Surprise! P-day is today since we had zone conference yesterday so our whole zone is doing a P-day together. This means that the Elders and Sisters from the other islands came. We are playing soccer and basketball and ping pong at the church. The weather is sooo nice recently. It’s like 70s all the time and sometimes there’s just the perfect light sprinkle of rain. The area is beautiful and the people here are great.
We have had some lessons work out and some cancel but it’s okay. We have been finding a lot of people through all the methods of finding. Facebook, street contacting, door knocking (more like doorbell ringing) and from member referrals. It has been really cool to see how God does his work.
I’ve learned so much this week. It has felt like 8 years and also 1 day at the same time. When they told me I had only been in Spain for 1 week (because I haven’t been keeping track of time) I lost my mind. I’ve lost concepts of time as in days and weeks.
I don’t really get sad when lessons cancel because I know that I am doing everything in my power to do what the Lord wants me to do. So I’m fulfilled. Street contacting and door knocking was what I thought my mission would look like and that’s what I’m comfortable with and good at. But my companion and a lot of the missionaries from COVID who are super good at Facebook have a lot of fears. But in my heart I’m like guys, they don’t know you, you will probably never see them again… if you get rejected, so what? And most people are not mean so they usually just say they aren’t interested.
But anyways it’s all fun. My greatest source of comfort is knowing that my will is God’s will. I have left all of my interests, desires, dreams, and wishes behind. It doesn’t matter what I want because I’m not here for me. I am working towards being homesick for the right reasons. Meaning you can love and miss your family and friends and you can miss the beautiful mountains, but you can’t miss the parts of “home” that are selfish. Like sleeping in your own bed, doing whatever you want, when you get stressed you go watch a movie or go get a treat. Or you miss your alone time or when you could go longboard or juggle a soccer ball in your backyard. Not that those things are bad but they are selfish. Let me just tell you, I know now why I am so obsessed with the topic of discipleship. Because it is so liberating when you just give up your will to God, put all of your trust in He who knows all, created all, has all power, and loves you infinitely and perfectly.
The more you let yourself be swallowed up in the will of the Father, the more he will be able to shape, refine, and bless you. He cannot work with what he does not have. Because of His perfect love for us, his greatest demonstration of that love is his respect for our agency. Therefore, we have the blessing of choosing Him.
Sorry that was a lot. I haven’t spoken much this week as to what I have been learning. I don’t have the words in Spanish yet and my companion is great at leading discussions and conversations.
Moral of the story, I learned lots of (what I think are) life-changing lessons or discipleship-changing lessons from studying and pondering. Read more and ponder more. My personal study has been my favorite thing on the mission. Give God not your spare time but your prime time. Let Him teach you through the spirit because…he will. But often the greatest lessons are learned through silent and calm pondering. So there’s some food for thought this week. Oh ya and also, keep a pondering and revelation journal. Literally write everything down you can.
Email me sometimes today. My P-day ends at 5 so I can’t respond after that but I can still read your messages. Anyways I love you all and am praying for you everyday. Let me know if there is anything I can do for you. And when you are struggling, remember the best response to everything is to turn outward; forget yourself and go to work.
So this painting is the new background page for our Facebook page “Creo en Cristo” and I don’t even think they know but this is literally Timp so that was special for me because I miss my home mountains.
Also I love contacting and walking in the rain. Prob my fav part of days.
Also we hosted the other 4 hermanas so 8 in one piso with one bathroom. I love bedtime. #MeGusta
And apparently you can get a Dr. Pepper to keep you going through the Isaiah chapters in Idaho Falls.
