Hola mi querida familia,
This week has been great. We have seen and been a part of some grand miracles. I have gained a real testimony of the power of the law of the fast. With sacrifice, diligence, and faith we will always see miracles if it’s the Lord’s will. And missionary work is His work. Claro que si! Esta es su obra. Estamos realmente cumpliendo Jacob 5. Somos los siervos que El Señor mismo ha escogido para trabajar en su viña, preparando así el mundo para el segundo venido de El. Qué gozo es ser parte de ésta gran profecia!
This week Cecilia Farinango is progressing! She is preparing for a baptismal date, the 28th of March. She doesn’t talk Spanish very well so we have been visiting her this week with members who speak Quichua to help her really understand the doctrine. I see a new light in her eyes. She told us that she feels as if God’s hand is supporting her and guiding her along as she prepares for baptism. Cecilia is a very special investigator. I love her so much. We had a special family home evening last night with her, her son, and a good chunk of the ward. The bishop even came with his first counselor, which was a fun surprise. There were about 30 people there and we were in charge of the lesson. We decided to play a game, everyone split into 4 groups and each group was in charge of teaching a commandment (word of wisdom, law of chastity, 10 commandments, and tithing) We taught them how to teach and watched as everyone came to life teaching one another. It was really cool to watch everyone try to be missionariesJ There were many references that members brought as well and a couple possible future investigators.
We also have a great miracle to share, evidence that this is the Lord’s work and his hand is in everything we do. Last week, Hermana Gonzalez and I fasted for an hermano, whose name is Carlos Catacuamba. He is an eternal investigator, and the head of his family, his wife and 4 children are members of the church. Hermana Gonzalez had been teaching him about a year ago but he didn’t progress. We fasted that he would accept a baptismal date in March. When we went to visit him this past Wednesday, Carlos accepted a baptismal date for the 21st of March. His family was just beaming with joy. It was amazing. The only problem is that he left for a business trip Sunday and doesn’t get back until Friday night. We know that opposition is going to be working hard to keep him from being baptized. But we fasted again yesterday and he already has had his baptismal interview. Everything will fall into place if we diligently call him each day to make sure he is reading and praying.
This week we had a special training meeting with President and Hermana Richardson and the Asistants. It was inspiring. President talked to us about time. We measured all the time we have in the mission in hours. than, he subtracted all the hours we use up sleeping (which is like a third of the time), eating, studying, and P´day. Our time to proselyte really is only like 85 days. And then he divided that by a thousand years (which is one day in heaven) and our time to serve the Lord really only adds up to something like 41 seconds. It was shocking. I guess we can give the Lord our whole life and still it wouldn´t add up to be anything truly significant. He only wants our heart, our mind, our might, and our strentgh. That is our only way to give. Sometimes it overwhelms me the extreme and eternaly power of his mercy and love. We are HIS children. And we can become to be like him. As we are told in Moroni 7:48, we must pray will all purpose of heart, so that we may be filled up with His love, in order to look and appear as Him in the final great day. What are we doing each day to share His love? How are we spending our 41 seconds?
I know that our Lord is with us in everything we do if we walk in faith. A scripture that I love is found in Doctrine and Convenants 123: 17. It’s a scripture that I love to share with the other sisters. Especially sometimes when we feel stressed are upset that everything we do doesn’t seem to measure up this scripture brings peace to my heart. We just need to trust after all we can do to see the glory of God in action. That’s what the mission is all about. To walk WITH Him. I love being a missionary and I know that this is where I’m supposed to be. I know that through praying with real intent and studying with the spirit God speaks to us through the Holy Ghost. I know that the fast is an eternal law and that as we put God before our earthly wants and needs we shall be raised up! I hope that you all choose to put God and His ways before the world. We are working hard ot be consecrated missionaries. Lets all just be consecrated sons and daughters of God.
Con Amor
Hermana Powley
Picture: Our zone with President and Hermana Richardson. Hermana Gonzalez and I are super cool and dressed up in sentros (the typical skirt of the indigenous in our sector)
