La Semana Pasada!!

October 12, 2020

Hola Mamá y Papá!!!!! It seems I'm writing these more often, which is honestly a relief!! I am really loving the work and teaching and serving and being busier lately is so good, but also relieved to see time is still moving😅 Maybe its because I got to talk to you guys three times this week haha which honestly so much fun, I look forward to it so much!!! Its the legit best!!!

I'm so sorry this is so long! I just wrote this stuff the past couple nights and it was bigger than i thought when i compiled it. I'm going to schedule send this 8am! Love you guys so much!!!

Also thanks so much for your emails!! Loved hearing about all the things you guys are doing! I feel like I'm in the loop w what's going on there but kinda feel bad it's so one sided except for pday and i probably flood you with communication. But, sounds like it was a good sunday being together, minus dads working, especially since Trey came home! His trip sounds crazy but definitely trey thing. I'm so glad Dad is starting to feel better! I was worried it was covid for a little there. 

Quick Highlights since Friday

-comp study and taco bell w ZL

-service w crazy man and ZL

-comps making me lil crazy on saturday

- Church!! Blessed Sacrament, fasted!!

-Wild lesson w new convert Ronney 

-Way good dinner w members, anointed oil

-Joel still good for bapt 

These are just some of the things I've been studying this week, thinking about, and things I'm striving for. Conference was seriously incredible so I have been trying to apply things from it. I really loved all the talks but have studied and focused on President Nelson's words. Especially these, 

 "Are you willing to let God be the most important influence in your life? Will you allow His words, His commandments, and His covenants to influence what you do each day? Will you allow His voice to take priority over any other? Are you willing to let whatever He needs you to do take precedence over every other ambition? Are you willing to have your will swallowed up in His?"

This has caused me to reflect and ponder a lot. I love this idea of letting God take full control and being the number one priority in life. I think so many things fall into place when we do this. It reminds me of Coach Ross preaching the importance of being bought in.  I have tried to apply that to my life as a missionary. I am bought in for sure. I'm trying to turn that into action. Its a process but I'm striving to be more like my Savior in all I do and say and especially even think lately. D&C 6:36 says, "Look unto me in every thought, doubt not, fear not." Elder Anderson gave an incredible talk about this and Elder Soares talked about the power of thoughts as well. I'm trying to change my heart to be more converted and focused on the Savior. My companions sometimes really are hard to love. I don't really ever say anything but I'm really trying hard to be patient, not getting annoyed or mad internally. I've been trying not to compare myself to them or get irritated, even if its just in my head. As well, I've been trying to hear the Spirit in its small impressions. I want to be able to recognize those so I can know exactly what to say in lessons or how to help people. Some things I've found so far are to first having the faith that I can be guided in all I do and say. Really believing that the Spirit can be with me constantly and that he will guide me. And praying for His help specifically. And also personal studying is awesome and i think helps me obtain the Spirit every morning. Basically i think my focuses lately break down to two things 

1.Focus on the Savior in ALL things, becoming more converted through Him

2. Recognize the Spirit more fully to help me in all I do as a missionary. 

Ok sorry i started writing about my comps and got carried away. Basically im just trying to be more patient and learn to love them. I shouldn't have listed all this stuff. I need to focus on the good not the bad. And i wrote this stuff below saturday night but Sunday was wayyy better. I feel bad i even wrote all this in hindsight 

So comps in deeper explaination

Elder Campbell especially interesting. His humor is super dry, super sarcastic, and probably border line rude. I try to just roll with it but he doesnt let things die or can never be wrong. Like i said Harry Potter is the best and he went off about Lord of the Rings, and same thing when i said Bruno Mars is good and he went off about Mozart, to the point to make me feel dumb. And says things like my hair is too long or little things like that.  He also likes to say I'm never getting to Argentina which reallyy makes me upset. I think its a mix of jealousy, and just his personality/humor. Hes not the best w people, just like socially. But at the same time he will actually help with the dishes and stuff like that and i think he teaches prety well in the lessons. And he really knows the scriptures, he like loved the Old Testament, which I really know very little about since we didn't ever cover it in Seminary. Sometimes though he gives me flack for studying and marking up my Spanish scriptures instead of my english but I'm not changing that anytime soon, i love my Libro de Mormon.  Elder Gale, from Beaver, nice guy. He is just more chill. Doesn't always say a lot, like in lessons too which we are working on but its still been good. I feel like we've been teaching well. He grew up on a ranch so the ranch is all he really knows. I dont think he thinks germs exist tho, like he touched raw elk and didnt wash his hands until i finally said something after he was touching the fridge. And he doesnt ever do the dishes, but idk he grew up on a farm, his mom died a few years ago and his grandma died too a few months ago. Said he almost went home after that. I cant even imagine that. Neither one of them work out in the mornings, we like threw a frisbee around the first two days, but now they just do leg raises in bed. Lol. But i dont mind it bc the frisbee was just a waste of time. I just get up and do my thing, Chloe ting and then get creative w pushups and the 20 lb dumbells we have. 

Scriptures I read and loved 

Alma 44 Moroni introduced and his people defeat the unprepared and naked Lamanites. Armor of God! Also has the guy cut off the scalp. Mom acted this out the last time we read this in Come Follow Me, lol. 

Alma 46 Moroni creates the Title of Liberty!! Love how passionate he is. Has such righteous desires. Also i absolutely love how it says the "true believers in Christ took upon them, gladly, the name of Christ, or Christians as they were called, because of their belief." I want to be called a true believer in Christ! Also cool how it calls us Christians. One dude told me we believe  in a different Jesus, so not true. Lastly I love how later in the chapter these people were so happy to make a covenant with God to always follow him 

Alma 47 Amalickiah is the most evil dude ever. Describes him as ñike subtle but clever snd cunning. Exactly like the adversary. Best example is with Lehonti (Mom's comparison to Joe Biden). Asks FOUR times for him to come down. Lehonti eventually breaks and comes just a little off the mountain and ultimately is poisoned. Great parable for adversary, can't male any expections or come down mountain at all.

Alma 48:11-19 talks all about Moroni's atributes. Faithful and diligent through and through. Scripture hero for sure!! Alomg w in 19 it compares him to Alma, Sons of Mosiah, and Helaman, all other scripture heroes. 

Alma 49 Moroni prepared the people so so well!! It says his maner of prepartions was never before known. He never stopped preparing them! President Nelson talked about this in womens conference. Also, took the weak points and turned them into the strongholds. Super cool. 

Alma 53 Two thousand stripling warriors first formed! Describes them as faithful in whatsoever thing they were entrusted with. Also shows the importance of keeping covenants! 

Alma 54 Trash talk between Moroni and Ammaron