Tuesday, April 14, 2015

March 30, 2015- Gracias a Que El Vive

My busy crazy life has again gotten the best of me and I am getting so behind on posting updates to this blog. This group email says everything that needs to be said.

"HOLA MIS BONITOS AMIGOS!!

This week was super awesome :) Weeks go by so fast, but there are always so many things that happen that it just isn't possible to explain everything!!

This week a bunch of missionaries are going home.. we are losing 2 awesome missionaries from our district, but that's ok, they will go on to do great things!! We are also losing one Spanish Hermana, which means we only have one native Hermana left in the mission.. haha! The rest of us Spanish hermanas are all gringas!! :)

Anyways, yesterday we were at the church for 8 1/2 HOURS. Haha, church starts at 2 and goes till 5, but we got there at 1 because Hermana Mensinger and I randomly got told that we needed to be part of this musical number for the Charla Fogonera (recent convert/returning member fireside) that night.. yeah. The Spanish program does one separate from the English, but it is super fun!! So we did the song from the band "lower lights" called "Brightly beams our Father's mercy," but in Spanish.. go look it up! Elders Rascon and Bigelow in our district had one of their CDs and Elder Rascon just kindof figured out the guitar part and I figured out some chords on the piano that day... we practiced forever and it ended up working out!! We'll have to film it sometime..

I love being a missionary!! If any of you are even CONSIDERING it, GO! It is the best decision you will ever make! I will NEVER regret my mission. Never ever. I have seen way too many lives change through the knowledge of the restoration of the gospel and through Christ's everlasting Atonement. I encourage you all to go look up the video "Because He Lives." It is the new Easter initiative put out by the church, and it is AMAZING. I will never be able to repay my Savior for all that he has done for me. I will never be able to express how grateful I am for the greatness of God's plan, and for the opportunity I have to learn and grow everyday, and to have come to a knowledge of the beautiful simple truth of the gospel and what it contains. I know I am not perfect. We all make mistakes. That is the beauty of His plan. We do NOT have to suffer or feel guilt for the things we have done... that has ALREADY been paid for, through Christ. All we have to be willing to do is accept him. Accept what he has done to make it possible for us to feel the relief and eternal joy that comes from his divine example and sacrifice for all of us.

It is my prayer that as we choose to follow his example and not only learn more of him, but come to know him personally through prayer and by living in the way he would live, that we will bring ourselves closer to him and feel of His love for both us and everyone else. I pray that as I continue in my mission, that I will be able to see people in the way that Jesus sees them. That I will be able to give that IMMEDIATE love, care, and compassion that each and every one of God's children deserves.

As general conference comes up on this lovely Easter weekend, I invite all of you to ponder your relationship with Christ, and ask God if He will but answer your prayers in how you can become closer to Him and align your will with His. I testify that He loves, He lives, and will continue to do so forever and ever, and can witness to that in the name of Jesus Christ, in whom I represent, Amen. :)

I love you all, and I thank my Heavenly father for the relationship I have with each and every one of you individually!! I pray that you will have an awesome week filled with the love and remembrance of our savior and what he has done for each of you personally!

((Mosiah 2:17))"

We have a little joke in our home about the song "Love at Home". Sorry, but it is one of my least favorite Hymns. I just don't like the tune:/ When I was younger I used to listen to a version of it that was not particularly great and so when I listen to it now I always think about that version.  So..our family made up a different tune to the song so that I can handle it a little better when we sing it haha. I wrote to Mariah and actually told her that I didn't really mind the version of it that they sang at the General Womens Conference and this was her response to that...

"The General Women's conference was STELLAR!! SO much revelation received!! Yes, the conference seriously made me feel like "I LOVE THIS GOSPEL!!" That version with Love at Home really wasn't too bad ;) The video with the families singing "The Family is of God" was a little cheesy, but cute ha :)"

Mariah also shared something that she has learned on her mission in being able to internalize the things that we are taught by the spirit and then in turn, be able to share those things with others.  A huge part of that is just writing things down as the spirit confirms and reaffirms.  Here is what Mariah had to say about what she has learned..

"One thing I used to struggle with was being able to relay over info I had been taught through the spirit. In order to do missionary work I have to be able to do that! Something that has helped me a LOT recently is some advice from Pres Riggs. Every time I am listening to one of the church leaders (even if it be in sunday school, anywhere I am able to receive revelation) I make a note of it to the side that says "TO DO:" and whenever I feel something testified to ME SPECIFICALLY that I need to change that wasn't word for word I make a note to the side saying "Mariah note:" it has helped so much!!

She said that they have been inviting people like crazy to listen and watch General Conference.  Her last words to us before conference were these..

"I WANT EVERYONE TO WATCH GENERAL CONFERENCE. I love it so so much, I am SO excited!! :)"  

I am so happy that she has such a love for the Gospel and that she loves hearing from our Church leaders. What an awesome thing it is for us to be taught at the feet of the Prophet of God and His Apostles. I am always so excited for General Conference just like she is. 

Here are some cute pics that have shown up on our Ipad recently.  Can I just say that I LOVE technology?!!



Below are the links to the Easter Video that was put out by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.  One in Spanish and one in English.  This is the video that Mariah was talking about in her letter. Please take the time to watch the video if you haven't had a chance. I promise you won't regret it:)





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