Tuesday, March 1, 2016

Week 38 Traveling, Another Conference, Battling Sleep, and Knowing What Love is

Hello there Regular World! Hope to find you all well and happy today!

We had a good week here in El Salvador. It wasnt a week that will stand out in my mind for the rest of my mission, but there were some very special moments that I was able to be a part of.

The first news to share is that we had a great satelite conference with Elder David A. Bednar from the Quorm of the 12 Apostles. He was in Buenos Aires, Argentina, but thanks to technology, missionaries from all over the South America South Area (where I am at), were able to see this amazing conference and recieve the training that we needed this week. 

Elder Bednar is amazing to listen to. I had only ever really seen him in an ¨Offical Apostle¨ roll before. So it was really cool to hear him joke around and laugh and just have fun with the missionaries and his translator. He actually is a really funny guy, we were all laughing pretty hard at some points. And yet feeling the spirit so strongly. One of the thing that he shared that I just loved, was when we were talking about our own personal conversion. He was telling us about how spiritual experiences are more a bunch of little things than one big moment. He said that there is a really good reason to not want to see an angel when we want an answer, quote, ¨Paul saw and angel... Paul was REALLY MESSED UP. Alma the Younger also saw an angel... AND HE WAS REALLY MESSED UP. Do you REALLY want to see an angel?¨ That had everyone laughing and thinking at the same time. He is wonderful about asking questions that allow people to think and learn from themselves. I think that I learned more from watching Elder Bednar, than I did from actually hearing what he had to say. That is what a true leader does. Teaching by example, as well as through his words.  

To top off the whole week we had a lesson with Javiera and Daniela. Our two progressing investigators. They are doing well! Really well! We had given them the homework to read the Book of Mormon a little bit and the pray to know if this was the path that God wanted them to follow, and when we got there they hadnt done it! So you know what we did? We read with them. We answered their questions, got them excited and then invited them to go into the other room and pray. They left the room and we immediatley sunk to our knees in a companionship prayer. We ended our prayer to see the two coming back with tears in their eyes. Daniela told us that she already knew it was true, but she wanted just to say a prayer, and when she was praying as normal she thanked Heavenly Father for the Sisters (us), and she said her whole body was filled with light, and she knew. Javiera said that she began her prayer and asked spcifically if the Sisters were just here to annoy her and give her homework(she literally asked that), or if the message that we were sharing was true. And when she asked she also said she was filled with something that she couldnt describe, and that she knew what she needed to do, was to follow the things that we were teaching. The next morning they were both at church even though they had to walk the whole way (about a mile with a screaming 1 year old in your arms. I was impressed.)

I love being a missionary so much. The best feeling that I have ever felt is walking out of someones home, and just loving everything. In those moments I know what Charity is. Im not far enough along in my path to have Charity all the time. But these moments when God allows me to see the world through his eyes.... These are moments of refinement, and moments of peace. I love being a missionary. I love being able to help people understand that God has a purpose for them, that they are loved, and that they are not alone. I feel so blessed to share this message with member and investigator alike. I hope all of you reading this one day have the opportunity to share the gospel like this. It is something more beautiful than I could have thought possible. 

I love you all. And Im glad that I can also share the gospel and my testimony with my friends and family every week through email. I love you, thank you for your thoughts and prayers. I pray for you all more often than not. 

Les quiero mucho,

Hermana Randall

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