Pressing On

Note: She didn't send pics this week, but I just added this picture because I love it!

Mi amoroso familia,

I love being a missionary :) I love sharing the gospel. I love teaching people about the Savior and reading with them in the Book of Mormon. I love watching spiders crawl out of my bag when I reach in to grab something. I love not knowing that the soup might have tongue and brain in it until after I ate it. I love walking through grassy fields full of flowers and cows and stepping in the largest mud pot ever. I love playing volleyball with 4 foot Latinos. I love watching the storms roll in from the porch of an investigator. What a wonderful world this is... so beautiful.

Sayra rocked her first Sunday in church. Right after Sacrament (which her husband came to with her!) she came running up to me and said vamos! its time for class. And then she leaned over during class and sad "I feel so much happiness." I love her. She got assigned to be the head of a service project commitee that is making blankets for a little village nearby. Calling on the first day. That's one way to keep her active. Hermana Castaneda and I taught the gospel principles class because we dont have a teacher and it was so awesome to hear the sweet little thoughts and testimonies of our investigators. One even bore his testimony in Sacrament Meeting this fast Sunday. That was awesome :) His name is Keivin. He has 17 years and is studying at a school here. He loves the church activities and is learning super fast. He is struggling to commit to a specific day for baptism but we are praying and working on it. It will come. That is how a lot of people are right now. Progressing but not commiting.

I started reading in the Book of Mormon this morning, just where I was in Mosiah 26, and when I got to verse 13 and 14 about Alma pouring out his soul in prayer to the Lord about what he could do for these people who arent making and keeping covenants- I was reminded of a little experience I had yesterday.

I was trying to think of how I could improve my teaching or my lessons with investigators and less actives too. I want to be more like the Savior, to say what He would say and love as He loves. I kept thinking to myself, man if the Savior were really here He would know exactly what scriptures to share, exactly what things to say, and what questions would invite the spirit of revelation and lead them towards making covenants with our Father in Heaven.

Then I thought again- 1) I am literally a representative of Jesus Christ. I have been promised the companionship of the Holy Ghost to give me the words to say and to witness to my investigadores that they are true. I bring them to Him.  2) Our Savior, Jesus Christ, was rejected himself so many times. Every single day of His life. No matter what miracle He performed, who He healed, what He taught, or what blessings He promised would follow their obedience... some people still rejected the Savior himself. The very one who a few days later would give His life for their salvation. Who would suffer incomprehensible amounts of pain so they would not have to if they would repent. The same Redeemer, the same King of all the earth, the same Shepherd whom they chose in the premortal realm to come down and rescue their weary souls.

¨For it is I that taketh upon me the sins of the world,

for it is I that hath created them,

and it is I that granteth unto him that believeth unto the end a place at my right hand.¨ (Mosiah 26:23)

This truly is the Lord´s work. All that is required is a willing heart and hands dedicated to doing His work, building the kingdom of God on the earth and establishing Zion wherever we are. In the process of doing this, we find our own personal refinement. We find ourselves emersed in the process of perfection and also enveloped in the arms of his love and peace.

¨He that findeth his life shall lose it,

and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.¨ (Mat 10:42)

I love this work. I love testifying of the Savior and I love knowing that everything I testify of is real and true! There is not one doubt in my mind. I put all my trust in the Savior to go where He wants me to go, to say what He wants me to say, and to become who He wants and needs me to become. And through this process I hope to bring as many souls as possible into the arms of our Savior, Jesus Christ, to Him who is mighty to save, willing to forgive, and whose hands are ready to heal.

¨Thou ary my servant, and I covenant with thee that thou shalt have eternal life, and though shalt serve me and go forth in my name, and shalt father together my sheep.

And he that will hear my voice shall be my sheep, and him shall ye recieve into the church and him will I also recieve.¨ (Mosiah 26:20-21)

Oh how great is my joy and how humble my heart with this sacred calling to represent this perfect person, our perfect friend, and perfect Advocate with our Father. He lives. I know it.

I love you guys so much. You are truly my inspiration and my motivation. I love nothing more than testifying of the potential that families have to be happy and eternal through the gospel of Jesus Christ. His work and His glory has become my own- to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of every man that will listen to me.

All my love and prayers,

Hermana Jane