Saturday, October 8, 2016

October 3 2016 - Divine Love and True Joy

District

Intercambio with Hermana Larsen
Hello family!!! This week was pretty good! We had some cool experiences finding people this week. One day, we had this impression to contact in an area super close to our house. We yelled "Buenas Tardes" at one house and woman came out and just started saying "Could this be? How is this happening? Is it a sign from God?" We were so confused as she immediately invited us in and when we entered and turned the corner, we saw that the elders were there too! They had also been contacting there and had found her and found out that she was a less active of several years. She was in shock that both the elders and us had been sent to her house that day. She said that God must have a purpose for her and this was His way of showing her that. It was incredible! We actually aren't supposed to be in the same house as the elders so it was a bit awkward at first as we tried to leave, but I don't think she really noticed and I think she was truly impacted by the double visits so hopefully she comes back to church! :) The Lord truly wants to bless His children and He will lead us to them so that we may help them. 

Also, we found someone who had been listening to the missionaries several months ago and immediately she started telling us that she didn't want to get baptized and she wasn't going to change, etc. But we were persistent and we shared a spiritual thought with her and then asked her if she had prayed about this message. She thought about it for a second and said, "actually no, I haven't prayed about it. But I guess if I did, maybe God would tell me to get baptized huh?" So she committed to praying about it and give it a second chance. That almost never happens! It was such a cool experience and I know that the Spirit will touch her heart and she will know that this is the truth. 

If you find out the date of BYU registration could you let me know? I know I set things up before the mission but I'm having second thoughts so I think I'm going to ask permission to look at my classes and figure things out but I need to do it before registration opens, so if you could let me know that would be great! 

We had transfer calls yesterday! And I'm staying here in Guayama with Hna. Keith!!!!! :) I'm super excited to be able to finish up here. And I'm super excited to have three transfers with Hna. Keith. She is an awesome missionary and I just love being companions with her! This next transfer is going to be the best transfer ever! :) 

WASN'T CONFERENCE JUST SOOOO GOOD?! :) Wow, pero wow. It was so powerful and so inspired. I wish I had time to share everything with you guys but I'll share a few of my favorites. First of all, the entire Saturday afternoon session was incredible. Anything about missionary work has just been a really sensitive/emotional topic for me lately and that entire session was basically dedicated to missionary work through the talks and the missionary choir and everything. It was incredible. I LOVE being a missionary. I loved Elder D. Todd Christofferson's talk about the divine love of God. He truly does love each and every one of us and I've felt God's love for me and for so many people here in Puerto Rico and it's the most beautiful thing in the world. It truly is infinite and unconditional and eternal. It's the greatest gift of God. Through this love, He can see and know of our potential and He will empower us to reach that potential. God loves you. He loves us all and He will reach out to us and bring us back home if we let Him. 

I also loved Elder Dallin H. Oaks' talk about missionary work. (claro! :)). I liked two things in specific that he said. 1- "What is more joyful than sharing God's truth with God's children?" And after being a missionary, I can say without a doubt, there is nothing more joyful than sharing the gospel with everyone. 2- Our participation in missionary work is a reflection of our testimony of the gospel and of Christ and our love for the Savior. If we truly love our Savior and have a testimony of this gospel, we will have this desire to share this joy with everyone. And that brings me to the next talk I loved by President Russell M. Nelson about joy. "Joy is intentionally trying to live a righteous life." This gospel brings us true joy. We should strive to be joyful at all times as if there were a sign over us saying "I have found true joy. Want to know how?" Others will be able to recognize our joy and will want to know what makes us so joyful- opening the doors to missionary opportunities. No matter how difficult life gets, there is always something to be joyful about. We have the fulness of the gospel through the restoration of the church of God. This is something to be joyful about. We know that we are children of God and that He loves us and that we have the divine potential to become like Him. This is something to be joyful about. This gospel is joyful and in Christ we will find joy.

I love you all so very much and am always so grateful to hear from you each and every week!!! I LOVE YOU!!!!!!! :)

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~Hermana Allan

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