Here is Jami's letter this week. Looks like she ran into a couple of friends at the temple on P-day!
September 14th Tuesday
Hola Familia!
So over all it has been an amazing week! Something that is a little exciting is the sisters talked me into playing sand volleyball with our whole zone at gym time so I got brave and went out and played. Normally I hate it because I am super bad, but it is so much fun at gym to get outside and be with our zone. I love them all sooooo much- we bond. One of our zone leaders (sloth from ice age) literally runs out every day in like black combat boots and purple tight skinny jeans and a sweat head band and it just screaming and out of control- it is soooo funny. That is definitely the most entertaining parts of my days.
So this week has been so spiritual and I have learned so much! Well first off, a new district came in and I got to do introductions and all the training and tours with the zone leaders for them, so I felt so official. It was fun to welcome in new people and give them some encouragement and get them excited.
Last Tuesday night was a devotional about choices and the speaker was Elder Snow who is a 70. It was honestly sooooo good! Some things I liked that he said is that: Choosing leads to doing and is part of becoming in our lives. He read out of Abraham 3:23-26 & Moses 7:32-33 & John 10:27. It was mostly about how in our life we need to make the right choices and when we do so we are able to obtain power and become more like our Savior. I really like in Moses 7 when it talks about Enoch and how he sees the Lord weeping and he asks what is wrong. The Lord just tells him how sad he is that his people have not chosen Him, and followed his way, and how all we are asked is to love one another and choose him in our lives. I just imagine the Savior being so sad because he has set out such a perfect and promising path for us- if we just follow him and he knows that if we do so we will be happy.
It is so important we remember to choose to do good in our life so we are able to feel of that joy and give it to others. The only way to become like Him someday is to consecutively choose Him. "It will not only change your life, but it can save your life". So many people have experienced so much heartache and pain and sorrow in their lives, and it is crucial that these people look to the Savior and feel of His love and invite him into their lives to brighten it and piece it back together again. I know this is all possible through the Atonement.
One day we had service and I got paired up with my not so cool roommate (that I am really different from), and I was so sad not to be with my fun funny upbeat sister but I knew it would be okay and we would find something to talk about. As we cleaned and I chatted away about my life typical me, just A.D.D. all over the place, won’t stop talking, I observed my roommate and just tried seeing her how God sees her. I remembered the quote you can learn to love anyone if you just take the time and listen to their story. So, I just sat back and asked all these questions about her life. I found out that she lost her mom in a car accident when she was 16, and how hard that has been since she has been gone. I tried to even relate to this girl and wondered how on earth I could ever go living and getting through this life without my mother. I can only imagine the pain and the sadness in her heart, but she is just such an example to me and she really knows her mom is still with her, and it was her time to go, and she knows that through the plan of happiness she will be able to see her again. Now, every time she teaches the plan of salvation, I always get a little teary knowing what she has been through, and it really strengthens my testimony as well.
It is so important to love all people no matter what they are like, and just have that love and charity in your heart to understand people. Then you can know where they are coming from and what they are going through. When we do this, we are able to see all of God’s children as he does –like the perfect and beautiful souls they are- and we are able to feel love for them and love for our Savior.
The other day our teacher seemed a little down and we could tell something is up. she asked if our whole class could teach her about the Atonement, and as we all did, we found out she was going through some hard times right now, and was really sad. As we all just bore our testimonies of the Savior and the Atonement to her, she just broke down. We all shared our love for her and told her how much God truly loves her and will help her in her life. It was one of the most amazing spiritual experiences here, and I will never forget. It really brought us all so close as a district, and what I truly learned from this lesson was that regardless of who you teach, a member, a non-member, a stranger, a friend-anyone, and I mean anyone, on this earth can be invited to come unto Christ, and be reminded of their worth and of the love their Father in Heaven has for them. That is what we are to do, on our missions and even after, it to share the love of the Lord for people and invite them to come unto Him and follow His ways. The promise is that He will bring them true healing and joy in this life.
On Sunday we had relief society and the Young Women’s President spoke to us. Iit was sooo amazing- we started with this song that was so beautiful about the Savior that said, Lay every weakness at His feet, and she read out of Proverbs 3:5-6. She talked about the song High On A Mountain Top, and quoted the line that says, "Her light attracts the gaze of all the Latter Days." She said that it is our role as sister missionaries and that is why we are here, because we are given that special light, and we can send it and shine it to the whole world. She talked about the power of a Young woman and the Young Women’s theme and as she began to say it, one by one all the sister missionaries of the MTC began to say it powerfully with her, and one by one arose in their seats. It was one of the most moving things I have ever seen that brought me to tears, seeing all these strong and wonderful sister missionaries from all over the world just so ready to preach the gospel. "One Young Woman of righteousness and virtue can change the world." She talked about how crucial it is to have sisters in the field and of all our potential and how we are able to touch the hearts of so many people. She talked about Moses 6: 34. Why us? We need to know of our duty and follow the will of the Lord, and then when we do this, we will be delivered and share a powerful message influencing the world.
One of my favorite parts of the week was a Devotional we heard last night by Jeffrey Holland called the miracle of a mission. He was so powerful and I have never been so influenced and motivated by one person in my life. D & C 130: 20-21 talks about "Whatever blessings you want in this life the promise is in obedience" He talked about how he knows this work is hard and life is hard and how we wonder, " Why does this work have to be so hard if it is true?" He talked about the Savior and what He did in Gethsemene for us, and how dare we ask, but we shall just do, because the Savior was perfect, yet in his life, for he has proof of the scars on his hands, that no matter what, we will experience pain and suffering. "There is sacrifice involved in serving.” This just moved my soul because it is so true. Salvation was not supposed to be an easy thing, and this life and a mission is not suppose to be just given to us with no trials or effort. We need to remember that we will go through hard times, but regardless of what we experience it is not even close to or a portion of what our brother Jesus Christ suffered for us. We must obey him and follow him, and in doing so we will see miracles and feel of His love and receive the answers we are looking for in this life, and we’ll get those blessings we deserve. Born a witness-called to witness.
Family, I just want you to know that this gospel means everything to me, and I will do anything it takes to pay the Lord back for what he did for me. I owe my Father in Heaven my life for everything I have been given, and I hope you know how happy this work makes me, and how much joy I know it will bring others that I teach. That is why I am here….to invite others to come unto Christ. We must all be like him and invite people to follow. “We cannot be witnesses of Jesus Christ, if he is not standing next to us.” Family, please do everything in your power to come unto Christ, so you as well can bring souls unto Him, and continue to be obedient in the gospel.
I love you all so much, and just know I am happier than I have ever been. This is part of God’s plan for me, to be here doing this, and I hope you all know of what your purpose is, and what you are suppose to do in helping strengthen and build up the most high glorious and true kingdom of God on this earth. Keep up the Dear Elders and letters!!! Love you alll!!!! :) Adioooosss!
hermana pond :)
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