Familia --
As we start the last week of January, I am blown away by how fast time goes by. This week was up and down and up again. Even though we still don`t have investigators progressing we have high hopes for this week! There are a couple families that we have found and contacted this week, plus a couple old families that we have re-found, that we are excited to teach this upcoming week. I will be honest, this week was a little bit of a sick week. I got strep throat wednesday morning and trudged through the day triumphantly until 9 pm, then thursday I was a dead log. We called the nurse assistant and then Hermana Hancey the mission nurse. She scheduled an appointment with a doctor in the Hospita Metropolitano, where for the first time I had a doctor`s appointment in Spanish (crazy.. there are still so many words in Spanish I need to learn), and was given a lovely shot of Penicilin. Thursday was basically a lost day other than a couple contacts we made on the bus and taxi rides. Planting Seeds. Friday and Saturday were much better days.
Real quick.. the miracles of the week.. Branch Conference. We worked really hard with members to help us visit all the recent converts who aren`t going to church. And members of the branch council truly went above and beyond to help the inactive converts come to church this sunday. The past month we`ve only had 1 or 2 converts coming to church a week (out of 13) But this sunday we had 4! The best part is, Mariana and Alexandra Altamirano came, and they had told us a little more than a month ago that they would not go back to church. With much love and care, we were able to help them see reason and return. Jenny Simbaña, another recent convert, came to church too, she is practically inactive, but the relief society president along with others in the branch have been helping her and she came on sunday! Rocio is doing great as well. We can count on her and her calling is underway!
Branch conference was amazing. I left church on sunday feeling so edified. One of the speakers from the stake presidency made a really cool connection. He talked about Cain and Able. They both gave sacrifices to the Lord in the beginning. But they gave different types of sacrifices. Able understood what God asked and Cain did not. Cain gave what was easier, just a few plants. This simple mistake, not sacrificing enough, culminated into all that we know Cain famous for. Now we live in modern times. Christ came. He told us that we no longer should sacrifice animals but a broken heart and contrite spirit. Now the great question: Are we giving a partial sacrifice or do we understand the nature of the sacrifice Chrsit asks? Are we like Cain or Able? Be honest with yourself. Are we holding back part of our heart? Do we let selfishness, envy, and pride get in the way of truly repenting each day? Are we giving everything? I know that I still need to give more. His talk definitely got me thinking. We must MAGNIFY our callings in every moment. Not just our callings as members or missionaries of the church, but also our first and foremost callings as daughter, son, brother, sister, mother, father, or spouse. I invite everyone reading this to make a self inventory of how much we are giving to the Lord.
We have focused on our diligence this week and it has payed off. Maybe all our contacts didn`t come to church, but the Lord blessed us with these sweet recent converts with whom we´ve been trying to help for all my time here in Bella Aurora, and they finally came to church. I know that everyday as we continue to work and be focused 100% on the mission, we will be blessed and be able to see the changes in those we teach. Its not easy, but being a disciple of Christ isn`t supposed to be. I know that He lives. I know that he calls prophets. I know that the truth is restored and we are called to declare it from the rooftops.. maybe not literally. The field is white and ready to harvest. Have a great week everyone!
Con Amor
Hermana Powley
