I've thought a lot about faith lately. Almost everyone I talk to says they have faith in Jesus Christ. But do they show it. Faith is principle of Action. So how do you show you have faith in Heavenly Father? I think even the smallest acts show our faith in Him. Even Mom just driving kids around all day. Shows Heavenly Father how much she cares for her kids and wants the best for them.
We've been visiting a family of girls...their Mom hasn't been around lately. We've taught the Mom a few lessons. Every time we go over, the littlest one is walking around without clothes in just a diaper...pretty dirty. The apartment always has a distinct mildew smell. the older girls take care of the little one for the most part from what we can see. The other night we stopped by, one of the little ones was covered in dust...she'd been playing in something dirty...they told us their mom didn't have time to take them to school and they had been locked in the house all day. They came out to talk to us over the fence on their little patio. All they wanted were hugs. Love. We asked if they were hungry. They kind of said no but I could tell they kind of were. We told them we would be right back. I have this little box that looks like gold plates from the incredible hna cope filled with candy for the kids who read their Book of Mormon. I put a piece of candy in the hand of the little girl covered in dust and her face lit up like it was Christmas. I couldn't believe it. The most genuine sincere gratitud for something so small.
Funny story from last week I forgot to mention...okay so after seeing what a pitbull can do to Hna Jarman...I've had a bit of a fear of those dogs. We went to dinner at this house where they have a front patio with a gate and usually their pitbull is in its cage because they know he doesn't like us. So like usualy I peeked through the hole on the fence to see if he was locked up. To my surprise I see the dog charging the gate all of a sudden it busts open Hna B immediately starts screaming so then I start screaming she runs to a tree in front of their house hiding her face I follow in a state of panic because the dog is freaking out looking like he is going to attack...I was told to poke the eyes but that definitely did not enter my mind in the moment. So we looked ridiculous standing by a tree hiding our eyes screaming just waiting for the pain in our legs. THANKFULLY the son came running out to hold the dog back while we ran in the apt. I haven't had adrenaline like that in a very long time. Afterwards I laughed really hard...but it was not funny in the moment. So hopefully you will get a good laugh out of that picture.
Margarita. It all started with one of our favorite families...a less-active family we knocked into and the wife has stopped working on Sundays after 4 years and is coming every Sunday!!! We teach her english every Friday for service. She was saying a prayer and I thought...ask her if she has any friends we could visit. I've been working on asking everyone..hard to remember. So I asked. She said she was talking to one of her friends who told her she just didn't believe there was really one perfect church. She said she didn't have the courage to say well...I know there is one perfect church. So I asked if we could go tell her. She gave us the best directions she could. The only thing that was right about it was the parking spot. So we went looking for her apt. We had the right one. On our way back to the car we passed the parking spot I had recognized on the way in. I walked by the car. Then something clicked in my mind a woman had just gotten in the car. The back window was slightly rolled down...I asked if they knew a Margarita not really knowing why. The kid in front kind of noded. Margarita opened her door and told us her apt number...so we went back the other night. We began to explain our message, as soon as we mentioned the Book of Mormon..she shut off. She said she completely respected us but does not believe in any other book than the Bible. I just wanted her to know there was one perfect church. I said as confidently as I knew how...Se que hay una iglesia en el mundo que es perfecta. Las personas en la iglesia no son perfectas pero la iglesia es perfecta. Es la iglesia de Jesucristo. (I know there is one perfect church, the people in the church are not perfect but the church is..the Gospel is. It is the Church of Jesus Christ.) As I said that something in her eyes changed. Almost like she couldn't believe I would say such a thing. But the coolest thing is I could say it without a doubt. I know the Gospel is perfect..and if lived will give you the happiness almost everyone is searching for. Everyone just seems to live looking for happiness in things that don't last...and then they wonder why they aren't really happy. At least the people I've been talking to. So I am just trying to figure out how to help others rely on their Savior to give them happiness. Don't give up. The real happiness you might be looking for exists. And we have all the tools to find it. Just figuring out how to use them can be a little tough sometime. If it weren't we wouldn't really learn.
In church yesterday a man spoke about the plan of salvation. How in all that exists in space our universe is just a speck. Let alone our world. Let alone us. It is easy to feel small and maybe even unimportant. But the fact that a baby is born breathing with perfect hands and feet...with a working body...is evidence that we have a loving Heavenly Father who cares about each and every one of us. To give a gift like our bodies...to give us the opportunity to have a family. Each and every one of us matters. He said...when we chose to come to the earth our Heavenly Father probably said something like...be good for this short life you will live on earth...it will determine everything and it is such a small moment. It sounds better in Spanish and makes more sense to me but. Portense bien....entonces...BE GOOD!
Mis amigos. Les quiero. Gracias por sus ejemplos. Se que Dios vive. Su Obra es real. Su espiritu es real. Siempre hay cosas para mejorar...si no...no aprenderiamos. Batallando es una bendicione. Por que mediante nuestras preubas...aprendemos mucho mas. Siempre estamos cambiando. Pero durante todo...recuerde que ud es tan importante aun que no se siente que si. Portense bien :)
Hermana Holland
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