Maywood: Semana 10 / Mon. April 12, 2010

Hola querida familia!

So, I ran out of time on last week's e-mail, and ended up sounding really morbid and like I enjoy natural disasters. What i was trying to say and wanted to conclude with was just the difference in perspective you have as a missionary. We are constantly reminded that God is in charge and is taking care of everything and everyone. We have so many incredible experiences that reaffirm that every single day. We had a really amazing experience this week with the Rodriguez family, the one I told you last week we had kind of given up on because the mom said she couldn't get baptized. She decided to go to general conference, and we realized that she really does have an incredibly strong testimony of the church, but she just doesn't feel completely comfortable socially in the church yet, and for her the catholic church has been like her family. She really opened up to us and we learned about her life, and for a moment it was like we were able to see her more like our Heavenly Father sees her, and realized that we had been rushing her and she was afraid, but now she has recommitted to be baptized on the second of May.

Jose Martinez also was just confirmed this past Sunday, and it was a miracle as well, because he was supposed to get a ride with his family but they didn't take him, so we had to send someone to get him and he arrived literally just in the nic of time, literally. He is doing really well and loves studying the scriptures. We'll give him one chapter and he'll read three extra. It is still hard though not having his family as a good support system.

This Sunday was branch conference for the spanish branch. They asked Hermana Salazar and I to help with the ward choir, so I ended up conducting and she played the piano. It was so cute- they all decided to wear black to match and the men wore yellow ties and they had big beautiful yellow roses for corsages for the women. I love how they go all out. We'll see them preparing for the ward activities and the decorations and everything are pretty intense. They really know how to through a party here in Maywood. I'm excited to come back and visit someday. I love that the culture really is so passionate and fun-loving. We were definitely the best looking ward choir I've ever seen, and they were so sweet and sincere in their performance. It was a good breakthrough for us because we've had some trouble feeling love and support from the ward, but they were so happy to have our help. We showed up to the practice even it had only been our second backup plan, and they had been desperately trying to get a pianist to help them, so when we walked in they said "Our angels! You're an answer to our prayers." It was another way that God showed us that he knows what is most important, even when it doesn't seem that important to us, it was extremely important to them in that moment in time, and we were able to help and gain their trust and support, which I know will help us a lot.

Having the ward support and fellowship is so incredibly important, which is what we learned with the Rodriguez family. Someone can know that the church is true, but if they don't feel comfortable there and don't have friends their, then they're not going to go. Please remember that the next time you see a stranger at church! Just smile at them or do something to try and show them the love that is waiting for them in the church. Remember that as disciples of Jesus Christ we are striving to be a "window to his love." I know that all of you are so loving and don't really need that advice, I just look back and wish I would have done more to help and fellowship people, and been more aware of what was happening in the ward and how I could have helped. I feel like I was so clueless as to how the church really worked before my mission. I really don't know how people can learn some of things I'm learning without being here though. I know that I did not appreciate the experiences I heard of other missionaries at all. It is just such an interesting alternate reality.

I love how much I am learning from the Book of Mormon and all of my studies. I'm reading in Mosiah right now and I just read about the people of Limhi. Limhi is the son of King Noah, and he is righteous and good, but he and his people have to suffer the consequences of having rejected and killed the prophet Abinadi. They are enslaved by the Lamanites and have to pay tribute and go through a lot of abuse, and it seems unfair because the priests of Noah ran away and are hiding out in the wilderness missing out on all of the sufferering even though they were most at fault. I think it is interesting applying it to the process of repentance in our own lives. Sometimes it seems like it would be better just to run away or hide out and not face our sins, because it is hard to go through that process. In this story the people of Limhi are actually better off, even with all of their sufferings, because they become humbled and turn their lives over to the Lord. They have to completely surrender to God's will for them and his plan. I love reading and learning from the Book of Mormon. It is true how Ezra Taft Benson said "there is a power that will begin to flow into your lives the moment you start a serious study of the Book of Mormon." If you read the Book of Mormon every day it will change your life for the better, I promise, and the prophets promise, which means that God promises it will change your life, so you should do it!

I hope you are all remembering the things that are the most important and focusing your lives on what will bring you eternal happiness. I love thinking about how amazing it will be spending eternity with all of my incredible family. I like thinking and realizing that if we feel good about going to the temple here, then we would feel comfortable being with God after this life. We still have a long way to go, and a lot of things to refine, but in general I think that is a good measuring stick to have for this life. Live to be worthy to go to the temple, and go there often to be strengthened and prepared for whatever challenges come.

Thank you all for your love and support! Take care, and know that you are in my thoughts and prayers.

Love always,
Sister Jessica Dansie