Changes

 

 Hola a todos! I hope that each and every one of you have had an amazing week. I wanted to take just a few moments to talk about how this last week has been for me out here in Winchester, VA. 

     To start, I'm starting to get memories from when I started the mission as the temperature continues to drop on the East Coast. This last week we saw snow which was super pretty. For those of you who do not know, I am absolutely in love with Christmas. As snow has started to fall and the trees barren, I'm reminded that we are entering the greatest time of the year. It is an almost unmatched opportunity to remember the great gifts God has given us and to give those gifts to others. It is a time of sharing, of loving, and of caring for those around us. As we begin to enter the holiday season. I invite each of you to take a step back and look around. Step back from whatever it is that captivates your attention and time and look at those around you. Find the people who God has placed in your path who stand in need of your help. 

     Well, injury alert (not me, don't worry). This last week was pretty stressful, but the peak happened to come when my companion Elder Stewart possibly fractured his fibula. We will be spending a nice large portion of our day in the hospital today. Elder Stewart has to have an X-ray and possibly an MRI, depending on the extent of tearing in his muscles and tendons surrounding the ankle. For those wondering, this happened stepping off a moving van ramp onto the endge of the curb. 

     As far as the work goes, we are starting to see lots of miracles. Winchester has an incredible potential, and I'm excited to try and work my hardest this next transfer as it will most likely be my last here in this area. 

     I mentioned in my last email that we would be placed into a trio for the next transfer, and it has been a major learning curve so far. Learning how to teach in a trio and even live together is completely different than anything I've had to learn on the mission. But it has been great. Elder Moore has about the same time as me in the mission, and his knowledge of the Bible is amazing. One thing I will say though is that I have never felt so powerful on my mission than I do walking down the street or knocking doors with three guys total. 

     As far as a spiritual thought goes, I've started reading from the beginning of the Book of Mormon again. This last week I read the story of Nephi, which has always been an inspiring one to me. I've pondered many times on his attempts to retrieve the records from Laban in Jerusalen in around 595 BC. What has always called my attention is his persistance. Nephi makes 3 different attempts to retrieve the plates and succeeds on the third. I know how easy it is to give up on something after a first failure, let alone a second. To attempt a third time either means that you are crazy or you have exceeding faith. His was the latter. I want to bear testimony that failure is okay. To fear failure is to fear growth. We need to be willing, as Nephi was, to "go and do the things which the Lord hath commandeth"(1 Nephi 3:7), no matter how many times we have to pick ourselves up again. Whatever has happened in the past, leave it in the past. Allow yourself to move on and look towards what your goals are. There's a verb in Spanish that I love which essentially means to desire above all else. Anhelar. I invite each of you to think about what it is that truly, in your heart, that you "anhela," or desire above all else. I love you. The Lord loves you. See you next week.    

4 Attachments • Scanned by Gmail