Familia mia! Ojala que esten bien~ yo estoy muy bien :) Dios nos esta bendiciendo muchisimo.
This week has been INCREDIBLE! ...it all started Tuesday. We were sitting in the church teaching a lesson to a young couple and Obispo came over and said there are 3 families who he wants us to teach...asked if we could come meet them. We went to his office to find 3 woman each from a different family. The next day we visited them and were able to get to know them a little better....and the story unfolds.
Irma. She is a single mother of 2 young kids. Her husband died in Juarez 4-5 years ago. She hasn't ever been religous, her Sister is Mormon but not active in the church. We were planning on sharing with her the message of the Restoration. As we started talking to her I felt like we needed to teach the Plan of Salvation. They didn't know how they could live with their Dad/Husband again. A spark of hope entered into Irma's eyes as we told her about the possibility of eternal families. The Plan God has for families is unbelievable. It just makes sense. This woman has so much faith but does not know where to direct it. That is what the Gospel of Jesus Christ does so simply and clearly...it shows us how to direct our faith. To ACT and then feel and see the blessings in our lives.
Barbarita. She lives in a tiny little trailor. When you walk in you feel a little like your inside a tiny little Mexican cottage. We shared with her our message alongside a recent convert which reinforced in me the importance of having a member teaching with you. Someone who can relate in life experience as a single mother and also in formerly being a member of another faith.
Jazmine. A mother who just lost her work. She never has been religious and her Children know hardly anything about God. She wants to learn. She listens every moment she has that is not interupted by one of her young boys making some annoying noise or asking her for something.
The other day we had a challenge...to talk to every single person in our path. This has been a goal I've had my whole mission. However, this day we literally talked to EVERYONE in our path. That includes crashing man pachangas(fiestas). It turned out to be quite the successful day. We were driving to visit someone I saw a trailor on the corner out of the corner of my eye with a young Mom standing int he door frame holding her baby. Something called my attention. STOP! So we got out walked over and introduced ourselves. Christina. A struggling mother of 4...with a husband who drinks a lot and isn't to keen on discussing religion (He let us know that very clearly). I remember as I promised her that his would bless her family I remember her saying something like, I know I need it.
We also found ourselves putting on a little show for a group of kids on the dirt lot of a family fixing up their trailer to make it livelable. Tons of kids were out playing including Jose the young boy baptized in December...we got them all together and were teaching them how to pray. Hna Coles is AWESOME with kids. She has a bag full of games, puzzles, books...puppets...you name it. By the time we were done there was a big group of kids sitting in the dirt listening and laughing. One of those priceless moments you never ever want to forget.
La familia Chavez. A new family who lives in a half-finished house on the lot of a member. We've taught this family a few times this week and yesterday the whole family showed up to Stake Conference! Getting the head of the household to offer a kneeling prayer can be quite the challenge. The other night I asked the father to say the prayer before we left. He tried to act like he was to shy...he couldn't do it. But as we asked sincerely he said he would. He kneeled down with his family and probably for the first time in a really long time or ever who knows...he offered an incredible prayer for his family. It was so cool.
Most people when we ask them to pray after a lesson either try to make one of their kids do it, or just say I'll do it next time..I'll pray later. 2 Ne 32: 8-9 WORKS. Read it. It got a man with a 666 tattoo on his eyebrow who NEVER prayed out loud before to say a prayer in front of us and his wife! That was a miracle in itself if I ever saw one :)
I know God is blessing the work here in Horizon beyond what I thought possible a couple of weeks ago. Really good things are happening. When you keep working hard even when it seems rough but you keep going...miracles happen.
Our mission has been reading the Book of Mormon beginning to end highlighting the attributes, words, doctrine and names of Christ. He is truly on every page. The Book of Mormon is another testament of Jesus Christ. I know that is true. I know Christ lives and by reading this testament of Him here in the American continent I have learned more about the Savior. It is amazing how many times the people in the Book of Mormon forget the Lord and begin to rely on themselves. But the Lord is always there to lift them up again. He asks simple things...Repent and come unto me. The Book of Mormon is teaching me how to become a Disciple of Christ...a process that will continue the rest of my life. But I know this is all something so special. I know that if people read and pray with the intention to know and obey whatever answer is given. He will give it in His way and in His time. Read it. Por favor. Hna Coles always says...everyone has at least 60 seconds a day to read 1 verse :)
So much more has happened and I don't have time to explain it all but...just know. The Lord is in charge here. And that is the most comforting thing in the world.
Yo se que yo estoy tratando de enfocarme bien en lo que es importante. La caridad nunca ha tenido mas significado para mi.
La caridad es amor. Jesucristo es amor y entonces...nadie puede llegar a ser como Jesucristo sin la caridad. Esta leccion es una que voy a llevar conmigo toda mi vida. En el servicio de los demas...podemos encontrar nostros mismos y entender el proposito del porque del Evangelio de Jesucristo.
Los quiero mucho!
Gracias por todo que hacen.
Hermana Holland
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