Buenas Tardes! Como estan!? This week was AWESOME! Hope yours was too. Sure love you guys. Oh and Happy Halloween!! Ok first and foremost I love the name Rosie right now...because we have two investigators named Rosie who are doing SO GOOD! Estan progresando muy bien. One of them is planning to be baptized this Saturday and she had to quit smoking. Last weekend we started her on the 7 days to quit smoking program IT WORKS...when the person decides they are actually going to do something and rely no the Lord anything is possible.
So Rosie didn't smoke all week and told us it wasn't even that hard because she decided it was time and she was going to do it. She is super excited for her baptism! Last night we were talking to her and she told us about how the other night she was having a hard time sleeping and was upset...usually in those moments she grabs a beer or a cigarette and goes out on the porch. Instead this night she grabbed her Book of Mormon and started reading and praying...then fell right asleep. And she felt so much better...because instead of turning to the things of the world to solve her problem she turned to the Lord. It is an incredible thing to see changes in people that happen through the Savior. Yesterday we taught a lesson on Repentance and it reminded me of some pretty cool stuff...funny when you teach and when you serve you always get so much out of it yourself. But it reminded me of the crucial role of the Savior in repentance and change...and again this morning with my incredible companion. We are so similar. I see her frustrations and am reminded of how I felt about a year ago. Seeing all my weaknesses so clearly in front of my eyes and wondering how in the world I was going to do this...and realizing the importance of trusting that if I keep doing my best the Lord will teach me step by step because thats how He works. And then one day you come to see...wow, that doesn't bother me as much as it use to. That doesn't make me nervous like it used to...and then you come to realize experiencing first-hand you truly do reap what you sow. Goes for me as a missionary and for the people we teach...Rosie decided to change so she did and now look at her. Happy...and ready to start a new life for herself and her two little ones Destiny and Pollo.
Now onto the other Rosie. This Rosie has a whole other set of trials, fears, concerns and changes she has made in her life through the Savior. Rosie is struggling with her husband. Her family has been on the brinks of separation...they still are and she is fighting so hard to keep them together. This poor woman...we finally had an opportunity to teach her and her husband together. It didn't go so smooth as our Ward Mission Leader accompanied us and spent an hour telling his conversion story. We finally got an opportunity to share a message at this point it was pretty late...our heads were beating after an hour of trying to step in and take control of the situation. But at the end we were able to get to the point...his family. The plan Heavenly Father has for Him and for his family. I could see in his eyes a click of interest. Yet all the other things that are more important to him right now keep him from doing what he knows he should for his family. We asked him to try after the testimony of his wife who has found answers, peace, and a closer relationship with her Savior through the Book of Mormon to try it out. To read a few verses. To get down on his knees and say a prayer. He simply said I cannot. I am not ready. I don't feel the way you do..talking to his wife. I don't feel it. There is the key. He has no desire to feel it. Rosie told us the first time we came by she had no desire to read because she didn't feel it. It wasn't until things started getting really hard with her husband that she turned to God for comfort and decided to open up the Book of Mormon and read. To her surprise she discovered peace. She discovered hope of a greater plan than the one the world teaches her. She discovered the love of her Savior and now there is no going back. We set a goal for her to get baptized in 2 weeks. We will see if it happens :) I believe it will. I have seen a change in her that all started with a desire from within herself.
Psalms 147:3 "He healeth the broken in heart and bindeth up their wounds." His power to heal is beyond any of us. He has healed me poco a poco...little by little. All of us need his healing love at some point in our lives. When we decide to include him miraculous changes occur. Once again I sat this week in front of an incredible, talented daughter of our Heavenly Father in tears because of the pain her husband is causing the family...and there we sit 2 little 21 year olds well now 22 ew..and although she can say well you don't understand your not married we bring the message and love of the one who understands all. The Savior Jesus Christ. And once again I am brought back to the simple, clear, and beautiful Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Se que un cambio de corazon empieza con un deseo. Y cuando tenemos un deseo de cambiar y confiamos en el senor para hacerlo milagros pasan. ..pero pasan poco a poco. Se que la expiacion de Jesucristo es infinita y real en mi vida y puede ser en la vida de cada uno do nostros. Personas que han dejado de ir a la iglesia por alguna razon...tienen una voz que aveces les dice que deben regresar. Me dicen eso. Pero tambien hay otra voz del mundo..del camino mas facil que les dice no..es demasiado trabajo estas comodo. No tiene que cambiar nada. Se que siempre tenemos que buscar cosas para cambiar. Y cuando lo hacemos volvemos por atras y podemos ver que hemos cambiado mucho. Quisiera expresar mi amor por el senor que hizo mucho para mi y para ud tambien. Se que el evangelio de jesucristo es verdadero y hay un camino que nos ayuda llegar a la presencia de nuestro padre otra vez.
Thanks for all the Birthday love and support. I love you all so much. Happy Halloween! Be safe.
Hermana Holland
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