Where Has Time Gone?

Well, I'm not sure where the time has gone. Somehow it's almost time for me to come home.  In some ways I'm excited, but in others kind of heartbroken.  I absolutely love being a missionary and plan to continue to be one for the rest of my life. Rather than talk about all that I've learned this past year and a half I think that I'll just talk about my week.
  
Missionary work is wonderful. It's amazing to see others change and accept Christ and the truth in their lives.  This past week was way busy.  We were able to go to the temple as a district on Wednesday.  The temple is so amazing.  It is a place where I feel so much peace and learn so much about Heavenly Father's love.  I think that they are great symbols of that love. I've been thinking a lot about how everything that He does for us, including the commandments are because He loves us and wants us to be happy.  I find it interesting that prayer is a commandment but the whole object of prayer is to secure blessings for us that we need.

  
This week we haven't really had a chance to see much of our investigators.  They've been so busy and it seems like they've kind of dropped off the face of the planet. So Sister Thomas and I decided that we were going to set high goals for yesterday and expect miracles.  And you guessed it... miracles happened!  It seemed like it was one right after another.  

There is a recent convert who is super nice, but the elders drove her husband off last year and he hasn't been interested in learning much.  Well, each time we go by he seems a little more open to us.  His wife says that he likes us because we have personality.  She told us last week that this weekend was his birthday so we thought that we'd stop by and give him a card and dvd.  We were pretty sure that he'd be gone or if he was home that his wife wouldn't give him a chance to talk. When we got to their house the wife was asleep and he was home!  He invited us in because he wanted to talk.  It was great!  Even though a lesson wasn't taught, we are gaining back his trust little by little. To me, that is a miracle. 

We also contacted a few teenagers and they were all like "yeah!  I want to learn more!"  One was a referral. He said that his family used to go to church with his sister but she moved out and they stopped going.  Apparently, in the last little while, the dad has started talking more about church and how they need to go back.  The dad works shift work so we won’t be able to teach the family until Thursday but we're way excited about this!  From the way Jesus was talking, it seems like this family has really been prepared. He was a little quiet at first but then he opened up about football and I told him that I love college football and BYU.  Well, this just opened him right up!  We found out so much information about his family from just talking for a minute about what he's interested in. I think that people need to feel important before we even begin to teach them things. They can feel God's love for them as we find out about their lives.  One of his former teachers once told us that "he's a big loser."  How sad.  I think that sometimes we are too quick to judge.  We don't know what is going on in their lives and why they are the way they are. When I find myself starting to judge I always try to remember who they really are. Everyone on this earth is a child of God who once chose to follow Him.  They have testimonies of Him deep inside but they just need to be awakened. People rarely change without being invited to do so. 

We also talked with this girl who has felt lost and alone for a long time but has started going to a church.  She said that it must be true because people speak in tongues and that they're teaching her to do the same.  They also chant and it's interesting.  I've found that Satan twists and distorts things so easily.  He makes people believe in false things and it just pulls them away from the truth. In the scriptures it talks about people being blinded by the subtle craftiness of men.  That truly happens.  Something looks interesting and it pulls people in.  So many people talk about speaking in tongues and what not and I've wondered what it is like when they do it but I don't want to get anywhere near it.  We need to cling to the truth and not let go. I'm sure that satisfying curiosity is a lot of people's down fall.  Curiosity killed the cat right? 

Another thing that I've been thinking about is avoiding the appearance of sin. Often people are surrounded by sin but think that they're too strong and they wont ever fall into its traps.  Well, that's wrong.  After being surrounded by it people will fall.  We've talked about this to our investigators.  The key is Helaman 5:12.  We must be built on Christ.  If we are, we'll be safe.  If we're built on Christ we wont feel the need to satisfy curiosity or look for happiness anywhere else.  

Well, I love you all!  I can't believe that I'll be seeing you all this week.  Crazy!  Have a great week!  Be strong in immovable.  The Lord loves us and wants to bless us.  He is amazing.  I love the scripture that says the Lord is my light.  He truly is my light and my joy.  I love my Savior.  I'm so thankful that I've been able serve Him and invite others to come unto Him.  My life is forever changed and blessed.  I just love being a missionary.  There is nothing like it.  I feel like I have so much to say but I'll just end with this.  Always remember that the Gospel is definitely true and is such a great blessing in our lives.  When we follow it we will always be safe and blessed even if those around us are not. 

Follow Christ and He will direct your paths.  Well, adios! 

Hasta luego! 

Love,
Hermana Anderson