Buenas Tardes. No puedo creer que aqui estoy de nuevo. School is starting again! Hope you all survived the first day :) Mom.
Things are great here in the beautiful El Paso, TX...there really is nothing like it :) School has started and the days are getting shorter...and amazing things are happening.
La Familia Colin. So the family we found in la tiendita last Monday who said they had 4 kids who wanted to be baptized. They are the coolest family ever. BLESSINGS..they just keep me going. These kids are incredible. They just sit and listen and EAT it up. They all came to church yesterday. The first time in 8 years for the parents...The 4 little boys walked in in their white shirts y corbatas (ties) and the little girl in her fancy little dress. SO COOL. We went to their house after church for dinner and the kids were like...WE LOVED CHURCH. We are excited for next week! The parents expressed to us how much they had forgotten. It just reminded me how easy it is to forget all we learn. The kids are planning to be baptized next month...and they are going to work toward going to the temple :) The kids are the inspiration. They are the ones who want it...the reason the Dad came up and talked to us. AMAZING!
I am still constantly amazed by the power of the Book of Mormon. We've been visiting this less-active family who has started coming to church more and more. We always leave them with a chapter to read in the Book of Mormon when we visit them. The Mom ALWAYS reads it. She is an excellent student. We are trying to animate the 18 year old boy to think about a mission....but this week we stopped by and Hna Clark was just SO HAPPY. She started expressing to us the change she has seen in her life...in just herself since she has started reading the Book of Mormon more. That Book is amazing. If you guys haven't picked it up lately do to the back to school madness... Please do. You will be happy ...because you are trying to learn something. Even if you don't totally understand it you will see/feel a difference if you are trying...with sincere intent and faith. Promise...and that is a real Promise. Just read Moroni 10.
We started teaching Celena and her daughter Jasmine this week. Jasmine is 14 years old starting her Freshman year today and is pregnant. Celena is hilarious...HILARIOUS. Jasmine is a sweetheart and needs some good friends. They both have been reading the Book of Mormon. And the other day, Celena said to us...you know ever since I started reading this book, good things are happening. I don't really know why. But you guys better keep coming. Celena is a smoker and so we are starting her on the Non-Smoking program which if followed exactly allows you to quit smoking in 7 days. It is pretty intense. Involves unsweetened grapefruit juice and many other cinnamon goods. She wants to quit...so she says. And so we will see if she REALLY does :) Jasmine is reading and the Gospel is what she needs right now. People here get married and have babies SO YOUNG. The High School has a baby daycare....WOW! I have just realized how grateful I am for growing up with the teachings I did. Our decisions are so important...many of them have eternal consequences.
I heard a story yesterday about the Atonement or the suffering of our Savior Jesus Christ for us~ There was a girl who found herself in a room filled with drawers. You enter this room to find you life written. Every moment. Each drawer had a label for example "Music" and inside that drawer were cards of all the songs she'd ever listened to in her life. Another drawer was labeled, " lustful thoughts" with cards filled of every lustful thought....each of these drawers contained cards with her actions written small and big. There was another drawer titled "People I've shared the Gospel with" This particular girl found herself in the room feeling the guilt of all the bad things written and the lack of cards in her drawer of people she shared the Gospel with ....all the lustful thoughts....the music drawer full of songs she'd spent so much time listening to. Jesus Christ enters the room, and this girl in shame cannot bare to look at Him in the eye. She hides in the corner crying, filled with sorrow and regret.... Instead of saying anything Jesus sits and cries with her. Each of the cards in her drawer has her name signed at the bottom. Jesus gets up and walks over to the drawer. He opens it, pulls out the cards and begins to sign His name over hers. After a time he turns to her and says "It is finished" ...and the girl continues her life...writing more cards...filling more drawers.
To me this story gave me a very real perspective of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. How would you feel about your room right now? If Jesus Christ walked in to see it would you be afraid or excited to see Him...interesting questions. Of course there will be things we always are trying to change and improve. That is the beauty of the Atonement. It makes up for the part we can't do ourselves. But if we are honestly doing our best I believe we will be happy to see Him.
There is a parable...There was a little girl who really wanted to buy a bike but only had 61 cents. Her Dad told her, give me all the money you have and a big hug and a kiss...and I will give you the bike, just as any loving able Father would. We have a goal of eternal life with our Heavenly Father, but we all come far short of perfection. But if we give Him everything we have...we SHOW Him how much we love Him...He will make up for the rest. Jesus Christ will make up for the rest. To me that is the most beautiful and valuable gift we could ever receive. I can't tell you all how grateful I am for the Atonement of Jesus Christ. It has changed me...It will change you. In reality it saves us. I don't even know how to explain it...but the Atonement is just so much LOVE.
2 Timothy 4:7 "I have fought the good fight...I have kept the faith."
Se que la expiacion de nuestro Salvador Jesucristo es real. Se que el vive. Y todos nosotros somos importantes a el. El sufrio para que pudieramos ser salvos y regresar a la presencia de nuestro Padre Celestial. Tengo mucho gratitud por un Salvador que estaba dispuesto a tomar sobre el mismo el dolor y pena del mundo. Es un don increible. Usalo. Le quiero mucho a mi Salvador Jesucristo. Y a ustedes tambien :)
Have a great week,
Hermana Holland
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