transfer, 'The Transfer of Bridges and Miracles.'
This week has been so great and although I really don't want to get
transferred, I'm feeling that I'm probably going to get transferred
this week....
We have some newer investigators in an area called, Balut 2. The Brena
family. We're teaching them as a family and it's really so exciting.
The father of the family has said several times that this is the first
time that he's ever listened to missionaries. Usually he ignores
anything having to do with missionaries (not necessarily from our
church, but from other faiths as well.) They attended the branch
activity last Saturday and he said that it was the first time he's
ever walked into another church, other than a catholic church. They
also happen to have a ton of friends that are lds, but didn't even
know. Yesterday we were able to finish the first lesson and give them
a Book of Mormon. I loved watching his face as he has gained interest
in every appointment. He told us that he's very curious about the Book
of Mormon and that he would read it. Incredible moment.
I thought about whether to include this or not because it's fairly
personal, but I felt that all of my letters are personal to me and
that there may be some benefit to others by reading it. This spawned
from an identity concern I have/had.(probably a very cliche missionary
statement?) But this has honestly been on my mind for a while now and
has been slightly urking me. (is that a word?)
I have found that there have been many many changes that I have
experienced while being on my mission. Some of the more important
changes are internal. In the midst of acknowledging these changes,
I've honestly been slightly worried about the future. Am I this person
because of my calling? Because of the work? or is it because of
culture? Which is it? Is it even important that I try to identify
where these changes have come? I don't know.
I cringe at the thought of coming home to return to be the exact same
person I was as I left. And even so, I realize that I can't be a
missionary for the rest of my life. I am left with a lot of
choices-because it is a choice who I will be when I return home. I
came up with a short list of things that I wish to include, lest I
forget of things I want to take home with me and apply to the upcoming
years so that I can live what I am learning. This is not
comprehensive. :)
Who I want to be when I get home (December 8,2012)
-Loving----> more fully and more unconditionally than before
-More full of an understanding of 'faith' and that the concept of
'obedience' to laws of an eternal nature are essential for gaining
spiritual knowledge and growth. It is in likeness of a God who is also
governed by natural laws. It is not blinding, but rather liberating.
-Familiar with the process of receiving spiritual strength so that I
can apply it everyday of my life
-Firm in my standard of morals, so as not to be pushed by worldly
influences what is acceptable or unacceptable in my life.
-Giving of the light I have received on my mission to others,
'according to their language, unto their understanding.' (2Ne31:3)
-Even more curious and even more hungry to learn and in turn create
for the benefit and learning of my fellow brothers and sisters
-Ready to understand more fully and apply the relationship between
'creation' and 'worship.'
-Seeker of truth, light, joy, and beauty wherever it may be.
I want to include some enlightening things that I found in the Book of
Mormon about 'truth:'
Jacob 4
vs. 13 "...for the Spirit speaketh the truth and lieth not. Wherefore,
it speaketh of things as they really are, and of things as they really
will be; wherefore, these things are manifested unto us plainly for
the salvation of our souls. But behold, we are not witnesses alone in
these things; for God also spake unto them unto prophets of old.
vs.14 "But behold, the Jews were a stiffnecked people; and they
despised the words of plainness, and killed the prophets, and sought
for things that they could not understand. Wherefore, because of their
blindness, which blindness came by looking beyond the mark, they must
needs fall; for God hath taken away his plainness from them, and
delivered unto them many things which they cannot understand, because
they desired it. And because they desired it God hath doth it, that
they may stumble."
I found something that Neal A. Maxwell had said about this exact same
thing, "In the Book of Mormon, Jacob speaks of ancient Judah as having
rejected the words of its prophets because individuals living then
'despised the words of plainness' and because they 'sought for things
that they could not understand.' ....Intellectual embroidery seem to
have been preferred to the whole clothing of the gospel- the frills to
the fabric. In fact, one can even surmise that complexity was
preferred over plainness by some because in conceptual complexity
there might somehow be escape, or excuse, for noncompliance and for
failure. In any event, this incredible blindness which led to the
rejection of those truths spoken by prophets and which prevented the
recognition of Jesus for who he was, according to Jacob, came 'by
looking beyond the mark.' Those who look beyond plainness, beyond the
prophets, beyond Christ, and beyond his simple teachings waited in
vain then, as they will wait in vain now. For only the gospel of Jesus
Christ teaches us of things as they really are and as they really will
be."
Lovin you all,
Sister DV
