Hola Mi Querida Familia,
Happy Memorial Day Everyone! The pools are opening and summer is stirring. Today we have rain. The weather is so predictable here, if it rains in the morning, it shines in the afternoon, but if it shines in the morning you can bet your bottom dollar that you will freeze in the afternoon. Who needs weather apps?
Well I am beginning to see that the Lord has placed me here in Latino to help me grow even more. Its been a little bit of a rough week but we`ve seen many miracles.
First thing first, Aylin Montalvo is getting baptized this Friday! We are so excited. Aylin is an 18 year old girl whom Hermana Maximiliano and Hermana Huayta found through a service project. Aylin is so prepared. We`ve been focusing on helping her recognize the Holy Ghost this past week because she wanted a clear answer to her prayers before baptism. She told us yesterday that she stayed up until 2 am Friday night reading the Book of Mormon, and prayed at the very end that she wanted a clear answer to know if the church was true. She opened the Book of Mormon to a random page and read the first thing that her eyes came across. She shared with us that she doesn`t remember which verse of scripture, but it talked something about coming unto Christ and fearing not. That the truth was here. The next day she had her baptismal interview. This girl is amazing. She gives us so much hope. She has shared with us her desire to serve a mission and the way she has seen a great change in herself these past few weeks. Pray for Aylin that she will have a lovely baptism this next week:)
We are working with a couple other families that have a lot of potential. A new family which consists of a less active and an investigator, Reymundo and Joana, are awesome. They couldn`t make it to church but have many desires to become an eternal family. Also Dayana and Andres aren`t married but the missionaries have been teaching them for a year and a half. This family has been the product of many prayers and fasts, and they told us yesterday that when they receive Dayana`s work schedule this next week they are putting down a wedding date and they will tie the knot before the end of June. Lets hope its before the end of June, I`ve wanted to baptize a complete family for my whole mission! They come to church every sunday and are just amazing people.
We are excited to work hard this week. I was reading in 3rd Nephi 20 and 21 about the gathering of Israel in these, the last days. I love the way Christ promises us that he will heal us amidst rejection. "For in that day, for my sake shall the Father work a work, which shall be a great and a marvelous work among them; and there shall be among them those who will not believe it, although a (missionary) shall declare it unto them. But behold, the life of my servant shall be in my hand; therefore they shall not hurt him, although he shall be marred because of them. Yet I will heal him, for I will show unto them that my wisdom is greater than the cunning of the devil." (3rd Nephi 21: 9-10) Even though there are many who cannot believe at this time, and they reject, and it hurts, the Lord heals because His wisdom is far greater than the lies of the world.
Ademàs, He promises that his people will listen and will recognize His voice. "Verily, verily, I say unto you, that my people shall know my name; yea, in that day they shall know that I am he that doth speak." (3rd Nephi 20:39) It got me thinking, true there are many people who don`t want to listen or who don`t want to even try to understand how there could be a prophet once again upon the earth. But there are others who can feel the spirit and choose to act for themselves to see if this message is true. There are those that the Lord is preparing and this is the time to find them. "...if they will repent and hearken unto my words, and harden not their hearts, I will establish my church among them, and they shall come in unto the covenant and be numbered among this the remnant of Jacob, unto whom I have given this land for their inheritance" (3rd Nephi 21:22). We are here to help others come unto Christ and make covenants, not just baptism but to have eternal families. This is our purpose. We must bring to pass these prophecies that Christ himself made in his visit to the Americas. He knew we would come, he trusts in us!
There is no other time better than today. For the first time this morning it hit me that these next few weeks are going to be the best few weeks because they are the last few weeks where I can be a fulltime servant in the Lord`s vineyard. We must press forward with faith and leave behind a bright legacy of hope and everlasting love. I love my Savior, I would not be where I am today if it wasn`t for His matchless example and atoning sacrifice. I am so grateful for prayer. Every time I ask with real intent, I am given what I need. I know that as we continue to give all our heart, might, mind, and strength we shall continue to harvest many miracles. This is our time!
Con Amor,
Hermana Powley
1. Guess who came to church?
2. Last Noche de Hogar de San Pablo. Love these people so much.
