This week has been fantastic!!! I cannot believe this is my "halfway" point... Tis crazy!!
Last Thursday, we played a crazy game of kickball with our Zone. It was so much fun!
On Friday, we had a service project, where we cleaned the stalls of the bathrooms in el Comedor.
Saturday and Sunday were General Conference, and was absolutely amazing! I loved it all. I needed to hear so many of the talks.
Monday was my brother Jeremy´s birthday!! Happy happy birthday to you!
Tuesday: Pizza night! Wooh! We also played lightning for our gym time. It was epic! I haven't played it in forever. It was really fun. We also had a devotional from Elder Emer Villalobos, a member of the 6th quorum of the 70. He gave us 3 different questions to ponder.
1. What is the relationship between revelation and salvation?
2. What can I do to increase my capacity to receive revelation?
3. How can I strengthen my testimony?
1. Salvation cannot come without revelation. "No man can testify of Jesus Christ, unless he has a testimony of Him" - Joseph Smith
The Plan of Salvation is a system of ordinances and laws that we have been given to become more like our Father in Heaven.
Testimony is the knowledge of certainty of something being true, given to us through the power of the Holy Ghost.
2. "If you will ask of me, ye shall receive"
Seek not for riches, but for wisdom.
-Desire
-Establish cause of Zion, not our own cause.
If you are here on your mission to establish the cause of Zion, then you are on the right path.
You need to be keeping the commandments to receive revelation.
-Ask and ye shall receive
Ask in faith and Act. (Faith without works is dead)
3.Recall and remember--you are here for a reason.
When you are having a hard time remembering that, remember how you felt when you were baptized, when you received your endownment, when you received your mission call. These experiences will help you remember who you are and what you stand for.
Summary: NO person is saved without testimony--which is received by the Spirit of Revelation, which is necessary for salvation.
You must live every principle you teach.
You will receive power from on high.
If we recognize the voice of the Lord, we will receive more and more. When you receive these promptings, follow and obey them.
Not only is the church true, but the Gospel we teach is also true.
---------------------
This talk was so amazing. I really needed to hear it.
Also on Tuesday, we said goodbye to one of the Districts in our Zone. They were so great! I feel so lucky to have been able to get to know them for a couple of weeks. They are such amazing Missionaries!
On Wednesday, we had TRC, where we teach real people. Not our teachers. Sometimes they are members pretending to be less active or investigators. It went really well. It just amazes me how well Heavenly Father knows each one of his children. He knows what they need to hear, and more often than not, we teach something completely different than what we "planned"on teaching.
Also on Wednesday, our teacher, Hermana Balderas told us she had dreamed about us the night before, and felt she needed to share a video with us. I am so glad she listened to this prompting. You all need to watch it if you are able. It's name in Spanish is "La Obra Misional y La Expiacion" it was so amazing. It talks about the parallels from missionary work with the path Christ walked.
Today, we have a ping pong tournament within our district... It will be so awesome. I am super excited.
Also, Hermana Singer and I are determined to learn more Spanish. We are going to label everything in our casa, so we can learn the Spanish words. It will be way cool.
Oh! I have also memorized Joseph Smith's experience... "Vi una columna de luz, más brillante que el sol, directamente arriba de mi cabeza; y esta luz gradualmente descendió hasta descansar sobre mí....Al reposar sobre mí la luz, vi en el airre arriba de mí a dos Personajes, cuyo fulgor y gloria no admiten descripción. Uno de ellos me habló llamándome por mi nombre y dijo, señalando al otro: Ésta es mi Hijo Amado: ¡Escúchalo! "
I know this Church is true, and I know that I am here for a reason, and that Heavenly Father is preparing and has prepared those whom I will teach.
¡Se Amo ustedes mucho!
TTFN, Hermana Dean
TTFN, Hermana Dean
Dear Sister Dean,
ReplyDeleteFor some reason unknown to me, today I came across this blog that you wrote when you were at the Mexico City MTC in preparation to go out on the mission field.
How much I appreciate that you have registered in your Blog your feelings and learning of the devotional at the MTC where I had the opportunity to address a message to you. You have a great capacity to learn and record in a very precise way. The most special thing for me is the phrase where you say: "I really needed to hear it". This reminds me of what Elder David A. Bednar taught us about: "Find the One." Although many years have passed, I am grateful that Heavenly Father has allowed me to know who was "the one" whom the Lord sent me on that very special assignment at the MTC. I am sure that you are that person, and how grateful I am to my Lord that you took the time to summarize the message and share your feelings.
I hope you had a successful full-time mission, and that you are currently enjoying the blessings of well-rendered service. Please go forward with faith in the Lord, whom you and I serve, because I know that this work is true, and that you have even more to contribute in the different stages of your life as you continue to worship our God and participate in the gathering of Israel in these latter days, beginning in your own family. May the Lord bless you.
Sincerely,
E. Villalobos