Happy New Year!!
I cannot believe it is already 2024, and that this is the year that I will (almost completely) be a missionary. We saw lots of fireworks again this week to celebrate the new year, literally just outside our window there are tons of huge fireworks. But, this week was super good as always. The Lord always will work miracles for the obedient and believing, even when we have no idea how He will do it. At the beginning of the week while we were planning, I was thinking about, "wow, who are we going to visit and help teach this week?" and I felt a little scrambled. But, God answered our prayers to help us find people who want to listen and change and apply the gospel. We were able to teach 20 new people! Hermana Christensen was good and pointed out how the Lord truly, and really almost completely, does the work on His own. All of our friends we have taught together these past two transfers, He has literally placed on our doorstep, with a perfect bow -- Magela, a reference from her son; Andres, a reference from his grandson; Johan, a child from an inactive family that we miraculously found; Keller, the nephew of a member (whose mom is also inactive). God wants His work to progress, and He will do it. We just have to trust at all times and try to give Him our best, and He will take care of the rest. "Look unto me in every thought, doubt not, fear not" (Doctrine and Covenants 6:36).
Right now we are finding lots of success in finding friends to teach by going to less active members, and meeting their family who lives with them (or that were born after they became members) and teaching them. We printed a list off of ALL the members in the ward, and have been asking some of the older members in the ward if they know where they live. It is all basically a huge puzzle here, directions are bad, people have moved (or moved to the other side of the veil...), or no one knows who they are. We basically taught the primary this week because we were teaching a bunch of less active people's children. I love teaching kids though. They just want to follow Jesus Christ, go to church, and be baptized. We all need to be more like these little children, and follow Jesus Christ with all of our heart.
I have the goal to read all of President Nelson's talk this month, and I read a part I really liked: "My work and my glory is to help my loved ones reach that heavenly goal" (Woman--Of Infinite Worth). There is so much joy to be found as a missionary of the true and full and complete and living Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints! I love to help people change, help people feel His everlasting, enduring joy, and become more converted to Him. The mission is hard, but nothing that is good comes easily. God has been, and always will be, a God of miracles. His people are those who wait (2 Nephi 10). So wait, and watch, and most important WORK for miracles :)
I fell walking on some gravel today que pena (what a pity)
Eating smores!!
This is a panama tradition to fill these with fireworks and light them up
Christmas lights outside our friend Harold's house
A ring a liked
With the kids of family Flores and going on visits to less actives
So Panamanians buy really cheap paint, and sometimes I forget not to lean against the walls. This is the aftermath..
Maria y Mileidys Cumbrera
Teaching the primary aka our friends, the family Cumbrera, who live across the street from our recent convert, Johan.
Member visits with Enrique Harriott
Dinner with the family Flores, of course a selfie with Daysi
Potato salad, pre mayo, my worst enemy (Katie doesn't like mayo)
We gave her a heart necklace and she did a little dance and immediately put it on!!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY MAGELA! Our recent convert celebrated 56 years today
At Zoe Riasco de Gracias third birthday party with the whole family Yañez . We did a NDH, noche de hogar (family home evening), and had dinner and celebrated
First picture of the new year
Fireworks at midnight
MY PACKAGE CAME
No comments:
Post a Comment