9/27/21: Last week in North America

 It's been a good last week here in Quincy. It's really began to dawn on me that I'm leaving the country in 3 days. Especially when I got my travel plans this last Wednesday. Turns out I will be traveling from 5:00 am on Sept. 30 to 5:00 am October 1st. It will be an exhausting 24 hours straight of travel, but that's alright because I'll have 10 days of quarantine after I arrive in Bolivia to recover.


This week has been full of excitement for the next part of my mission but also a lot of nervousess, anxiety and to be honest fear. It's not something I wanted to admit to anyone including myself, but I had some fears about what is to come. Fears about not knowing the language, culture, messing up my travel plans and mostly dealing with the uncertainty of everything. I hide the feelings inside and didn't want to confront them but that never works out well. Finally I reached a breaking point, I realized going the Bolivia is not something I could do on my own. So I confessed to the Lord and myself that I was scared. Immediately the spirit impressed on my mind the scripture Moroni 8: 16, specifically the words "perfect love casteth out all fear." This was the answer I needed. I realized the only way the dispel the overwhelming worry and fear was to have that perfect love. Love for God, love for the people, love for the work and love every difficulty and blessing that is to come. This realization and inward commitment soothed my anxiety and I finally found relief from my worries.

It was humbling to admit and confront this but I know the Lord knew what and needed and was waiting with open arms with the answer, all I had to do was ask. Now I have confidence and strength to enter this new journey and I am far better for this experience.

As well this week we had one of the most spiritual lessons thus far on my mission. We were teaching Desiree and her two daughters Madison and Ruby. Madison is a very smart and kind hearted 8-year-old girl who looks out for her younger sister and mom. Ruby is four, loves to give hugs, tease new friends and has down syndrome. She also has been battling lukimia since she was born. The lesson was mostly for Madison who had lots of questions about life and God's plan for her. We decided to teach the plan of salvation, to help answers her question. We began to explain resurrection and how we can receive perfect bodies after the life. Madison looked at us concerned and asked, " what will happen to Ruby?" At first we were baffled on how to answer this simple but profound question from a 8 year old girl who loves her sister. The the spirit gave me a prompting to share the story of my two uncles. I told them how my uncle Aaron and my uncle Adam were two brother who loved and cared for each other. Adam, just like Ruby, had down syndrome among other limitations, and Aaron, like Madison, took great care of his sibling. Unfortunately when Aaron was on his mission, he found out the Adam had passed. This was shocking and sad news for everyone who knew and loved Adam. But I told her that Aaron knew that one day, him and Adam could be together again, they would be resurrected, without any limitations and be reunited with them same love and care that had always been there between them. The spirit testified of the power of resurection in the moment to everyone, and I am so grateful for that experience and the knowledge of the reserection that I have the opportunity to share with others. I'm also grateful for what Jesus Christ did to make it possible.

Overall, it was a week that I needed and there were many experiences I had that strengthened my testimony and prepared me more for what is to come.

Talk to you all next week from south America! 


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