Feliz dia de gracas

Well, well, well! I can´t believe thanksgiving is here already! today we´re going to have our own thanksgiving :) Although, we don´t have anyway to make pumpkin pie, I think it´ll turn out alright.So this past week has been a good one! It´s been raining like CRAZY here! I love it SOooOOo much! It´s crazy rain though, it comes down like there was no tomorrow! It´s weird, just before it rains it gets really HOT. I dunno why.This week I´m exceptionally grateful for my umbrella.. Last week we had zone conference, which as always, was fantastic. I learned a toN of things. One thing that I thought was interesting was this thought:Every person has what we missionaries call an “iceberg”. So their problems, their whole life story that we have NO way of knowing- without the help of either them (which is actually not all that hard to get them to TELL us their whole life story.. the problem is getting them to stop so we can teach them.. haha) AND the Holy Ghost.Anyway, in one of the trainings the Elder was saying that some missionaries are afraid to find their problem. Afraid to find the investigators “iceberg” -but that we NEED to find them. We need to seek them out SO that we can fix them. This really struck me, and I realized that it´s applicable to everyone. We need to FIND our problems to fix them. We need to FIND our kid´s problems to help them fix them- we need to find what our visiting teachee is struggling with so we can help her, or our home teaching family so we can help them. NEVER in a judging way, but with LOVE! Search not to condemn, but out of sincere concern and desire to help. But we can´t help with what we don´t know. The trick, however, is not to FINDING it-- it´s to praying earnestly and WORKING to receive the Lord´s guidance of HOW they need to be helped. This is the ESSENTIAL part.But I think it´s pretty much applicable to any stewardship. And as we know through the scriptures, we WILL inevitably give an accounting of all our stewardships in that last and great day. (D&C 72:3-4) Lets be prepared, shall we?
Oh, also- CHRISTMAS!! Wow! I got the Christmas package you guys sent (you as in mom and Randy & Chelsey)! *because you didn´t write “for Christmas” on the box, otherwise they would’ve given it to me at the Christmas party this upcoming Thursday.. but that´s ok, because now I wont have to cart the boxes back to my apartment *I can´t even begin to express my gratitude for the love and support that I felt just from LOOKING at those wrapped presents (don´t worry, I´m waiting until Christmas to open them XD) Thaaaaaank you thank you thank you thank you!!!!! I love you so much!!!!!!I feel so unworthy of the love you so mercifully give me. I am honestly in awe. I´m excited for the Christmas party though. It´s strangely early in the month, but hey, we live at the end of the world, its to be expected. Christmas day should be strange though, the hours will be like a regular pday, so we´ll study in the morning like normal, and then go back to work 6pm. We might have lunch at a member´s house, but I dunno. Still, it´ll be fun. It´s strange to think of doing anything without Sis. Sorenson, but it´s fun that she´ll be home with her family for Christmas.
There is a quote by Pres. Monson that I heard the other day that is pretty interesting. It´s simple but profoundly true (as quotes from prophets often go) “What we focus on, that´s where we will get results.”Along the same lines, Sis. Sorenson and I Were talking about how when we learn something- really learn it- it´s because we were paying close attention. A simple example: You ask what someone´s name is, but don´t really care a whole lot- you´ll forget it lickity split! But someone that you´re very interested in, or for whatever reason you pay close attention to what that name is—you´ll remember it.This concept really struck me because I realized, that´s true with EVERYTHING. ANYTHING we are really, truly, honestly paying attention to- we´ll remember.So we need to pay attention to the IMPORTANT things. That is the importance of prioritizing the things in our life. If we have already decided that food storage is a priority, we will find a way to increase our food storage.
Oooooh prioritizing. That´s something that my mind has been really stuck on this week. The NECESSITY of prioritizing our lives. The activities we engage in, and the people we do and don´t spend time with . As a missionary I meet a lot of people- and with every one, I get a glimpse of their priorities. I´ve learned a TON from these experiences. One thing that I have learned is this:the phrase “I don´t have time for ______” be it person, place or thing- it ALWAYS- without exceptions means: “It´s not on my priority list.” (or at least not that high up on my priority list.) Because the truth of the matter is, each individual is in charge of their own life. No one else forces them to live it- they decide who they will and wont listen to, who they will and wont spend time with, who the will or wont change their schedule for- WHAT they will or wont sacrifice time for.There is a quote by one of the prophets, I forget now which one, but Ive already mentioned it, but I´ll say it again because its applicable: “Any excuse, however valid, weakens our character.”And it´s true! There is this girl we are teaching. Her name is Fabiana- and actually she is going to get baptized tonight! And she is incredible. She does NOT have an easy life- but she is SO impressive in that she ALWAYS does what she says she is going to. Always. It´s not usually easy, and it´s not usually the most convenient, but she is a woman of her word. I know I have been soooooooooooooooo far from being a woman of my word- but I´m working hard to become one. Because that is honest. That is a beautiful expression of honesty- that is PRICELESS.
Anyway, I´m super excited for her. Her brother got baptized last Saturday, and that was cool. She was out of town though, otherwise she would’ve been baptized Saturday too.
I can´t remember now whether it was church or just a conversation I was having, but in anycase it got me thinking about this:
Following the prophets. There are big things and there are little things that we are asked to do- to follow in faith. In this conversation they were talking about the 2 pairs of earrings thing. But I got to thinking- what about food storage? I realized that food storage isn’t a question of convenience, nor wisdom- it is a matter of following the prophets or no. Just like tithing at times seems impossible, food storage seems like something that needs to be put off- but if the prophets asked us to do it, then it is NOT something to put off. Not only that, but the Lord PROMISES to provide a way for us to complete that which he has asked of us. So let us have faith like Nephi (1 N 3:7) And get our food storage TODAY!**steps off soap box, straightens suit jacket and politely tips hat at the attentive audience before walking into the empty alley way, kicking a pebble into the lonely puddles that paint the quaint cobblestone street.. **
uh.. anyway.. moving on..So the ward (*well branch*) Christmas party is coming up, and the 2nd councilor has decided we need a choir. Soooo, guess who is the choir director.. yep.. me.Only, Sis. Sorenson is leaving before the Christmas party, so for the actual PERFORMANCE- I´m going to play the piano,and Elder Maia will direct.I´m really excited! It´ll be really fun! I´m not exactly sure at this point what I´m going to do, but we´ve already had one practice, and everyone is really excited. Still embarrassed to raise their eyebrows, and still forgetting to stay sitting up straight, but it´s going to be fun. If anyone has any suggestions, we´re singing “the first noel” “joy to the world” and “O come all ye faithful”Elder Carvalho has yet to let me forget that I have broken my own rule (of not singing Christmas songs before thanksgiving..) But thankfully thanksgiving is this week, so I´ll be able to sing Christmas songs guilt-free :p
I guess that´s all for now. I love you. I love this gospel, and I am eternally grateful to be here.I hope something in this letter helps someone grow closer to our Heavenly Father.kloveyoubye- sb