn't all bad!!! We had Zone Conference which I love. We heard the testimonies of the missionaries who go home on Dec 11. Then got to learn from our leaders and other missionaries. Then some of our investigators are REALLY progressing. A young girl who is 11 has almost finished the Book of Nefi and her mom has seen her change in behavior as a sing that the church is true :) We have found some great people here. We have also been able to talk to our leaders to figure out how we can help the less active here. I lose my patience sometimes with them and tell myself we will never visit them again, but then have to think about how Jesus feels about them and decide to go  visit them the following week. 
I also learned an important lesson of not judging ANYBODY. We went to the house of an investigator and she had some men sitting outside. Some ruggid looking men. I really don't like to contact them (i have a little fear of them :) But when they said she wasn't there, we had to invite them at least to church.  A few seconds later we found out one was a member and got the chance to hear his conversion story. A shining bright light in a really hard day. So don't judge people by how they look!!! Never know their story!!
I have read a lot in my personal study this week about the love that Jesus has for us; he had to choose to die and did it only out of love for us. And he really truly cares about us. But I found an incredible scripture in D&C:  41 He acomprehendeth all things, and all things are before him, and all things are round about him; and he is above all things, and in all things, and is through all things, and is round about all things; and all things are by him, and of him, even God, forever and ever.
 42 And again, verily I say unto you, he hath given a alaw unto all things, by which they move in their btimes and their seasons;
 43 And their courses are fixed, even the courses of the heavens and the earth, which comprehend the earth and all the planets.
 44 And they give alight to each other in their times and in their seasons, in their minutes, in their hours, in their days, in their weeks, in their months, in their years—all these are bone year with God, but not with man.
 45 The earth arolls upon her wings, and the bsun giveth his light by day, and the moon giveth her light by night, and the stars also give their light, as they roll upon their wings in their glory, in the midst of the cpower of God.
 46 Unto what shall I liken these kingdoms, that ye may understand?
 47 Behold, all these are akingdoms, and any man who hath bseenany or the least of these hath cseen God dmoving in his majesty and power.
Wow, it was pretty powerful!!! Everything we see, we are seeing God. Just remember that!!!! 
I hope you know how much I love you all!! Thank you for all of your prayers and interest in how I am doing over here!! I hope you all have great weeks!!! Don't give up!!! It is worht the fight!!! It will all be worht it in the end. And remember we are never given ANY trial that we can't handle. And we can use the Grace of Jesus to overcome anything. 
I have a testimony that this Church is true. I know that God loves each and every one of us (I have learned an important lesson of not judging anybody by their appearance) and cares about how we feel and progress. Keep up the great work!!!! 

Until next week!!!! Love, Hna. Morey!!  AKA The Brown one

And I can't believ about Clair!!! In Bolivia!!!!! She will be down South with Nick!!!! The Moreys and Siebachs are going to convert the world!!!!! Woot!!!!! Now where will Beth serve....!?



No comments:

Post a Comment