That's
so exciting!!! Depending on what happens with transfers in two weeks
I'll still be here for the baptisms or I'll have to come back for them.
Either way I am going to be at both to support them! :)
This
past week we were able to have a family home evening at the mission
home with President and Sister Eaton! It was so amazing!
Originally,
we wanted Omar to go but he cancelled last minute on us. :/ We were
supposed to be starting at 7:30 and he cancelled on us at 6:30. And it
takes 20-30 minutes to get to the mission home.
So
then we were running around like chickens with their heads cut off
trying to find someone to go to the lesson! It was CRAZY and we didn't
want to cancel because this was a chance to have a lesson with President
Eaton! That's like a chance of a lifetime as a missionary!
Literally,
I'm pretty sure we tried everyone! We even tried Algreta Swarenson who
is this cute old lady we do service for. We also tried our upstairs
neighbor who we have been trying to talk to. His name is Noah and he has
the cutest Dog named Delis. He couldn't come with us to the lesson that
night but he said he'd like to do it another time so that was good!
Anyway,
so like I said we tried everyone and finally we were able to have a
less active family go to the lesson with us! Their names are John and
Ruth Hembree and they've been less/inactive for a long time. The lesson
we had with them was all centered on the temples and then we committed
them to prepare to be sealed in the temple for eternity! The spirit was
so strong and they said yes! Sister Hembree was crying and Brother
Hembree said the closing prayer which was a miracle! He's never done
that in our lessons before. He also asked in his prayer for help and
guidance to prepare to be sealed in the temple! It was so sweet and
sincere! I'm excited to follow up with them!
This
past Sunday was fast and testimony meeting and everyone bore such great
testimonies! One recent convert bore his testimony and it was just
great to see how much he's grown! In the Spanish branch I translated
again. Translating is hard but I do it and I love doing it for testimony
meeting! The kids in the branch always get up to bear their testimonies
and it's the cutest thing!
Also
in Relief Society Hermana Sandoval gave an amazing lesson on faith! It
was so prime time! I loved it and all of the women were crying!
Hermana
Sandoval talked a lot about having the faith to not only believe in
Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ but to have the faith to trust Them. We
can't say that we believe in God and then turn around and say that we
can't do something that He's asked of us. That's not true faith because
we don't believe that He will help us. We can't say that we have faith
in Jesus Christ and then turn around and say that we have gone to far
off the path and can't be forgiven of our mistakes and shortcomings.
That's not true faith because we are denying the power and gift of the
atonement to cleanse us from sin.
She
also went on to say that each and everyone of us needs to have the
faith that we are a child of God and that we have a purpose in this
life.
I
really enjoyed her lesson and I learned a lot from it. I also know that
if you feel like you don't have faith or that you need "refill" of
faith you should pray. A new member to the church once said that if you
want to feel the spirit you need to pray. In her own words she said, "He
gives free refills!" So I know that if you pray for more faith God will
bless you with it and you will grow stronger!
Here are a couple of things I love on faith!
In Alma 32:21 in the Book of Mormon, it says,
"And
now as I said concerning faith—faith is not to have a perfect knowledge
of things; therefore if ye have faith ye hope for things which are not
seen, which are true."
In
the Bible Dictionary it says under faith that, "The Lord has revealed
Himself and His perfect character, possessing in their fulness all the
attributes of love, knowledge, justice, mercy, unchangeableness, power,
and every other needful thing, so as to enable the mind of man to place
confidence in Him without reservation. Faith is kindled by hearing the
testimony of those who have faith (Rom. 10:14–17). Miracles do not
produce faith, but strong faith is developed by obedience to the gospel
of Jesus Christ; in other words, faith comes by righteousness, although
miracles often confirm one’s faith....
"Although
faith is a gift, it must be cultured and sought after until it grows
from a tiny seed to a great tree. The effects of true faith in Jesus
Christ include (1) an actual knowledge that the course of life one is
pursuing is acceptable to the Lord (see Heb. 11:4); (2) a reception of
the blessings of the Lord that are available to man in this life; and
(3) an assurance of personal salvation in the world to come. These
things involve individual and personal testimony, guidance, revelation,
and spiritual knowledge. Where there is true faith there are miracles,
visions, dreams, healings, and all the gifts of God that He gives to His
saints."
I love you all so much! On Thursday I will hit my year mark! Missions are the best!
Hermana Soliz :)
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| Silly in shades |
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