Last Week - in Pictures

 Sister G.'s orange

The W family!

 Peaches that a sweet sister let us take from her tree!

Sis. L and Me!!

We are putting forth effort!

I hope you are well and that you may know we are putting forth effort here.

This week was a good week, it felt a bit slow but we were able to come to meet few new people. 

 

We fasted this week for a few individuals we are teaching and we can feel the hand of the Lord. We also decided to do a prayer of faith. Sister L. described a family and we were very specific in the prayer. As we went to the home of some members a question came to our mind to ask them if they knew the family we prayed for. A family came to their mind. The family was a bit reluctant of just going over and were planning a game plan that would take a few months to come to see the fruits, but we reminded them that as we go forth and trust the Lord that he provides. We said a prayer with the family and we will be meeting with them this week.

We have been able to obtain more potential investigators through the ward maps. 

The Senior couples are wonderful because they have shared them with us. Our investigators are making progress! And if they are not interested we are moving forward to search. Following up on the invitations we have left with the families we have visited during dinners or just stop bys are helping us gain trust and names.

God lives! He knows us and will be with us at all times. 

Daily Message:

"I want you to know that in my life when I have had disappointments and delays, I have lived to see that if I continue to knock with unshakable faith and persist in my patience—waiting upon the Lord and his calendar—I have discovered that the Lord’s “no’s” are merely preludes to an even greater “yes.”"

—Patricia T. Holland, "Filling the Measure of Your Creation"
Topics: Eternal perspective, Revelation

Hermana Mena

I love my Savior

I love my Savior Jesus Christ, through Him I can do all things.

This was a great week. I love having the opportunity to serve and learn from my companion Sister L. She has helped me realize that no invitation will decrease our ability and purpose. She is a great missionary.

This week we had two wonderful experiences. We had the opportunity of having dinner with this family. Sister D was calling her son down to join in. She explained to us a little bit of his disability, but afterwards also came to share how she knows the Lord sent him that way to earth to help her family remain strong. She also explained how as he went to the temple that it was as though he had been there before. The spirit filled the home as we shared the First vision. 

As those who are seeking they will find, they will be filled of truth.

On our way to find a family we saw a family outside. We had to stop and go. As we walked in the house we were filled with an immense love for the family. It was evident that this Brother and Sister adopted each of the children. They each radiated a light. We testified of the great worth they have of the strength the atonement gives us. 

We invited two people to follow the example of Jesus Christ by being baptized. They will both be praying.

The Lord is preparing the hearts of the people here.

​Daily Message:

​

"Moroni confirmed: “What is it that ye shall hope for? Behold I say unto you that ye shall have hope through the atonement of Christ” (Moro. 7:40–41; see also Alma 27:28). Real hope, therefore, is not associated with things mercurial, but rather with things immortal and eternal!"

—Elder Neal A. Maxwell, "Hope through the Atonement of Jesus Christ"
Topics: Hope

--

Hermana Mena

The Love of a Mother

This week was incredible I was able to see Brother Johnson at Family Services and he was so helpful. I felt so enlightened and felt positivity shooting out of my pores hahaha

This past transfer has helped me live: "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you."

Amidst the trials those we are teaching are facing as they put their faith in the Lord they receive greater peace. During this time serving here in Saratoga we have gone from not knowing any of the members to being in their homes, serving and learning so much from them.

We had the 4th of July Parade. I about cried twice because I was touched to see the people. The child's on the sides of the rode with their hands up waiting for hi 5s from the missionaries. I saw three families I know from previous areas. I also saw Tara from back home :) 

I can't believe it has been a year from the last. I can't believe it. 

Today we had an opportunity to speak to a sister that drove us to the meeting as we asked her how she has seen the Lord's hand in her life she did not answer, so the question was repeated. And she said she was trying to see, because she has a hard time with one of her children he is not making the best decisions at the moment and it is very frustrating for her and she felt as though she has not done enough. 

We testified that Christ's love and how the love of the mother comes to be the only thing to be compared with what charity is. Her son in the back of the car after we asked how his mom has helped him began to point out the positive attributes his mom has. She was touched. Today I will began to see and voice the ways my beautiful mom has helped me. Without her I would not be here. 

An invitation for everyone today is to write down one thing you are grateful for that you mother has taught you and/or helped you with, ponder it and voice it. 

I know families are ordained of God. My family is the perfect family for me. Imperfect? Yes. But not just imperfect, thy are perfectly imperfect. My beautiful family. I love my dad, his hard work and selflessness and ability to see the potential we have, my mom for her determination and willpower and love. My older sister for her humility, thoughtfulness and example. My brother for his unfailing love, patience and understanding and my younger sister for her long suffering, sweetness and tenderness.

Families are the most important unit on earth. The gospel helps us. I know that Christ helps us get through and will forever till the end of times.

You matter. You are needed. The Lord will never leave your side. 

Why we need a Savior — A Christmas message about our Savior Jesus Christ. #ASaviorIsBorn. (2:15)

Yes, the video is a Christmas video, but the message still carries through everyday. 

D&C 123:17

Daily Message

Hard as things seem today, they will be better in the next day if you choose to serve the Lord this day with your whole heart."

—Henry B. Eyring, "This Day"

The Key to Life is to Serve

This week was so great.

A couple from Salt Lake came to the Ward. They came to speak on the addiction recovery program and it was so incredible. They came to speak on the need of us making changes in our lives and taking the initiative. We are the way we are because of the different circumstances we have been placed in. That changed my life. I know what I have to do in life is serve. I have to come back to Utah and receive as much capacitación (training) as I can for food storage, family history, the amazing programs and then I don't know where - but go and share and help others. That is the key to life is to serve and we will have joy. I am not dreading going back home, I am looking forward to it. I need a job. I need to start figuring stuff out with school.

We have to speak openly of things and to help one another and to receive the help we need to progress in our lives. As it says in Alma now is the time for man to prepare to meet man.

I am working on the attribute of diligence, this week. Something that was pointed out by Elder Baines was that diligence is demonstrated by consecration. So I will be reading the talk on a consecrated missionary. 

We have a sealing this week I am going to! :) 

Many of the families who we are working with are going through difficult things and it is heartbreaking. But the gospel truly is the answer. It is. There is hope and better things out there. I know God is there He hears us. and knows us.  Christ suffered that we may not shrink but rely on His atonement.

Daily Message:

"Isn’t it wonderful to know that we don’t have to be perfect to experience the blessings and gifts of our Heavenly Father? We don’t have to wait to cross the finish line to receive God’s blessings. In fact, the heavens begin to part and the blessings of heaven begin to distill upon us with the very first steps we take toward the light."

—Dieter F. Uchtdorf, "The Hope of God's Light"

Hermana Mena

Go speak to him!

Psalms 8:3-6

3 When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained;
4 What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?

I ask myself that all the time. "What are we Heavenly Father that thou art so good towards us so watchful, and caring?"

I have time and time again come to see my many imperfections. We all have them. And being a missionary I feel it is magnified because we are here to represent the Lord, who is perfect and is all that is good and is light. Part of the plan was that we could all come to learn and progress and have our trial and error. The Lord knows us each one of us. We are his children on the earth. And although I do not know all things, I may not be well studied or rich, I make mistakes. I do fall.
The Lord will always provide. No matter how far we think we may be from Him or distance ourselves He is always there.

The Lord has called me to declare what I know. We are all sons and daughters of our Heavenly Father who loves us. He LOVES each and every single one of us.

Today as we were heading to Walmart (part of our pday) we were driving past this car and I felt it. You have to go. Go speak to him. (We just this past Saturday were in the chapel and had one of the Lord's living apostles speak to us of our calling as missionaries; he came to speak of acting on the first prompting we receive) "Ahh how will we if he is on the phone and in the car?" At this point I am vocalizing it and my companion is turning around.  I started to write on a pass along card what first came to mind God knows, He will provide. He loves you.

We pulled up behind the car and I stepped and motioned at his window at the pass along card. He was on the phone. He opened the window, and I briefly made mention that we felt impressed to share that with him. He looked at the card and set the phone to the side as he read it. "Thank you, I feel grateful for this right now."

As we testified of His worth to Heavenly Father his eyes teared up. We were able to speak to him for a few minutes and he is interested in learning more.

The Lord loves us. We are of infinite worth to Him.

5 For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour.
6 Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet:

We had the opportunity to listen to Elder Rasband this past Saturday. ..the immensity of the spirit that was felt was indescribable. As the closing prayer was offered I was sobbing. I was filled with gratitude. I wrote him a note and as he walked by I wrote the same he said to us. 

We love you!

We thank you!

We sustain you.

This experience has changed my life.  I know that the Prophet, President Thomas S. Monson, is chosen and called by God.  Christ directs His church through Him. 

May we ever remember God Loves us and He is mindful of all that we do. 

God be with you.

Studying the Savior's Life

This week has been great. I am learning so much. I am learning how to better teach people, souls, sons and daughters of God. not lessons. I am learning how to plan effectively, how to organize an area, how to better work with leaders. How to be positive and be a better disciple of the Lord. Sister O. is a wonderful companion, as have been my other companions. I am trying to soak up everything.
As I was studying this morning I was reading from the manual in LDS gospel library called "Teaching in the Savior's Way". It goes along with our Mission Vision Statement and it changed my studies!  But as I read in Alma 20 the Lord seemed so much closer to me as He spoke to Ammon.

I understand I must strive to become more like him and by so doing, I will have more love and a sincere desire to help others come to Him. Studying the Savior's life and of His atonement is essential to better understand our roles. I cannot believe I've come to understand this until now. I will try to implement this in my daily studies from now on.