Little miracles... :)

HI FAMILY!!

So I have some cool stories for yal this week! We had zone conference last Wednesday, which was awesome! It`s kinda sad now cuz we only have zone conference every 2 transfers, but it`s all good. It was really inspiring. One of the things we talked about a lot was being obedient to have the spirit, and to be bold. SO... before I tell you my cool story, here`s a quote I really like about having the spirit...

As the challenges around us increase, we must commit to do more to qualify for the companionship of the Holy Ghost. Casual prayer won’t be enough. Reading a few verses of the scripture won’t be enough. Doing the minimum of what the Lord asks of us won’t be enough. Hoping that we will have the Atonement work in our lives and that we will perhaps sometimes feel the influence of the Holy Ghost won’t be enough. And one great burst of effort won’t be enough.

Only a steady, ever-increasing effort will allow the Lord to take us to higher ground. I know what some of you are tempted to think: “I’ll have to be careful not to set the bar for myself too high. I wouldn’t want to fail and be disappointed.”

You can set the bar higher for yourself to get more power of faith to pray for the gift of the Holy Ghost. You can set it higher for yourself to have the scriptures opened so that you will come to know the Savior’s voice. You can set it higher for yourself to be obedient in the things He asks of you. And you can set the bar higher in your expectation for peace in this life and your hope, even your assurance of eternal life in the world to come. You can set your expectations for yourself a little higher and then a little higher, with confidence that a loving Heavenly Father and His Beloved Son will send you the Holy Ghost and lift you higher and higher, toward Them.

There will be some private things that you need to repent of. There will be some things you need to begin to do that you haven’t been doing. The Holy Ghost will tell you what those are and tell you all things that you must do. And I have every confidence you will not be overwhelmed, that Heavenly Father and the Savior will lift you up, and the Holy Ghost will be your companion in a more constant and powerful way.

I`ve been thinking about this a lot this week, cuz things have been a little down since the whole depression thing with my comp, although she is doing MUCH much better! Even so, I was kinda frustrated because I really wanted to find new investigators who would progress and really desire to receive the gospel, and especially a family. So, to help us have the spirit more, we put a principle I learned in the MTC in practice, of "little miracles", which is when a cita or a plan fodges you, you have to talk to the first person you see.

So... now the good part! Sunday we went to visit a family, but they weren`t home. We looked around to find someone to talk to, but the only person outside was a little 7-year old boy. We decided to go over anyways, and asked him to call his parents. His Dad came out and started talking with us, and was pretty nice, and even said he would accept a folleto. But, it didn`t feel like enough... So I asked if we could meet his wife. She came out, started talking with us, and pretty quick invited us in to explain the folleto! Turns out they`re a family of TEN (and only one is less than 8 years old), and they`re all adventists, and had heard a LOT of crazy weird lies about the church. We were able to clear everything up, though, and they were super receptive! The whole family came to listen, which was AWESOME! Even so, they all seemed pretty devout to their church.

But later, the dad left to take his 4 daughters to an activity in the church, and we stayed with the mom. She started telling us a ton about their life and how they joined their church, but that her husband and her didn`t go much because they dont like it, and that her husband had been looking for a new church. Then she said "And wherever he goes, I`ll be right by him, to support him", and followed by saying "So, if you invite us we`ll come to your church for sure!"

?!?... This is seriously a missionary`s dream.... Family of ten, parents MARRIED, with a car so they can actually go to church, who received us and let us in their house the first visit, and ASKED to come to church!

:) SO that was our "Little miracle" for the week. Life is wonderful, I LOVE the mission, and ... yeah. Sorry this is a little long, but I just had to share!! :)

I love you all so much. Thank you for EVERYTHING you do and who you are. I feel so blessed to have the family and friends that I have. You are all examples for me in so many ways!

Have a WONDERFUL week, and smile tons!

Besos,

Hermana Churchill