Aug. 2, 2017 ~ STONES OF FAITH (Week 3)
 |
| (Elder Skinner's Companion, Elder Skinner, Me, Hermana Farmer, Hermana Ferrin at the Mexico Temple Visitor Center) |
 | ||||
| (The missionaries that arrived at the Mexico MTC the same day as I did. I'm 5th from the left) |
I wish I could tell you how many Latinos have said, "Oh, you are so brave," when they learn I came here not knowing any Spanish. I think they all think I chose to come to the Mexico MTC for a fun little vacay! Its pretty much the Latin way of saying, "Bless your heart," to someone whose heart is only getting blessed because they're an idiot. Haha so that's fun.
When I was telling my teacher, Hermano Hernandez, how hilarious it is
that everyone says that to me, he said, "Yeah, you are brave, because
you are in an intermediate class." HAHA WHAT!? My class started halfway
through the MTC program, because everyone already
knows Spanish. Apparently, a minimum of 3 years of previous Spanish
instruction is a prerequisite. HAHA WHAT!? It all makes sense! And now
the breakdown I had the 3rd day here seems somewhat reasonable, doesn't it
😉? Haha I have no idea how or why I got put in
an intermediate class... but my district has helped me so much and is
always encouraging me. I've gotten to where I can understand most things
that are said, and can teach a lesson in Spanish without any written
notes. I testify that the Gift of Tongues is real!
But it's a gift that we really have to work for!
Every week we do a service project during our gym time. This week we got put in the kitchen... it was rough. Ha, they wanted me to cut the raw chicken and it was super bloody... and I couldn't do it... I started gagging. I don't know what it is with me and meat. Ha, so I washed dishes with a guy named Marcos and he helped me with my Spanish!😄
(I'm 2nd from the right)
Last Monday, a new Elder was switched into our district. His name is Elder B, and he was originally in the 3 week program. That was
too overwhelming, so we were lucky enough to get him transferred in to ours! He has CCD (a bone deficiency disease) and struggles with anxiety & depression, but we loved having him in our district; he's a super smart guy! This week, he decided that this was all too much and that he wanted to go home. He told President Bennett and his family, and was supposed to leave yesterday. But Monday morning, his mission President in the U.S. randomly called President Bennett and said, "We need this missionary and we need him now. There's a flight that leaves at 6 am tomorrow, and he needs to be on it." So instead of going home yesterday, they flew him to his mission. We miss him but we wouldn't want him anywhere else. It was pretty cool to see how much Heavenly Father needs every single one of His missionaries. He truly has the best interests in mind for His children- regardless of whether they are the ones sharing the good news of the gospel, or whether they are the ones who need to receive it.
Last week we got a new investigator named Mario (who was really our teacher, Hermano Hernandez, pretending to be his hardest investigator from his mission... he said it's best to train now for the hardest things so our missions seem easy!). Mario is an older guy whose wife was killed, whose daughter passed away in an accident, and who is raising his two granddaughters by himself. We didn't really know what to
expect going in to our first lesson but were not prepared for what we got. It was pretty easy to see right away that Mario was struggling in his life. He was very depressed; it was so sad to see! He sat leaned forward, with his elbows on his knees, and didn't look up from his hands one time. After every time we bore testimony of something, he would say, "That's a lie," or "God doesn't exist", "You're all liars," "God's a liar," "That's not true," "if Godis real, he's a bad God, because he ruined my life", etc. (For those of you who are wondering, even though we aren't teaching real people, it still feels very real! And our teachers act as the investigator really would.) Wow it was so hard. We left feeling so discouraged!
This last Monday we had our 3rd lesson with Mario. We taught about the Atonement of Jesus Christ, and the love that our Savior has for us. Sometimes, we don't know why bad things happen to good people, but we know that through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, all things that are painful or unfair or causing grief in our lives, can be made right. We prayed so hard the entire lesson, and the spirit touched his heart over and over. This time, he was looking down not because he was angry at God or upset with his life, but because he couldnt control the tears that were streaming down his face. When we invited him to be baptized, he said yes! Ah it was awesome! I hope I never get used to the feeling of joy I felt in that moment! It was so amazing!
I have been taught so much this week about love and patience and faith...
I was taught in a broadcasted devotional this week by Elder Bednar, of the trial of our faith that often precedes miracles. Sometimes, Heavenly Father makes us work for things; he tests our individual strength as well as our strength in Him. But he will always manifest himself to us in the time he sees most fit for our benefit.
 |
| (Photo posted on the Mexico MTC facebook page... Bottom left, 3rd in.) |
In Ether, chapter 2, the Lord commanded the Brother of Jared to build barges. Verse 16 says,"And the Lord said: Go to work and build. And it came to pass that the Brother of Jared did go to work, and also his brethren, and built barges after the manner which they had built, according to the instructions of the Lord." Later, the Lord told him how to create a way for air. And lastly, in chapter 3, the Brother of Jared asks the Lord how they are supposed to receive light in the barges. He said, "Oh Lord, wilt thou suffer that we should cross this great water in darkness?" And the Lord said to the Brother of Jared, "what will ye that I should prepare for you...?"
The brother of Jared worked hard & "did molten out of a rock 16
small stones." He carried them in his hands to the top of a mountain of
"exceeding height", and there he asked the Lord to touch the 16 stones,
that they might illuminate the barges on the sea.I have often felt like the Brother of Jared. There are times where he has told me exactly how to build the barges in my life, and all I had to do was follow his instructions. These weren't always the easiest of times, but they were made easier because I knew without a doubt what the Lord had commanded me to do. I trusted in the instructions he had given me, knowing that he knew better how to build a barge than I did. But then, when I feel as though he has left me in the dark, I find myself saying, "wilt thou suffer that I should cross this great water in darkness?" "Are you just gonna tell me how to build a boat and then not tell me how to have light in my life once it's made?"
But Elder Bednar taught me something that I had never considered. He read verse 6, which says:
"And it came to pass that when the brother of Jared had said these words, behold, the Lord stretched forth his hand and touched the stones one by one with his finger." (Period). "And the veil was taken from off the eyes of the brother of Jared, and he saw the finger of the Lord; and it was as the finger of a man, like unto flesh and blood.."
What I had never noticed, was the period after the word "finger". Meaning, End of Statement. The Lord had, one by one, illuminated all the stones as the brother of Jared sat by. AND THEN the veil was taken from off the eyes of the Brother of Jared, and he saw the finger of the Lord. The Lord had touched 16 stones, one by one, BEFORE revealing himself unto the Brother of Jared. One stone at a time, the faith of the Brother of Jared was slowly strengthened, as he saw the stones illuminate. He knew that it was the Lord who was illuminating them through His touch, but it wasn't UNTIL each one had been illuminated, that the Lord revealed his finger to the Brother of Jared. Afterwards, it says that it was because of the exceeding faith of the Brother of Jared, that caused the Lord to manifest himself unto him (the Brother of Jared).
Sometimes, our faith is strengthened immediately: the Lord shows himself unto us, and he gives us direct instruction in our lives. But sometimes, he allows us to figure things out for ourselves, with our faith growing step by step as he illuminates the stones necessary for our progression. However, He never leaves us to be tossed upon the storms of the sea in darkness.
 | |
| (P-Day! Trying on hats!) |
I hope everyone had a good week! We have so much to be grateful for! 😃🌻🌻🌻
I love you all! Thank you so much for the love and support
you have shown me. ❤
Love, Hermana Brooks
Comments
Post a Comment