Zone conference! First of all we did our musical number and I jacked up the melody line like three times. That's okay I'll forgive myself. And for my last Sunday, they've asked us to play the same musical number in sacrament meeting cause the music director heard us playing.
We taught Kevin and felt prompted to just read with him wherever he was. I was surprised because he's really smart and logical and yet he struggled with some simple words. We read from the chapter he was working on: 2 Nephi 9. Some of those verses were just perfect. Kevin wants answers. And he wants them to be solid. Because he's a smart guy. And we read "to be learned is good, if you hearken unto the counsels of God". It was just perfect. We tried to discuss those parts a lot. His closing prayer was less rote, and more sincere. "Bless these wonderful sisters as they go out and help people like me find the truth"
We also taught a new family, less active mom, Catholic dad, and two young boys who know little about either religion. One is high school age, the other is 11. The 11 year old reminded me so much of Eduardo. A little easily distracted. But so sweet and sincere. Full of questions and smiles. We had invited him to ask God if the Book of Mormon is true. He said "I wanted to, but... how do I ask?" We taught him about prayer. He had read the pamphlet and told us what he knew about the Holy Ghost. "Isn't is kind of like... God's..... spirit...?" The best of all was the Catholic father. He said nodding and listening. And at the end we invtied him to do the same as his sons, to ask God if these things were true and to be prepared to act on that answer by being baptized. We had invtied him in the first lesson, but he quickly said no. This time he looked at the ground and silently nodded. "I think so." He said. I was exstatic. His heart is being softened.
My miracle this week was this morning in personal study. I was studying trying to get ready for exchanges in Flora Vista. I read in Jesus the Christ how one of the disciples asks if he can see the Father, and Christ basically says: if you know me, you know the Father. Him and the Father are indistinguishable. To know one is to know the other. Because everything Christ did was what God would've done if He were there in the flesh. Likewise as disciples of Christ we are to stand in Christ's place. To do all that He did. To say what He said. And to be as much like him as we can until we are almost indistinguishable. So in that way, to know me should be to know Christ. To know me should be to know God. Becuase I should be doing His will in all things. That brought me to 3 Nephi chapter 27:
"I came into the world to do the will of my Father, because my Father sent me."
I should be able to say the same.
And then I realized something else, the Savior asks me to give up my will, to give up my heart, to give up my all. (3 Nephi 9 "ye shall offer for a sacrifice unto me a broken heart and a contrite spirit.") And yet, He never asks me to give up any more than He did. In fact, in many ways I will never give as much as He did. But He gave His whole heart to God, every act, every thought, and His complete will. This means I'm not alone in this attempt to sacrafice my all to God. Sometimes I think of Christ as this coach, yelling from the sidelines. Or I think of Him standing as a champion- a shining example to the rest of us still fighting. But He's more than that. He's more than a cheerleader or a role-model. Because He's there. He doesn't just cheer from the sidelines, He is with me with every step. And that's what he means by "take my yoke upon you". He's asking me to walk side by side. Not just in his footsteps scrambling behind Him. But He has promised that He will be with me. He's not done working, not done fighting, He's with me until the end. He doesn't just watch, He lifts, He comforts, He runs to aid, He carries me, strengthens me; He is there.
So my goal is to become like Him, which involves a lot of sub-goals. It takes a lot of repentance. And it'll take a whole lot more time. But I can know that I will stand shoulder to shoulder with Him. And that, with Him, it is possible.
I love you all beyond belief.
Miss you lots,
see you soon.
Sister Valdez
My new planner cover
I was showing Sister Navarro what my hair used to look like in high school
and Sister Navarro ate an ice cream cake by herself. it was horrifying to watch
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