Valle Hermosa

Hello! I can't do any intro because it's 3 minutes until Miracle time lol sorry

This is a very interesting time to be a missionary. The more I have been on my mission, the more I can see things that I have never seen before. These past few weeks we have been talking to people that tell us many things that we completely agree with, that want to know the truth, but have this blindness around them, almost like a darkness covering their eyes and it's keeping them from finding the truth. They mentioned many different reasons why they are not willing to hear our message, but I am thinking a lot about how important it is to try to help everyone especially in these last days.

Ok I am so out of time, but I wanted to share a piece of my companions email and share my testimony about it (because it really helped me change my view about many things!) So she was explaining  a scripture in Ether 12:27 in the Book of Mormon where he is explaining that God gives us "weakness" so that we may be humble enough to come to him, and then he will help us turn those weaknesses into strengths. 

"BUT he goes on to say that when we do humble ourselves, his grace is sufficient to "make weak things become strong". that's the part i needed a year to really understand what that means for me. from what i've come to understand, it's not that he takes away our weaknesses. i honestly believe that some of our percieved faults are really just misdirected virtues. 

i don't believe god gives us weaknesses only to take them away later like "okay, good job you're a decent fella now, let me take those off your tab" as if it never happened. no, i think he gives us nothing but great gifts and amazing talents! he doesn't take away our weaknesses, he transforms weakness into strength. the problem is that we ourselves are too weak to use our talents and skills to their full capacity. that's just the natural weakness of the natural man. sometimes we might use them for selfish purposes. someone who is blessed with the ability to be steadfast in a good cause may, in their weakness, be stubborn and obstinate because they don't know how to really use that gift they've been given. 

the good news is that we all have amazing gifts that we've been given, and using them well is all about humility and charity. humble yourself, be teachable, and be willing to use your gifts to bless and cheer and lift everyone who comes across your path. put yourself in the hands of the master, because he can use you to your full potential. i don't know how many of you can feel how sincere i am about this over email, but if you're not sure, read it again! i'm serious about this!"" - Hermana Groves

I want to testify that we are sons and daughters of God and we are given amazingly special talents. I know that through practice and learning, Jesus Christ can help us change our hearts, change our focus and help point us in the way that we should use these talents in your lives. Right now I am learning how to be a peacemaker with the right boundaries and it is beautiful what he has planned for me and for you. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

More random things of this week:

1) I went on a hike

2) I translated (a spanish speaker's words into english) in Sacrament Meeting and it was hard and scary and I quit for a bit but I got back and did it again and I made it through!!

3) I want everyone to read the Book of Mormon. I don't want anyone to lose that opportunity to read it before they leave this earth.

4) We are on a hunt for Spanish Recipes now (if you have some damelo por favor)

Hermana Vestel