Ramona - Week #21 - September 24, 2013

JUST DO IT!! HAGALO!!

Mi familia bonita,

 

I sure love you. I want to tell you some things I've learned this week:

 

1. Agency is the WORST sometimes!! (and also... super duper wonderful and absolutely essential for our eternal salvation and  happiness) We found out this week that Marisol and Jose have decided to separate and that Marisol and the kids are moving to San Marcos (out of our mission). The human part of us was obviously completely heart-broken to find that out. But we know that God still has huge plans for this family and that he will continue to take care of them. We are still praying for miracles, because we know their journey in this Gospel is not over. They've just taken a couple side roads that Satan has put in their way (full-throttle). But thank you so much for all your thoughts and prayers with this family, you have no idea how much that means to me.

 

2. Work truly is the cure to every trial and disappointment that happens on a mission. My testimony of that has been strengthened this week for sure.  After we found out about Marisol, we decided to WORK! And that day was incredible. We contacted so many people, got so many referrals, and added some new investigators! We added 12 investigators this past week! It's been a hard, heart-breaking, wonderful, successful week.

 

3. The way we access the power of the Atonement is by living the Gospel, right? So, my purpose as a missionary is to give people access to the Atonement by teaching them the Restored Gospel! I've always known that, but it has hit me so hard this week seeing all the changes our investigators have made through the Atonement.  Pablo, one of our investigators who is getting so close to baptism, has made so many changes. He stopped drinking completely, and also stopped drinking coffee, all at once. The only thing holding him back from getting baptized is that he works every Sunday. We're working really hard on overcoming that with him. He's SO close!! Every time we have a lesson with him, he says, "Hermanas, I just want to get baptized. I'm ready!" Golden? 

 

This week, we got to teach the "Preach My Gospel" class where everyone in the branch is invited and we just teach and help the members do their own missionary work. It was so successful! We talked about following the Spirit in talking to strangers or long-lost friends about the Gospel. Wanna know the cure to that? JUST DO IT! We also had Zone Conference this week! It was awesome. The main theme of the conference was also "JUST DO IT." That's basically the theme of the whole mission. I'm so blessed to be here in San Diego to be serving with all these amazing leaders, missionaries, members, and investigators in this beautiful place. Missionary work is so stinkin' hard and wonderful. 

 

Hermana Barnes