October 5, 2009

Be Thou Consistent!


Wasn´t conference just celestial! We had nobody as far as investigators go on Saturday, so we peacefully enjoyed watching it in English. But on Sunday we fought tooth and nail to get 3 there (and Miguel brought his mom whom we taught in between sessions… so 4 )and then we watched 5 children for a bit of it until we went back to watch it in English again. We had to make the trek to Loma Grande - a good 7 train stations away, but it was awesome!

Here are the things that most got my attention:

Elder Holland´s intensely powerful declaration of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon. There was nothing like the Spirit as he spoke and bore witness of it.
Elder Oaks saying that God´s love does not excuse us from obeying His laws.
Elder Bednar admonishes all to be consistent!
Elder Scott saying the Lord will not force you to learn.
Brother Osguthorpe saying when a call comes you always accept it, no matter how inadequate you might feel.
Elder Uchtdorf saying that love should be our walk and our talk.
Brother Watson talking about temperance… that word we always just read over, but not anymore!
Brother Burton and the attributes and virtues that end in –"ity."
Sister Debb inviting us all to get a grip on the iron rod and not let go.
President Monson reminding us that unless we lose our lives in the service of others there is little purpose in it.
Brother Nielson saying that with the mission efforts we have only scratched the surface.
Elder Christofferson – the intelligent use of agency requires knowledge of truth.
Just a few of the tidbits I loved!

It is crazy to think I am about to start my last transfer. Like this will be my last week 1, my last Zone Conference, my last, “what might happen to me” transfer meeting. It´s weird, but one´s mind starts to accept it. My mind is already little by little accepting the truth that I will finish and fly home. I think it is a healthy way for me to get over it. Maybe it´s just the exhaustion sinking in that helps you be OK with it.

So much to your chagrin and mine – I am battling a spring allergy cold. I was just dealing with it, but when I developed a cough I quickly got a Priesthood blessing from the first pair of available Elders. The next day my cough was noticeably better and today almost completely gone. My runny nose is improving, but as long as I´m not coughing, I´m in little danger of a relapse and “living in the mission home” excursion.

So one of my mission goals was to “walk through a pair of shoes” and I have done that. My 'Born' shoes now have holes in the soles that let water and dirt in. If you hold them up to the light, the light shines through the shoes. How about that, but such bad timing if you ask me. 7 weeks more and I can´t believe I have to buy another pair of shoes. I´d just try to let it go and tape them, but the left shoe has the wiring springing out and cuts my heal. I am going to try once more to mend the hole in the right one and cover the wire in the left one, but if it doesn´t work I will just get another pair. I can´t use the old Sketchers I was saving to show you the wear and tear because they are so uneven it hurts your hips and back and makes you trip and fall because your balance is all out of whack.

Guess what else… I woke up this morning to the sound of a good downpour and thought to myself “I´m so lucky to have such a great pair of rain boots… and I won´t get cut today by the wire because I have no choice but to wear the rain boots. Life is good.” Then when I was eating breakfast in the dark (because we woke up to no power in the apartment) my companion opened the kitchen window and guessed what we remembered? My boots were OUTSIDE on the patio and totally SOAKED. As she tipped them over about 6 ounces of water spilled out of each boot. No worries, I can wear the “it´s kind of raining today” ankle boots made of leather I brought and I still won´t get cut. But wait, they were outside too! Lame. But it was probably one of the funniest things that has happened to me in Las Heras. I laughed and laughed. I made do today with a pair of my companion´s shoes that are too big and I was falling all over the place. I mention that the power was out, because that eliminated the option of blow drying them. Wouldn´t you know it? My rain boots were outside in the rain. That is a lesson I think I will only have to learn once!

We spend a lot of time in a train or in a bus and it´s getting hot outside. That drains your energy at the speed of light. I love it though.

I prayed a ton for Trevor. How is he doing?

I love you all so much. I testify that I know that Jesus is the Christ and that He lives. I have not seen Him, but when I do I will not know any more then, than I know now that He is my Savior.
I know this is His restored church and that it is led by His prophet. I will work until I collapse and preach until my voice fails. This is the truth.

Wubba!