AMAZING WEEK!!!

    

So I want to share with you all about what I learned with our zone conference this week with President. It was really inspiring, and I am ready to make the changes. He started off by reading D&C 121:36-37. I know hat it is talking about the Priesthood, but as missionaries we are all under the direction of the Priesthood power. We have been set apart as missionaries and been blessed with authority to preach this Gospel. If we as missionaries want power in our teachings we need to live our life with righteousness. The verse 37 talks about if we hide our sins, are prideful, of think we are better than others (my way or the highway), "behold the heavens withdraw themselves, the spirit of the Lord is grieved... and withdrawn.. and amen to the (power and authority)".

      To live righteously we must follow the council in D&C 4:2 and serve our Lord with all our heart, mind, and strength. To serve with our heart we must have pure love, and more profound desires to glorify God.

     

You must strive to have your mind focused in the work, and lose yourself. So I love each and everyone of you, but I will only be thinking of you on Mondays ;) 

     

Then my most favorite part...strength. When you think that you just can't do anything more...When temptations come up, think of your highest goal. Create a movie in your head, perhaps of the moment you will get sealed in the temple. Think of your future spouse, not of a person but the qualities that they will have. A person who loves God more than you. |Someone who helps you strive to be a better person. A person that is selfless, kind, and loving. And think of your future kids watching from above as their parents kneel across from each other from the alter. Think of their hopes that their parents will continue to make the right choices, that they may come into a Christ centered home with strong and loving parents, ready to teach and raise them in the Gospel. 

     

Just how every soldier is prepared with armor to fight the battle, we too must prepare ourselves for a spiritual battle. But something I learned was that I just cant turn away from this amazing talk and not act upon the things I have learned. I must show my desires to change to be the missionary that My Savior and Father knows that I can be. I can't just talk the talk, but I must walk the walk. I desire to be who the Lord wants me to be. I am striving for that every day. I thank my Heavenly Father for blessing me with this opportunity to serve Him. I have learned so much, and I now it is only because He has allowed it. 

Secondly I want to share with you some of the miracles that happened this week. Early in the week we received a reference from on of the members. He called us excitedly and told us that we was sitting on the bus on his way home and all the sudden he got a Whatsapp message (do you guys have this?) from some guy named Christan. The message said that one of his friends gave him his name, because he was a member of the Church. He asked him how he could become a member of the Church as well. So Jorge called us and told us he scheduled a lesson with him tomorrow at his house. So basically we have this golden investigator who told us the first day that he wants to serve a mission and change his life. DEAL!!! 

   Okay other miracle. We had a lesson with one of our street contacts, and amazing things happened. He had a group of his friends over to hear our message. It was a really great lesson, but the best part is what happened next. Fridays we are starting English classes, and one of these references showed up. But not only Friday, but as well Saturday for the baptism, and Sunday!!! 

    Last miracle. Saturday morning we were contacting and we came upon this house with 3 women. They were drinking Terere and invited us in. Even though we weren't allowed to drink any we started teaching them. We taught a strong lesson about Prophets and invited them to come to conference with us next week. We also invited them to come to the baptism later that evening. They said yes and we planned on passing by their house later on. Well we showed up and they weren't there. We were obviously a little sad, but we went to the church. Low and behold they were there!!!!! So we ended up having 5 investigators there!!! It was beautiful and the spirit was so strong! They loved it and all ended up asking questions. 

So basically we are being super blessed. We just need to make sure we are being exactly obedient to continue to teach these wonderful people! I can't even express these feelings that I am feeling. It was just the best day ever Saturday! Possibly one of the best weeks! I know that Heavenly Father loves us, and these people! I feel blessed to have the confidence of Heavenly Father to teach is precious and loved children. It is amazing. 

SISTER SMITH...HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!

I realize this is super long! I love you all and hope you have amazing weeks!!! Oh and make sure to send Jessica happy birthday wishes!!!! SHOUT OUT, I LOVE YOU JESS!!!! 

Love,

 Hermana Sanders

LOVE

Hermana Johnson and I :)

This week was just super great! I am loving being with Hermana Johnson! And Maybe I wasn't all that clear with my email, but Hermana Johnson was in the MTC with me, but she was not my companion. She is from Texas, and I just love her so much! I will send pictures for you all! Oh and funny story that happened this week, Hermana and I were running home one night to make it in the house before 9:30 and she totally tripped and fell. It was like a 3 stage slow mo fall. As soon as she fell, she got right back up and shouted, I'm okay!!! Everyone on the streets looked so concerned, and probably thought to themselves... those crazy Americans. But other than that we have been doing super great! We have made some pretty tough goals, including making everyone we see smile :) There is this one man, who is the husband of a member, who does not like the missionaries. The goal is the one who gets him to smile with saying less than 5 words, wins. Game over! We have yet to accomplish this goal. But all the other ones we made, I know that we will be able to accomplish with the help of the Lord! In fact that is one of the Christ like attributes I am working on this week, faith in Jesus Christ! I was reading in the Our Search for Happiness this morning, and something really hit me... I have been studying about Jesus Christ, and I just felt this overwhelming feeling today. I read a story of the Grandfather of Elder Ballard, and a sacred experience on his mission. I suggest that everyone reads it! He expressed the feelings he felt of our Savior Jesus Christ. I decided that I make it a goal to know Jesus Christ how I once did in the pre-mortal life. All I need to do is follow in His footsteps and if I am faithful I will one day make it to His presence. I can't describe these feelings and desires that I have to know my Savior. It is also a yearning I have for each and every one of you. I know with all my heart that He lives, that He loves us. I can't wait for the day when I can be embraced by Him once again. I know that He suffered for all mankind, and only through Him may be brought back to His presence. I am forever grateful for this Gospel and all it has done to change my life.

Have a great week! I love you all. 

LOVE,

Hermana Sanders

 

Changes!!!

This week has been super fantastic!!! My companion was transferred :( and I received a new companion.  Fun little story... all the zone leaders had a huge meeting last Monday, {which is when we usually receive our transfers} but they all planned on telling us the next day in a zone meeting. Well, as soon as I heard my new companions name, I almost screamed for joy!!! Hermana Johnson!!! I was with her in the MTC, and I just love her to bits and pieces. Also Hermana Dunagan,

Hermana Dunagan and I :)

{who I finished her training} also came back to the other area!!! I was just bursting with joy, and excited for this new adventure!

It is really neat to see the changes since I first knew Hermana Johnson in the MTC. She is absolutely AMAZING!!! I have already learned so much from her, and I know that we will be able to learn so much together now. I feel like there is so much to work on, and I am up for the challenge. That is the lovely thing about missions. Missionaries are always progressing and learning. I know that I am not perfect, and never will be. But I will strive to be better every day. The more and more I am here, the more I learn and grow to love this area. I am starting to not want to come home. I just love this Spirit. I am so sad to see how fast time has flown by, and that I am heading up on my year mark. I am going to make every single day count! 

We also had Miracles happen at church this week! We had MANY less active members return to church and some surprise investigators show up. It is such a great feeling to see the church filled with people. I just love it! I know that the work is growing faster and faster, and I am so happy to be a part of it. I know that Heavenly Father prepares each and every one of His children to accept the Gospel. They just don't know where to find it, so it is our responsibility to help them find it. I love this work. I love my Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. I know with all my heart that this church is true. 

I love you all and hope you have the most amazing week! You are always in my prayers. 

Love,

Hermana Sanders

 

TEMPLE!!!

Sep 8 at 3:50 PM

This week was just super fantastic!!! We were able to go to the temple with one of our converts, and also 2 less active members. The sisters that were less active, were sisters that I had been working with when I was first here in Ysapy. They were all able to find family names to take to the temple. The promise of Elisah is true, and it is such a privilege that we have these truths in the true Church today. They were all super excited, and every time we visited them all they could talk about was the temple! It was really special explaining to them how I feel every time I go through the temple, and telling them about the special spirit that they will feel. We went Saturday, and it was a day I will never forget. We just felt a peace and love the whole time. I couldn't stop looking at the faces of these sweet members as they looked around the beautiful temple. I can't even explain the feelings we felt, so many at the same time. We also found out that it had been pouring rain while we were in the temple, but we did not even hear a thing. We all went home with smiles on our faces.

OUR INVESTIGATOR RICARDO!!!

That was probably the highlight of the week, but there were many great things that happened this week. Okay... I played some volleyball today which always is a delight! Oh and we will find out tomorrow if we have transfers, so I will let you all know next week. I hope that everything is going well for you. Enjoy the cool weather, and know it is getting warmer here. haha! LOVE YOU ALL!!!!! 

P.S. If anyone wants to donate a BYU men's Medium shirt, a member here would just LOVE it! 

 

 

 

 

 

Have a great week,

Hermana Sanders

 

Soy una misionara!

This week has been super fantastic. I am actually really enjoying having a Latin companion, because I feel like I have improved lots with my Spanish. Also my companion has an amazing conversion story in which I have lots of admiration for her. It makes me realize how important missionaries are and how the gospel really changes lives.

Not only does the gospel change lives, but also the mission. I HAVE LEARNED GREAT AND MARVELOUS THINGS ON MY MISSION!!! One of the most cherished things I have learned is about forgiveness. I have learned to forgive others and find the potential that they have with in. We are all imperfect, and even though many of the people we encounter every day have lots of problems, it doesn't define a person. I have learned to look on the inside and as result I have grown to love this people. Also I have learned a great deal about the forgiveness of our Savior, and have felt it in my life. It has changed my perspective on everything. 

We also saw miracles this week as we set goals with faith. We witnessed as the Lord put people in our paths and we were able to share our testimonies of the restored gospel with them. I feel truly blessed to be witnessing all these blessings every day, and am so grateful to be here on a mission. I know it is not easy, but it is worth it. Every time you teach someone and see the spirit touch their hearts, that is what makes a missionaries day. I know that this church is true, I know this is the Lords work. 

Thank you for all your prayers and love! Keep praying to have missionary experiences, and don't be afraid to share your testimony. Have a great week. 

Love, Hermana Sanders