Monday December 6th, 2011
To whom it may concern...
I have good news world....after 4 whole months I finally got over my laziness and dyed my hair!!! haha It looked so bad - but I finally got productive and went and got the hair color and did it today for pday! My hair looks SO much better now and maybe it will make me look more Argentine...haha - my dream, and it will look better for the talk I am giving Thursday at the Zone Christmas meeting.
So it has been a very basic week. The sad news is my comp and I both got colds this week ahhhhh! My health is a joke - it lasted a pretty long time so we didn’t get to do much - we would like go out and try working and hit up some appointments, but just feel and look like death after a few hours and like roll back home and die in our beds. haha poor us in poor Argentina - what are we gonna do.....
Updates:
-We found a baby kitten like crying SO loud one night in the windy night and we saved her and fed her. It was tender. I don’t think I can count on my hands how many freaking times I have saved little animals in my mission - I feel like there are just so many stray animals everywhere in this country and no one cares about them – so sad!
-We met a super cool guy from Buenos Aires, that stopped us to ask us for directions and immediately regretted it, as he could tell we were not from here either, but he was super nice and we chatted it up and taught him a lot about our church. He was very interested and we got all stoked to continue passing but we found out he was leaving back to Buenos Aires the next day. ☹ We told him to go to the church by his house over there and meet with the missionaries. We hoped we planted a dang good seed because he was super cool and fun to talk to and teach and seemed as though he will follow up.
-We are still teaching Javier and he is super just pumped on life and loves the gospel. We asked him if he was reading the Book of Mormon and he was so fun he was like ¨yes! But the problem is every time I read it, I can’t stop thinking about it because it is just so interesting and I just want to read more and ask questions. He still has all his problems like working on Sundays, still needs to get married, and the whole divorce thing, but we are hoping for yet another great miracle like last month and we are hoping all will work out and he will be able to be baptized by Christmas!
-Monday night we went to go pass for a recent convert Elsa - who has just been the trial of our lives- and she was so crazy and freaked out on us and told us she never wants us to come back and started making up lies, like my comp was going to hit her....,and she was honestly being a child so we like tried talking to her but she just wouldn’t listen and we all ended up just fighting and we stormed out. ☹ It was a mess, and it really made me uncomfortable because I hate contention -like we all know that about me - and it was just so awkward and she was just so annoying. So that pretty much ruined our week because we just felt she was SO ungrateful because we have done everything in the world for that woman and spent so much time with her and energy and she was just so rude and selfish. It really hurt, and we are hoping she has a change of heart and we will see what happens. I mean what can you do - you can only love and try to help people with their issues and problems but everyone has choices and free agency to accept something and change, so we will have to be patient and just see.
-Another story from the week – so we just love the hermanas in Villa Independencia in our zone - Hermana Masters and Mcdonald- (who was my comp for 2 transfers in Arroyito) and Masters is just LEGIT, and so amazing cutie red head from L.A. - they are both such amazing missionaries and just such hard workers and so impressive and obedient and loving, and we just want the world for them, because they deserve that and everything more for the hard work they have put in together and into their missions. They have been working with this investigator, Rodrigo, for all this transfer and have been doing everything so he can get baptized and he has been so close so many times but still wasn’t making it. We all had been praying and fasting and calling them daily just to see how they are, because we love them so much and the zone just wants the best for each other - its like a big family! So we were in our apartment Saturday and Rodrigo was planning on getting baptized that night and so we were
all stoked and happy for the hermanas, and around lunch time I get a call from Hermana Mcdonald and she was just DEVASTATED. She was such a wreck and bawling on the phone and telling us about how the zone leaders said again that he couldn’t get baptized because he had smoked that week, and they told Rodrigo and he was SO upset, and over it and he had REALLY wanted to get baptized that day. They tried explaining to him, but he wasn’t getting it and was just super mad and said he was over it all and didn’t care and wasn’t going to get baptized at all.
They both left just heart broken and confused and didn’t get why all this had to happen and poor hermana was just so emotional and venting to me, and was so over the mission, and trials and life and was just super down and low at this point. I tried going to where she was and even got emotional myself because she and her comp had done everything for this baptism and didn’t deserve this, but I knew that it was just a trial of faith and I tried comforting them with all the words I had and told them it would all be okay because God loves them and saw their hard work and was going to give them success. After we got off the phone I just got so sad and emotional and wondered why this has to happen for all of us in the mission and in life and especially with SUCH good people who have really done everything and are really trying. I said a prayer in my heart and just pleaded to Heavenly Father to bless the hermanas with a miracle because they deserved it and I knew he had the power to do it. After a little less than an hour we get a call back from the hermanas and she said ¨you would not believe me what has happened...¨ she continued to tell me that Rodrigo had called the zone leaders to get their permission to get baptized and they said they couldn’t give permission, but there was someone who could…....the mission president!!! They gave him his number and Rodrigo, so legit, calls our mission president and tells him how much he wants to get baptized that day, and was sincere and plead with the pres, and he got permission!!!!!! I just about died…. and was like jumping up and down so happy - because I just knew that God loves Rodrigo, and loves the hermanas so much and was going to bless them with a miracle, and he did!!!! And even better it was was quicker than I thought!
This week I felt as if I were Alma in chapter 29 in the Book of Mormon after they had all come back from their missions and reunited and heard of the good news about the success of Ammon in the land of Nephi, after converting many lamanites, and Alma states joyfully,
13 Yea, and that same God did establish his church among them; yea, and that same God hath called me by a a holy calling, to preach the word unto this people, and hath given me much success, in the which my
joy is full.
14 But I do not joy in my own success alone, but my joy is more full because of the success of my brethren, who have been up to the land of Nephi.
15 Behold, they have labored exceedingly, and have brought forth much fruit; and how great shall be their reward!
16 Now, when I think of the success of these my brethren my soul is carried away, even to the separation of it from the body, as it were, so great is my joy.
I was just so filled with happiness and joy and love for the hermanas and Rodrigo and this wonderful miracle they had and it was just another strong testimony builder to me that God does live and loves all of his children and I know he is just so proud of all his
missionaries and the work we do. I just love the zone unity we have had and I feel so blessed to be part of such a great big family with so much support and love. love them all!!!
This week has definitely, with all the drama of Elsa and the hermanas and us now running around trying to find new people to teach for December, I have just realized the importance of 2 crucial things, which president Uchtdorf talked about so poetically and clearly in his talk ¨The things that matter the most¨ in general conference Oct 2010. In this talk he talks about 4 key relationships we must focus on but I have found the urgency to find and strengthen 2 that are the most important for ourselves, which is our relationship with God and our relationship with ourselves. I love in the talk when Uchtdorf states, ¨The reason we return to these foundational principles, to the pure doctrines, is because they are the gateway to truths of profound meaning. They are the door to experiences of sublime importance that would otherwise be beyond our capacity to comprehend. These simple, basic principles are the key to living in harmony with God and man. They are the keys to opening the windows of heaven. They lead us to the peace, joy, and understanding that Heavenly Father has promised to his children who hear and obey Him.¨
So many things are going to happen to us in our lives and I have just experienced personally the reason that we must, first before anything occurs big or small in our lives, develop these strong and ¨firm foundations¨ in ourselves and really figure out who we are, who God is, and the way we must daily learn to love them both. Uchtdorf continues to say, ¨As we evaluate our own lives with a willing mind, we will see where we have drifted from the more excellent way. The eyes of our understanding will be opened, and we will recognize what needs to be one to purify our heart and refocus our life.¨
Being so sick and helpless in bed and inside has really taken me to just go inside and really try and figure out who I am and the things I like about myself and the things I don’t, and want to work on and it has just brought me to set goals and come to know my father in heaven and work with him in this whole new process. God created us and knows every single little thing about us, good and bad, and wants to help us to use our talents and gifts as well as build our characters and refine our weaknesses. If we do not come to know our creator, then how can we come to know ourselves, love ourselves, and fulfill our purpose in this life and come to the point of being truly happy? It is all a process! We need to sit down in quiet, aside from our stressful lives and take a moment to really ANALYZE. We need to have an inventory with ourselves and with God. We should pray and communicate with our father in heaven like he was our teacher and really seek his guidance and counsel to become better daily. We should not be afraid to take a good look at who we are. Why can’t we learn to just accept the person we are and learn to adore, cherish, and embrace that person. We all have so many problems...haha - it is the truth - and so many times I feel like we run from them, or we’re in denial and don’t accept that we really do have so many little things we can fix and mend. Then when we do this, so much changes and we really develop a strong and very personal relationship with God and more importantly ourselves. It is really quite beautiful and an interesting process. I love the scripture in Helaman 3:35 that says, 35: Nevertheless they did fast and pray oft, and did wax stronger and stronger in their humility, and firmer and firmer in the faith of Christ, unto the filling their souls with joy and consolation, yea, even to the purifying and the sanctification of their hearts, which sanctification cometh because of their yielding their hearts unto God.
Do we not just yearn to purify ourselves and yield our whole hearts to God? And I love how it starts out talking about humility! It really takes humility to sit down and adjust yourself out before you go back out there and face the world. I honestly think that by applying these simple things to these 2 key relationships, we will better the other 2 that Uchtdorf talks such as with families and with the people around us. We can better relationships and marriages and we will truly just become more stable people. This is why I just worship the gospel of Jesus Christ! It has all of life answers to all of our questions and problems.
So I invite all to go outside and enjoy the lovely snowfall, sunset, nature, sounds, lights, beauty that is all around you and just go within and figure out what you want, who you are, your situations, problems, your positive physical characteristics, your spiritual gifts, your talents, your worries and troubles, and go to your father that created you who is in the heavens looking over you with his course of angels and just converse with him. Get to know him as a person and have him help you get this all re-arranged and he will truly bless you and make you feel so happy, and feel so full of purpose and love for your life, yourself, him, and the people around you. You will see and feel change and understand that this is not a one time thing, but the basics of the church of Christ is a life-time pursuit. It is a journey and it will take time so get comfortable and get going by doing and applying these things daily. It all works!!! I love the gospel and I love the mission and I can testify that these things are true.
Love Hermana Pond
About Me
- Jami Pond
- I am studying Psychology and Sociology at Utah Valley University, and working at a treatment center for troubled teens. I love life, being with people from all cultures, speaking Spanish, and traveling all over the world. I will never stop laughing, dancing, singing, enjoying, appreciating, and just being.
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
November 28th, 2011
Queridos,
So I have good news….like the Lord spoke to David,
¨I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears: behold, I will heal thee…¨ (2 kings 20:5)
I have completely recovered from my Argentine fight with illness: hospitals, sickness, beds, medicines, and blessings. I feel so much better, and I am thankful to the Lord, like David, that he has certainly heard my prayers, seen my many tears, and completely healed me. I feel as if I am new again and excited to go out and get back to work in La Falda.
This week has truly been a week of miracles and not just of the miracles of sickness and healing. The Lord has blessed us beyond measure and we have absolutely seen his hand of mercy and love in this last week in the missionary work in this area. Let us begin with how I was not only healed physically but what healed me spiritually and passed time this past week. My companion and I spent a lot of time inside and sometimes it can be a little frustrating being a missionary and so used to schedules and being busy and then be indoors for a week. We decided to, as a companionship; just get completely lost in the scriptures and popcorn read out of the Book of Mormon. I have never enjoyed such a study in my life that has brought me not only closer to my companion but more importantly closer to my Savior, Jesus Christ. I feel abundantly blessed to have the opportunity to read this sacred work for the rest of my life and each time I open its holy pages, I am able to find more knowledge and light about this gospel, my Father in Heaven, and his son Jesus Christ. I testify that like it states in the intro to the Book of Mormon, ¨a man would get nearer to God by abiding by its precepts than any other book,” and we can come to know our Heavenly Father and his desire and expectations of us through the study of the Book of Mormon. I love the quote by Boyd K. Packer that says. ¨In a world ever more dangerous…the Book of Mormon: another testament of Jesus Christ has the nourishing power to heal starving spirits of the world.¨ The study of the Book of Mormon has really changed my life in the mission forever and I can promise any human soul that lives on the earth that if the read it, ponder it, and pray about it, they will receive a strong impact and influence on their hearts from the Holy Ghost that it is the word of God, and that they should study it for the rest of their lives.
So after all my sickness and last week with all our investigators dropping us or not going to church, we were sadly losing the hope of not only baptizing this month but having anyone to teach and progress this transfer. At the conference last week we got to talk to the mission president and he gave us a little hope and told us that he gave us permission to baptize these two precious ladies we were teaching, but he said we had to get permission as well from the bishop and without that, it could not go down. We were completely without hope or faith in that moment because we have had so many problems in this area, this ward with the members, and especially the bishop. Somehow with everything that was going on, we decided to apply the ¨law of attraction¨, or you could call it ¨the secret¨ (seen the movie?), or in the gospel terms TONS of faith and a positive attitude.
We passed for our investigators about Tuesday with a member and they really just wanted to get baptized and were so ready and still wanted to do it Sunday. The member was super surprised and got really emotional because she has been a neighbor to them forever and never thought that they would be so willing and ready but in that moment, she knew that earlier she had planted the seed and at this moment they were so ready to accept the gospel. We all got so emotional and excited and called our leaders, worked out an interview that week, and started planning it all. Returning home from that appointment we got home, said a prayer, and decided to call the bishop and talk it out with him and get his permission to get them baptized. Right away, he was super on board with the idea, super supportive, and totally excited and accepted it all!
As we called our zone leaders, who have just been fighting and supporting us this whole transfer with all the trials, tears, fasting, sicknesses, worries, and problems, and my companion put them on speaker and we both told them that Ofelia an Cristina were getting baptized this Sunday. I was so emotional and in that moment just poured out my heart and soul to God and thanked him for his love and miracles. We had been through SO much and literally were to the point of giving it all up and for that reason I can just testify with all my soul that MIRACLES DO EXIST! This has honestly been the biggest most amazing and incredible miracle in my whole mission.
So they got interviewed and were all ready to go for Sunday and after church, we were going to have the baptism. All was super smooth up until Sunday morning…we had a meeting at 8 and after it ended we went to fill the font but there was NO WATER in the whole church…..uhh it was so stressful and we all just dropped on our knees right there and just pleaded for a miracle to get not only the water back but hot water. We went to go look for Ofelia and Cristina and just pulling up to their house I was so happy! They were both out front waiting just beaming and so excited and ready! Once we got to the church of course the water finally came back on and we got to fill the font and start the baptismal service. I was so nervous the whole time. First of all one of these ladies is like 80 and the other is around 60. Neither of them can walk very well, and one is handicapped. I had no idea what would happen but I trusted in the Lord and with the help and power of the heavenly angels, all of this would work out.
The service was so filled with light and the spirit was super thick. Everyone in attendance was really emotional because it seriously was a miracle that these ladies were going to get baptized. It was such a struggle and so hard and uncomfortable for them but they wanted it so bad and knew it would bless their lives and so they had the faith to do and accomplish it. We had to get 3 men in the font and with a lot of prayers and strength, both of them made it under and right after got confirmed. When they came in after getting changed, which seemed like forever, it was just so perfectly still in the room, and a member was so cute and said ¨here come the two queens¨, and they were just beaming and smiling and so full of peace and joy. I have never been so happy in my life. As we finished with the last song to close the service, ¨I am a child of God¨, I looked around the room with all these people filled with tears, cute Cristina the daughter was attempting to sing along, and I looked at a picture of the Savior and I just felt so happy and so completely and full of love. I honestly cannot express with words how happy I was in that moment and thinking back on all the trials and experiences that had happened to us truly just drifted away and didn’t even matter, and all I could think about was how happy everyone in that room was and as well as the angels in heaven.
It is all worth it. Every little thing I have suffered in my mission was worth it just in that divine and heavenly moment. I felt so at peace with my Savior and just felt so sure of my life and who I was and that I would never, regardless of what is going to come my way, ever leave this gospel. It is truly interesting to see how the Lord works because if I hadn’t gotten so sick, the bishop would have never gone to the hospital to help us and give me a blessing and bond with us. During that experience I feel that we strengthened our relationship with him and we gained his trust and confidence. This eventually led to getting his permission, which he had been hesitant with because of their health situations and certain obstacles. Every little thing that happens to us in life, big and small, plays a part in Gods plan and timing and it will all end up benefiting us in the end and being for our higher good. I believe in miracles.
I can now with every energy of my soul and being testify that God the father of our spiritual souls does live and love us and will always bless us if we do his will. Never doubt and never give up. Always fight until the end, even when it seems like it is too long and too far of a journey more to keep on going. Just like President Uchtdorf has promised us, ¨diligently doing the things that matter most, will lead us to the Savior of the world¨ I too can promise that when we focus on living the principles of the gospel and obey God’s will, we will come into the loving arms of our Redeemer and find peace. I love missionary work and I love every single moment that is occurring in my mortal existence to help me grow and learn so I can come to know who I am and to understand my divine potential. I want to be with my Heavenly Father again someday and become perfect like him, through his beloved and perfect son Jesus Christ. We are so blessed to be able to share this knowledge and happiness with others. We have such a great reason to rejoice. Thank you so much for all your prayers, thoughts, and support. I LOVE YOU ALL!
Love Hermana Pond
Queridos,
So I have good news….like the Lord spoke to David,
¨I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears: behold, I will heal thee…¨ (2 kings 20:5)
I have completely recovered from my Argentine fight with illness: hospitals, sickness, beds, medicines, and blessings. I feel so much better, and I am thankful to the Lord, like David, that he has certainly heard my prayers, seen my many tears, and completely healed me. I feel as if I am new again and excited to go out and get back to work in La Falda.
This week has truly been a week of miracles and not just of the miracles of sickness and healing. The Lord has blessed us beyond measure and we have absolutely seen his hand of mercy and love in this last week in the missionary work in this area. Let us begin with how I was not only healed physically but what healed me spiritually and passed time this past week. My companion and I spent a lot of time inside and sometimes it can be a little frustrating being a missionary and so used to schedules and being busy and then be indoors for a week. We decided to, as a companionship; just get completely lost in the scriptures and popcorn read out of the Book of Mormon. I have never enjoyed such a study in my life that has brought me not only closer to my companion but more importantly closer to my Savior, Jesus Christ. I feel abundantly blessed to have the opportunity to read this sacred work for the rest of my life and each time I open its holy pages, I am able to find more knowledge and light about this gospel, my Father in Heaven, and his son Jesus Christ. I testify that like it states in the intro to the Book of Mormon, ¨a man would get nearer to God by abiding by its precepts than any other book,” and we can come to know our Heavenly Father and his desire and expectations of us through the study of the Book of Mormon. I love the quote by Boyd K. Packer that says. ¨In a world ever more dangerous…the Book of Mormon: another testament of Jesus Christ has the nourishing power to heal starving spirits of the world.¨ The study of the Book of Mormon has really changed my life in the mission forever and I can promise any human soul that lives on the earth that if the read it, ponder it, and pray about it, they will receive a strong impact and influence on their hearts from the Holy Ghost that it is the word of God, and that they should study it for the rest of their lives.
So after all my sickness and last week with all our investigators dropping us or not going to church, we were sadly losing the hope of not only baptizing this month but having anyone to teach and progress this transfer. At the conference last week we got to talk to the mission president and he gave us a little hope and told us that he gave us permission to baptize these two precious ladies we were teaching, but he said we had to get permission as well from the bishop and without that, it could not go down. We were completely without hope or faith in that moment because we have had so many problems in this area, this ward with the members, and especially the bishop. Somehow with everything that was going on, we decided to apply the ¨law of attraction¨, or you could call it ¨the secret¨ (seen the movie?), or in the gospel terms TONS of faith and a positive attitude.
We passed for our investigators about Tuesday with a member and they really just wanted to get baptized and were so ready and still wanted to do it Sunday. The member was super surprised and got really emotional because she has been a neighbor to them forever and never thought that they would be so willing and ready but in that moment, she knew that earlier she had planted the seed and at this moment they were so ready to accept the gospel. We all got so emotional and excited and called our leaders, worked out an interview that week, and started planning it all. Returning home from that appointment we got home, said a prayer, and decided to call the bishop and talk it out with him and get his permission to get them baptized. Right away, he was super on board with the idea, super supportive, and totally excited and accepted it all!
As we called our zone leaders, who have just been fighting and supporting us this whole transfer with all the trials, tears, fasting, sicknesses, worries, and problems, and my companion put them on speaker and we both told them that Ofelia an Cristina were getting baptized this Sunday. I was so emotional and in that moment just poured out my heart and soul to God and thanked him for his love and miracles. We had been through SO much and literally were to the point of giving it all up and for that reason I can just testify with all my soul that MIRACLES DO EXIST! This has honestly been the biggest most amazing and incredible miracle in my whole mission.
So they got interviewed and were all ready to go for Sunday and after church, we were going to have the baptism. All was super smooth up until Sunday morning…we had a meeting at 8 and after it ended we went to fill the font but there was NO WATER in the whole church…..uhh it was so stressful and we all just dropped on our knees right there and just pleaded for a miracle to get not only the water back but hot water. We went to go look for Ofelia and Cristina and just pulling up to their house I was so happy! They were both out front waiting just beaming and so excited and ready! Once we got to the church of course the water finally came back on and we got to fill the font and start the baptismal service. I was so nervous the whole time. First of all one of these ladies is like 80 and the other is around 60. Neither of them can walk very well, and one is handicapped. I had no idea what would happen but I trusted in the Lord and with the help and power of the heavenly angels, all of this would work out.
The service was so filled with light and the spirit was super thick. Everyone in attendance was really emotional because it seriously was a miracle that these ladies were going to get baptized. It was such a struggle and so hard and uncomfortable for them but they wanted it so bad and knew it would bless their lives and so they had the faith to do and accomplish it. We had to get 3 men in the font and with a lot of prayers and strength, both of them made it under and right after got confirmed. When they came in after getting changed, which seemed like forever, it was just so perfectly still in the room, and a member was so cute and said ¨here come the two queens¨, and they were just beaming and smiling and so full of peace and joy. I have never been so happy in my life. As we finished with the last song to close the service, ¨I am a child of God¨, I looked around the room with all these people filled with tears, cute Cristina the daughter was attempting to sing along, and I looked at a picture of the Savior and I just felt so happy and so completely and full of love. I honestly cannot express with words how happy I was in that moment and thinking back on all the trials and experiences that had happened to us truly just drifted away and didn’t even matter, and all I could think about was how happy everyone in that room was and as well as the angels in heaven.
It is all worth it. Every little thing I have suffered in my mission was worth it just in that divine and heavenly moment. I felt so at peace with my Savior and just felt so sure of my life and who I was and that I would never, regardless of what is going to come my way, ever leave this gospel. It is truly interesting to see how the Lord works because if I hadn’t gotten so sick, the bishop would have never gone to the hospital to help us and give me a blessing and bond with us. During that experience I feel that we strengthened our relationship with him and we gained his trust and confidence. This eventually led to getting his permission, which he had been hesitant with because of their health situations and certain obstacles. Every little thing that happens to us in life, big and small, plays a part in Gods plan and timing and it will all end up benefiting us in the end and being for our higher good. I believe in miracles.
I can now with every energy of my soul and being testify that God the father of our spiritual souls does live and love us and will always bless us if we do his will. Never doubt and never give up. Always fight until the end, even when it seems like it is too long and too far of a journey more to keep on going. Just like President Uchtdorf has promised us, ¨diligently doing the things that matter most, will lead us to the Savior of the world¨ I too can promise that when we focus on living the principles of the gospel and obey God’s will, we will come into the loving arms of our Redeemer and find peace. I love missionary work and I love every single moment that is occurring in my mortal existence to help me grow and learn so I can come to know who I am and to understand my divine potential. I want to be with my Heavenly Father again someday and become perfect like him, through his beloved and perfect son Jesus Christ. We are so blessed to be able to share this knowledge and happiness with others. We have such a great reason to rejoice. Thank you so much for all your prayers, thoughts, and support. I LOVE YOU ALL!
Love Hermana Pond
GRATITUDE
November 21st, 2011
Family and friends…
Happy thanksgiving! So like every week in the missión…where to begin…
Lets begin with some thanks in the fun spirit of Thanksgiving week!
I am thankful for food - so we had a tender encounter with Nemecio this week. He rang our doorbell one morning and we were all confused who it was and then we go to the window and hear such a sad ¨chicas!¨ Nemecio was all beaten up and had hurt his face somehow and was crying and all upset. We calmed him down and asked how we could help him and he confessed that he had no money or anything to feed him that day and needed our help. We were fasting at the time and starving and had barely nothing in the apartment but found some rice and fried and egg and did a little service and fed this tender drunk homeless man that we have such a soft spot for and gave it to him. He looked us in the eyes and with all the gratitude of his heart he just cried and thanked us so much for always blessing and helping him. We blessed his food with him and sent him on his way. It was a tender experience.
I am thankful for families - this week we found a really cute family who are super poor and really inactive. They have a ton of family problems and want to become active again so they can be happy. We talked to the mom first and she vented to us about her worry for her 4 children who are just devastated and SO torn from the separation of her and the dad and they just struggle emotionally and spiritually. We went 2 times to the kid’s house this week and they are just amazing. They were all glowing and SO happy to see us and we taught them and they seriously are doing so much better. It is so sad to see broken homes and how much it effects kids even when they are super young because the kids are ages 13-3 and so they are so weak and so unsure about life, but we taught them a lot about prayer and the Book of Mormon and they are all reading and praying together and doing so well. I love them so much!
I am thankful for mission rules - we were walking home one night and this funny looking guy with a beard and like bow and arrow sitch on his back walked by us and stopped us in the street and said, ¨I am looking for a woman...will you be my woman?¨ we were laughing so hard because he was SO weird and awk and we explained to him how we couldn’t and we were missionaries and he just ended up saying that his name was Jesus so it was chill... haha- it was funny but sad, and after a few minutes he finally accepted the rejection and walked away. Phew.
I am grateful for my testimony of Joseph Smith and the restoration - so we had a super sad appointment with one of our progressing investigators. We went to her house after starting a fast and doing a ton a practices before so that the lesson could go well and after watching the video of Joseph Smith and testifying our hearts out to her- Lorena -she was not interested at all and said she was comfortable in her church and we will see whatever is standing at the end of the world and what will be the truth. It was so sad and one of the hardest lessons I have ever had because she is SO great and needs the gospel so much for her hard life and her family but I guess it is just not her time.
I am grateful for the Book of Mormon - this week we had the amazing opportunity to teach Javier, who is our golden investigator and is ready and wants to get baptized but his wife needs to divorce first and then they need to get married. He is so amazing! He understands it all and is so ready to become a member so he can go out and share the gospel with everyone. We taught him about the Book of Mormon and gave him his first one and he like almost cried. He made us write in it to dedicate it to him and as he stroked the book and held it close to him he told us that we are going to be given really big mansions in heaven for this work that we are doing and bringing souls, especially him because he is going to convert so many – haha - to the gospel. He has so much faith and is really changing and growing in his testimony, especially about the Book of Mormon, and it is really so moving and amazing to be a part of it and teach someone like him.
I am grateful for the love of God - we have been teaching Cristina and Ofelia this week and they are so tender and every time we are just in their presence, we feel so much love and the spirit. We can just see the light and happiness and peace entering into their lives and filling their souls. They say that they are so much happier since we have been passing, and can really feel God’s love for them with this gospel. They really want to get baptized this week so we will see what happens!
I am grateful for health - so I sadly returned to a hospital this week but way worse. I had a pounding head ache and a fever and pain in the stomache. After visiting 4 different hospitals in 2 days, getting a shot, 2 xrays, and 2 IV’s, 4 different doctors told me different things 1said I was dehydrated, just ¨sick¨ from the sun, 2 thought I had pneumonia, and FINALLY I was told I have a severe sinus infection (which explains the intense head pain) - in conclusion, I am over everyone telling me different things and I am over being sick in Argentina so we will probably stay in a lot this week, take my meds, and rest my way back to my health.
I am grateful for the gospel of Jesus Christ - we honestly had a really hard week full of tons of opposition and trials, and with so much stress and problems in life, we are always brought to so much doubt and wonder why and just get so down. For this reason, I am so very grateful for the true church and the true gospel we have because when we live it and we do all we can, we are blessed and we can ALWAYS overcome everything with the help of God through many prayers, sacrifice, and faith. After a day of investigators dropping us, telling us they couldn’t go to church, then POURING rain and us running in it for like 5 blocks, and a new convert telling us she is mad at the church and doesn’t want to be a part of it anymore - yes this was all in one day- I just sat there and wondered what was happening. Then of course on the radio I hear the song ¨bad day¨ and I just started laughing inside because I just couldn’t believe how much we were going through and during all this we were fasting and sacrificing and doing everything on our part for miracles....and this was the result.
Sometimes life is hard. Sometimes things don’t work out, and we are upset - but in the end, we can just really shake it off, laugh even, look ahead, and just know that everything is going to be all right. God loves us and wants us to be happy and for that reason he has given us his gospel to live it and obey it and even when times are crappy - he will ALWAYS end up blessing and helping us. It is normally not in our timing, which is difficult, and sometimes we don’t even notice the blessings because we are so caught up in our problems. We really just need to take a deep breath, look around us and remember how much we truly do have, know it might take some time to pass, and move on with hope, faith, and happiness, and hey guess what...IT WILL ALWAYS WORK OUT. I am alive, and my sickness will pass….and our baptisms and attendances in church will work out and we will see miracles and the ward problems will smooth out, and ALL WILL BE WELL. Whatever problem you are going through right now just remember - God loves you and is with you and will hold your hand and give you the strength until its over. It will pass and you will be fine. Hold your head up and always be GRATEFUL.
I am grateful for the mission - even though its been a WAY tougher road than I could ever imagine, and more in the end of my mission, (enduring to the end - literally!), I am SO grateful for my mission, and have learned SO much in just this time I have been out here than ever in my whole life. I don’t know what I would do with my life if I hadn’t made that decision to come out here. It wasn’t easy - its better to be comfortable in the luxuries of home and with my usual friends and family, but sometimes we just need to close our eyes and jump. We know its going to be something hard, painful, uncomfortable, difficult, effort, work, and a lot of the time… that is why we don’t ever want to do things, but I can promise you all that anything you are pondering in your life right now - whether it is to get married, go on a mission, move, try a different job, make new friends, accept a calling, do service, or whatever it may be - IT IS WORTH IT. You can do it and don’t be afraid and just know that God will bless you as you make these decisions to grow and progress in life because of course he doesn’t want us to suffer, but we also know that this road we choose a long time ago - to be a part of this truth and this gospel - would never be easy. It is a lot of sacrifice and effort, and we are normally out of our comfort zones, but IT IS OKAY. It is going to be fine, and we are all going to learn from these opportunities and experiences so say yes! Take that leap of faith and jump in with no regrets and always remember and know that you will come out stronger and absolutely more GRATEFUL for the things in your life. I love you all and thank you for all your support and prayers. Happy thanksgiving and never forget – especially this month -to be ALWAYS thankful for your blessings.
Love Hermana Pond
Family and friends…
Happy thanksgiving! So like every week in the missión…where to begin…
Lets begin with some thanks in the fun spirit of Thanksgiving week!
I am thankful for food - so we had a tender encounter with Nemecio this week. He rang our doorbell one morning and we were all confused who it was and then we go to the window and hear such a sad ¨chicas!¨ Nemecio was all beaten up and had hurt his face somehow and was crying and all upset. We calmed him down and asked how we could help him and he confessed that he had no money or anything to feed him that day and needed our help. We were fasting at the time and starving and had barely nothing in the apartment but found some rice and fried and egg and did a little service and fed this tender drunk homeless man that we have such a soft spot for and gave it to him. He looked us in the eyes and with all the gratitude of his heart he just cried and thanked us so much for always blessing and helping him. We blessed his food with him and sent him on his way. It was a tender experience.
I am thankful for families - this week we found a really cute family who are super poor and really inactive. They have a ton of family problems and want to become active again so they can be happy. We talked to the mom first and she vented to us about her worry for her 4 children who are just devastated and SO torn from the separation of her and the dad and they just struggle emotionally and spiritually. We went 2 times to the kid’s house this week and they are just amazing. They were all glowing and SO happy to see us and we taught them and they seriously are doing so much better. It is so sad to see broken homes and how much it effects kids even when they are super young because the kids are ages 13-3 and so they are so weak and so unsure about life, but we taught them a lot about prayer and the Book of Mormon and they are all reading and praying together and doing so well. I love them so much!
I am thankful for mission rules - we were walking home one night and this funny looking guy with a beard and like bow and arrow sitch on his back walked by us and stopped us in the street and said, ¨I am looking for a woman...will you be my woman?¨ we were laughing so hard because he was SO weird and awk and we explained to him how we couldn’t and we were missionaries and he just ended up saying that his name was Jesus so it was chill... haha- it was funny but sad, and after a few minutes he finally accepted the rejection and walked away. Phew.
I am grateful for my testimony of Joseph Smith and the restoration - so we had a super sad appointment with one of our progressing investigators. We went to her house after starting a fast and doing a ton a practices before so that the lesson could go well and after watching the video of Joseph Smith and testifying our hearts out to her- Lorena -she was not interested at all and said she was comfortable in her church and we will see whatever is standing at the end of the world and what will be the truth. It was so sad and one of the hardest lessons I have ever had because she is SO great and needs the gospel so much for her hard life and her family but I guess it is just not her time.
I am grateful for the Book of Mormon - this week we had the amazing opportunity to teach Javier, who is our golden investigator and is ready and wants to get baptized but his wife needs to divorce first and then they need to get married. He is so amazing! He understands it all and is so ready to become a member so he can go out and share the gospel with everyone. We taught him about the Book of Mormon and gave him his first one and he like almost cried. He made us write in it to dedicate it to him and as he stroked the book and held it close to him he told us that we are going to be given really big mansions in heaven for this work that we are doing and bringing souls, especially him because he is going to convert so many – haha - to the gospel. He has so much faith and is really changing and growing in his testimony, especially about the Book of Mormon, and it is really so moving and amazing to be a part of it and teach someone like him.
I am grateful for the love of God - we have been teaching Cristina and Ofelia this week and they are so tender and every time we are just in their presence, we feel so much love and the spirit. We can just see the light and happiness and peace entering into their lives and filling their souls. They say that they are so much happier since we have been passing, and can really feel God’s love for them with this gospel. They really want to get baptized this week so we will see what happens!
I am grateful for health - so I sadly returned to a hospital this week but way worse. I had a pounding head ache and a fever and pain in the stomache. After visiting 4 different hospitals in 2 days, getting a shot, 2 xrays, and 2 IV’s, 4 different doctors told me different things 1said I was dehydrated, just ¨sick¨ from the sun, 2 thought I had pneumonia, and FINALLY I was told I have a severe sinus infection (which explains the intense head pain) - in conclusion, I am over everyone telling me different things and I am over being sick in Argentina so we will probably stay in a lot this week, take my meds, and rest my way back to my health.
I am grateful for the gospel of Jesus Christ - we honestly had a really hard week full of tons of opposition and trials, and with so much stress and problems in life, we are always brought to so much doubt and wonder why and just get so down. For this reason, I am so very grateful for the true church and the true gospel we have because when we live it and we do all we can, we are blessed and we can ALWAYS overcome everything with the help of God through many prayers, sacrifice, and faith. After a day of investigators dropping us, telling us they couldn’t go to church, then POURING rain and us running in it for like 5 blocks, and a new convert telling us she is mad at the church and doesn’t want to be a part of it anymore - yes this was all in one day- I just sat there and wondered what was happening. Then of course on the radio I hear the song ¨bad day¨ and I just started laughing inside because I just couldn’t believe how much we were going through and during all this we were fasting and sacrificing and doing everything on our part for miracles....and this was the result.
Sometimes life is hard. Sometimes things don’t work out, and we are upset - but in the end, we can just really shake it off, laugh even, look ahead, and just know that everything is going to be all right. God loves us and wants us to be happy and for that reason he has given us his gospel to live it and obey it and even when times are crappy - he will ALWAYS end up blessing and helping us. It is normally not in our timing, which is difficult, and sometimes we don’t even notice the blessings because we are so caught up in our problems. We really just need to take a deep breath, look around us and remember how much we truly do have, know it might take some time to pass, and move on with hope, faith, and happiness, and hey guess what...IT WILL ALWAYS WORK OUT. I am alive, and my sickness will pass….and our baptisms and attendances in church will work out and we will see miracles and the ward problems will smooth out, and ALL WILL BE WELL. Whatever problem you are going through right now just remember - God loves you and is with you and will hold your hand and give you the strength until its over. It will pass and you will be fine. Hold your head up and always be GRATEFUL.
I am grateful for the mission - even though its been a WAY tougher road than I could ever imagine, and more in the end of my mission, (enduring to the end - literally!), I am SO grateful for my mission, and have learned SO much in just this time I have been out here than ever in my whole life. I don’t know what I would do with my life if I hadn’t made that decision to come out here. It wasn’t easy - its better to be comfortable in the luxuries of home and with my usual friends and family, but sometimes we just need to close our eyes and jump. We know its going to be something hard, painful, uncomfortable, difficult, effort, work, and a lot of the time… that is why we don’t ever want to do things, but I can promise you all that anything you are pondering in your life right now - whether it is to get married, go on a mission, move, try a different job, make new friends, accept a calling, do service, or whatever it may be - IT IS WORTH IT. You can do it and don’t be afraid and just know that God will bless you as you make these decisions to grow and progress in life because of course he doesn’t want us to suffer, but we also know that this road we choose a long time ago - to be a part of this truth and this gospel - would never be easy. It is a lot of sacrifice and effort, and we are normally out of our comfort zones, but IT IS OKAY. It is going to be fine, and we are all going to learn from these opportunities and experiences so say yes! Take that leap of faith and jump in with no regrets and always remember and know that you will come out stronger and absolutely more GRATEFUL for the things in your life. I love you all and thank you for all your support and prayers. Happy thanksgiving and never forget – especially this month -to be ALWAYS thankful for your blessings.
Love Hermana Pond
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