Easter Update

Monday April 25th

Family and Friends!!!

Like always...such a fast week and so much went down!!!!

First of all...Happy Easter!!! I hope everyone had a good Easter. Here they just like each chocolate eggs and thats about it haha its not very celebrated...but it will still good.

So I am loving the work right now! I feel like we are finally just picking up the pace and finding some great people and teaching like crazy.

First, we got to have interviews with the president this week and I LOVED it! I love him so much - he is like my idol. My whole thing was in Spanish! That’s crazy and really means I am getting old in the mission – shoot - and I told him I didn’t think it was that good, and I want a latin companion again – haha - he laughed and said its fine, and that I just need to have more confidence and keep it up, because I am going to be senior comp soon, and train! Ahhh–scary! So I need to step up my game and raise the bar……I am excited for that.

We also got to talk to the assistants and they gave us some good ideas and we talked a lot about the law of consecration and really knowing what we can do and sacrifice to serve God and do his will because so many times we work so hard and we know what we want but we don’t take it to the Lord and talk it out and work it out with him. Just like it says in D & C we need to decide and then study it out in our minds and pray about it and we will be given our answers. He told a story by Elder Bednar that I LOVED, and it was about a man who was sick and dying in the hospital and asked him to come in and give him a blessing. When Elder Bednar came into the room, he looked at the man and said ...."do you have the faith NOT to be healed...." and the man said “no,” and then Bednar said, “I am going to come back later tonight when you have the faith not to be healed (whatever is the Lord’s will), so all day that man prayed and studied and asked for that much faith in God to know his will, and Bednar came back later and gave him a blessing. The end of the story is never told whether he lived or died, because that part doesn’t matter…..it is having enough faith to accept the Lord’s plan.

He related this story to the mission and looked us in the eyes and asked us..."sisters - do you have the faith NOT to baptize....?" I was so puzzled on this question because of course our purpose as missionaries is to baptize, so why would we need faith not to...but then he talked about that if God personally spoke to you and asked you to come out on a mission for 18 months and be 100 obedient and do all this work and put all your life into doing all these things, and then you would only be able to see one baptism.....or not even one…..would you do it? I thought about it for a long time and wondered -would I? This really made me realize the significance of the word consecrate and sacrifice and how we need to be willing to do anything to help and work for the Lord, not to see success for ourselves, or to get what we want, but to do what He wants. We may not understand always why it is his will, but we need to be willing to do it anyway….. I just loved this, and truly related it to LIFE! It is sooo true! How many times do we promise the Lord we will do a few things and then think–okay - I am good – chau-no more because first I want my reward. That’s not what sacrifice is!!! We need to stop thinking so much about the outcome of the things we do and about our lives and ourselves, and just do what we are suppose to do - not because its easy or fast, but because its not easy or fast.….it is very hard! And sometimes we don’t even get to see the fruits of our work, but God does - and that’s all that matters.

Also in our district meeting we talked about faith and what it truly means to have faith and be a successful missionary, and we read this poem called “The Rock” and it honestly made me cry.......

The Rock

A man was sleeping at night in his cabin when suddenly his room filled with light, and God appeared. The Lord told the man he had work for him to do, and showed him a large rock in front of his cabin. The Lord explained that the man was to push against the rock with all his might. So, this the man did; day after day. For many years he toiled from sun up to sun down; his shoulders set squarely against the cold, massive surface of the unmoving rock, pushing with all his might.

Each night the man returned to his cabin sore and worn out, feeling that his whole day had been spent in vain. Since the man was showing signs of discouragement, the Enemy decided to enter the picture by placing thoughts into the man's weary mind:

"You have been pushing against that rock for a long time, and it hasn't budged. Why kill yourself over this? You are never going to move it." Thus, giving the man the impression that the task was impossible and that he was a failure. These thoughts discouraged and disheartened the man. "Why kill myself over this?" he thought. "I'll just put in my time giving just the minimum effort; and that will be good enough." And that is what he planned to do, until one day he decided to make it a matter of prayer and take his troubled thoughts to the Lord.

"Lord," he said, "I have labored long and hard in your service, putting all my strength to do that which you have asked. Yet, after all this time, I have not even budged that rock by half an inch. What is wrong? Why am I failing?"

The Lord responded compassionately, "My friend, when I asked you to serve me and you accepted, I told you that your task was to push against the rock with all your strength, which you have done. Never once did I mention to you that I expected you to move it. Your task was to push.

And now you come to me with your strength spent, thinking that you have failed. But, is that really so? Look at yourself...Your arms are strong and muscled, your hands are callused from constant pressure, and your legs have become massive and hard.

Through opposition you have grown much, and your abilities now surpass that which you used to have. Yet you haven't moved the rock. But your calling was to be obedient and to push and to exercise your faith and trust in My wisdom. This you have done.

Now I, my friend, will now move the rock.

Soledad…...a reference from a member and the member came with us and taught her and we gave a powerful lesson about the gospel of Jesus Christ and taught about the Book of Mormon and she loved it so much. She felt the spirit so strong! She has 2 kids and is pregnant and is married! We are excited about her and definitely are going to work more with her this week.

Myra and Maggie...sisters....just lost their uncle to cancer and had tons of questions about where we go after this life....we taught a very powerful lesson about the plan of salvation and they both accepted to be baptized together at the end of this month.

Diego and Tonya....CUTE couple we found last week...LOVE THEM! We are already so close with them, and we went to their house Thursday night for her birthday ALL her family was there we taught a way spiritual lesson about Christ, and talked about Easter, and sang “I know that my Redeemer lives. They all loved the words to the song and loved that thought and all really felt the spirit. They also loved the ending prayer and
the peace it brought to their home. They were out of town on Sunday so hopefully they will make it to church next week, and we are really excited about them.

Diego and Paula - we passed for them last night and only Diego was home
alone outside in the dark. He seemed really sad and lost. We sat him down and he cried to us about how he wants to change his life, and wants more happiness and peace in his family and NEEDS to change.....he described how sad and lost and dark he had felt this week and does not want to feel this way. He recognized Satan was working on him and trying to destroy his family. He poured out all his alcohol and cigarettes and said he wants to prepare to be baptized and start learning and preparing TODAY. He then listened to the comforting words in the scripture in Jacob 2:8 about how the word of God can heal the wounded soul. He felt the spirit sooo strong and said he had never felt so much peace and knew these things came from God. We made goals with him and he said the most tender sincere prayer I have ever heard. It was truly like God was there with us right next to him just listening and giving him his love. After he finished he described the feeling of the Holy Ghost as he prayed and he said he wants that feeling forever. Never in my life had a seen such a contrast in someone - SO opposite and different from one moment to the next. When we came he was literally in all darkness just drinking alone and so sad, upset, lost, and told us he didn’t want to live anymore/the lights in the neighborhood were actually out...then when we came and starting sharing with him all the lights in the neighborhood turned back on, and his whole countenance changed. He was full of peace and light and PROMISE and hope. He no longer wanted to end his life but wanted another chance and was literally coming unto Christ and his angels and pleading for their help and was willing to do anything to have the feelings and confirmations that he was receiving to be with him forever. It was such a miracle!

How much HOPE the gospel of Jesus Christ brings every single soul. Every
time I talk to each person here, I just feel more and more of the unconditional love that god has for every single soul just like it talks about in D & C 18:10. Open your mouths and share your love of Christ with every person you come in contact with. This sad world is in direct need of the help of Christ and his gospel that can lift them up and give them a second chance, and more happiness and hope in this life.

I love the mission, and love the chance I have to help God’s children and teach about his plan he has for us of love, hope, peace, life and happiness. Anyone can share it to! Be bold and do anything you can to share this message with others!!! I love you ALL – Feliz Pascua and enjoy your week!!!

Love Hermana Pond