Hello Friends and Family!
Transfer calls came in yesterday. We knew Hermana Carpenter is getting transferred home so I was just waiting to hear what was happening with me. They do the calls at 9:30-10:30 on Sunday transfer night and it was like 9:50 pm. I hadn't gotten a call, but I really needed to go to the bathroom...I waited waited, but I had to go. I told Hermana Carpenter to take charge of the phone. Surely enough, when I'd gotten comfortable, ring ring. I hurry out. It was President Palmer. I am going to be a Trainer for a new missionary here in Modesto! I am thrilled. Nervous. Excited. Worried. This will be a test to put everything I've learned and help her as well as learn from her. I don't know her name, I'll meet her tomorrow!
This week we had a missionary work fireside with the youth where we showed the testimony of Jeffrey R. Holland of the Book of Mormon, and had an open discussion with them about missions. We want to get the branch youth excited for missions and help them resolve doubt
This week we had a couple days that is has just poured. ALL DAY. We have been coming home almost every day like wet dogs because we haven't had a lot of appointments follow through this week. One day we tried to take our bikes out for 7 hours (in a light sprinkle) and we got all prepped, my basket was full of Book of Mormons, but my front tire suddenly started to flatten after probably.05 miles from our apartment... later that day we took out a member, Hermana Jossella from Honduras with us on one of these days it was raining. We met lots of people. Many friendly ones who gave us water bottles and times to come back so it ended up being a successful day. Blessings in disguise.
Thomas S. Monson said, "God our father has ears with which to hear our prayers. He has eyes with which to see our actions. He has a mouth with which to speak to us. He has a heart with which to feel compassion and love. He is real. He is living. We are his children made in his image. We look like him and he looks like us."
As I studied afflictions, this quote helped me come recognize more of the importance of our trials and the meaning.
Helaman12:2 Yea, and we may see at the very time when he doth prosper his people, yea, in the increase of their fields, their flocks and their herds, and in gold, and in silver, and in all manner of precious things of every kind and art; sparing their lives, and delivering them out of the hands of their enemies; softening the hearts of their enemies that they should not declare wars against them; yea, and in fine,doing all things for the welfare and happiness of his people; yea, then is the time that they do harden their hearts, and do forget the Lord their God, and do trample under their feet the Holy One—yea, and this because of their ease, and their exceedingly great prosperity.
people with many afflictions, yea, except he doth visit
them with death and with terror, and with famine and
with all manner of pestilence, they will not remember him.
More than just for our growth, Afflictions are here to remember our God. in verse 6 of this same chapter it says, 'Behold they do not desire that the Lord, their God, who hath created them should rule over them notwithstanding his great goodness and mercy towards them, they do set at naught his counsels, and they will not that he should be their guide' Why is that? He's perfect. Literally the perfect guide through this struggling world. The afflictions come when we have desires to change or God has desires for us to change. Sometimes to line our actions and attributes up with his way, we go through afflictions whether by our bad decisions or because of someone else's. The afflictions help us change our selfishness->selflessness our comfort-> growth. That is what God wants for us right?
So what does God do to change our ways without forcing us to? He allows our faults and weaknesses to bring in an affliction (a natural consequence of our disobedience)-To turn our hearts to him, to turn his desires into ours. Afflictions are here to bless us that we can grow into a person with Godly desires. I believe covenants are a reminder that we are trying to align our desires to his, our will to his.
I know this the gospel blesses family. I know that God has a plan that makes it possible every man and woman can obtain the ultimate gift of eternal life with God and our families. I know God loves us. I know that we have a prophet today to protect us. Why would we not heed to his words? I know that we all have a purpose. As children of God, there are high expectations, but great reward. I love you all.
May this week bring you great JOY!
hermana waters xoxo
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