Ok, lots to say this week.
1. The shift key on this keyboard isn't really working. forgive me if there are no capital letters in this email.
2. Found out that hermana lopez's back problem is more serious than we thought. We'll be traveling between Conce and Tome about three times a week for the next three weeks, while she receives her treatment. The good thing is that she is a trooper and doesn't complain- we're still working hard but also seeking the balance to protect her health.
3. on the same note, we both felt pretty bad on Wednesday after hearing the news. Thinking about travel, losing study time in the morning, organizing mini cambios, coordinating with the members, work time, etc. I felt a pretty intense stress wave and i think it was the first time in my life i've cried just out of stress.
The good news is that i have learned my lesson about asking for help when i need it- we asked hermano fierro, my favorite priesthood holder, to give us a blessing. Health for hermana lopez, and strength for me. He said so many special things and it helped me so much. I am continually learning that the Lord strengthens us in our weaknesses, using the perfect balance of difficulties with inspired support.
4. Felt bad last week after speaking so badly of the english language. i still like english, and I promise to communicate with you all when i get back. I think my passion for the mission sometimes goes to the point of overbearance (alma 38) and i`m trying to temper myself.
5. did i ever write about sonya, Seba, and enrique? Well, after discussing the situation with our mission president, he decided that Seba can get baptized!! That has been a tender miracle amidst all the craziness. He is so excited and they're so active and excited about church. This Sunday the primary did a musical number in sacrament meeting, and I felt so touched to see him up there singing "I love to see the temple". That cute kid, he's not even baptized yet and he is one of the best boys in Primary (I know, because we do the music time here in our ward. i love children, they`re so precious.) and loves reading the book of mormon. He always asks us if we can read a chapter together when we go visit them.
6. During a mini cambio this week, one of the hermanas asked me if god forgives us right when we repent, or if we have to wait until sunday for the sacrament to feel that. As we thought and discussed, i learned even more about our baptismal covenant and the sacrament. When God says that Christ`s atonement is infinite and eternal, that has a real application- Any time, any day, any person who is really willing to repent and ask forgiveness can receive that instantly. (Alma 34:31) The purpose of the sacrament is not to give us the fruit of forgiveness, rather to show God that we are willing to water our plant of faith and repentance. One day a week, the act of taking the sacrament shows god that we do keep our covenant, and He keeps His part every day of the week that we are willing to receive it.
7. Can you tell I've been studying Alma recently?
8. God is a God of miracles. Did i tell you that i lost my credit cards a couple weeks back? Well i did. The mission gave me money for this month, but then i lost that too... (long, complicated story) so i changed over some of the emergency fund money that i had from the very beginning of the mission. Just this week, that money ran out and I was praying in the bus this morning that my new mission credit card would come. Elder Kauer, our mission financier, just called me and told me that it came today.
9. It has also been interesting to see and feel Satan turn up the heat in his efforts to discourage or distract me. I've felt and recognized an increased personal opposition- more difficulties played specifically at the things that frustrate or weaken me. It has been teaching me a lot.
first of all, i can see some of the progress i've made as a missionary. the things that made me cry tears of frustration at the beginning of my mission are now just a slight bother, one that i can shake off as i focus on overcoming once and for all these small mission trials.
also, it helps me appreciate my testimony and this work even more. i don't care how hard things are! I don't care how bad i may feel one day or how hard i have to work to overcome my flaws- i want to fight this fight, because I know that what we share is true. Not only is it true for the people i teach, it is true for me. i feel it pick me up and give me the wings on the days when Satan's tempest winds are too strong, and I know it can do the same for each one of us. This is God's work, and i will not be left behind. All that is left for us to do is pick ourselves up and keep moving on.
I love you, and hope that this email finds you actively engaged in the work of the lord.
Yours!
Hermana Oldroyd
1. The shift key on this keyboard isn't really working. forgive me if there are no capital letters in this email.
2. Found out that hermana lopez's back problem is more serious than we thought. We'll be traveling between Conce and Tome about three times a week for the next three weeks, while she receives her treatment. The good thing is that she is a trooper and doesn't complain- we're still working hard but also seeking the balance to protect her health.
3. on the same note, we both felt pretty bad on Wednesday after hearing the news. Thinking about travel, losing study time in the morning, organizing mini cambios, coordinating with the members, work time, etc. I felt a pretty intense stress wave and i think it was the first time in my life i've cried just out of stress.
The good news is that i have learned my lesson about asking for help when i need it- we asked hermano fierro, my favorite priesthood holder, to give us a blessing. Health for hermana lopez, and strength for me. He said so many special things and it helped me so much. I am continually learning that the Lord strengthens us in our weaknesses, using the perfect balance of difficulties with inspired support.
4. Felt bad last week after speaking so badly of the english language. i still like english, and I promise to communicate with you all when i get back. I think my passion for the mission sometimes goes to the point of overbearance (alma 38) and i`m trying to temper myself.
5. did i ever write about sonya, Seba, and enrique? Well, after discussing the situation with our mission president, he decided that Seba can get baptized!! That has been a tender miracle amidst all the craziness. He is so excited and they're so active and excited about church. This Sunday the primary did a musical number in sacrament meeting, and I felt so touched to see him up there singing "I love to see the temple". That cute kid, he's not even baptized yet and he is one of the best boys in Primary (I know, because we do the music time here in our ward. i love children, they`re so precious.) and loves reading the book of mormon. He always asks us if we can read a chapter together when we go visit them.
6. During a mini cambio this week, one of the hermanas asked me if god forgives us right when we repent, or if we have to wait until sunday for the sacrament to feel that. As we thought and discussed, i learned even more about our baptismal covenant and the sacrament. When God says that Christ`s atonement is infinite and eternal, that has a real application- Any time, any day, any person who is really willing to repent and ask forgiveness can receive that instantly. (Alma 34:31) The purpose of the sacrament is not to give us the fruit of forgiveness, rather to show God that we are willing to water our plant of faith and repentance. One day a week, the act of taking the sacrament shows god that we do keep our covenant, and He keeps His part every day of the week that we are willing to receive it.
7. Can you tell I've been studying Alma recently?
8. God is a God of miracles. Did i tell you that i lost my credit cards a couple weeks back? Well i did. The mission gave me money for this month, but then i lost that too... (long, complicated story) so i changed over some of the emergency fund money that i had from the very beginning of the mission. Just this week, that money ran out and I was praying in the bus this morning that my new mission credit card would come. Elder Kauer, our mission financier, just called me and told me that it came today.
9. It has also been interesting to see and feel Satan turn up the heat in his efforts to discourage or distract me. I've felt and recognized an increased personal opposition- more difficulties played specifically at the things that frustrate or weaken me. It has been teaching me a lot.
first of all, i can see some of the progress i've made as a missionary. the things that made me cry tears of frustration at the beginning of my mission are now just a slight bother, one that i can shake off as i focus on overcoming once and for all these small mission trials.
also, it helps me appreciate my testimony and this work even more. i don't care how hard things are! I don't care how bad i may feel one day or how hard i have to work to overcome my flaws- i want to fight this fight, because I know that what we share is true. Not only is it true for the people i teach, it is true for me. i feel it pick me up and give me the wings on the days when Satan's tempest winds are too strong, and I know it can do the same for each one of us. This is God's work, and i will not be left behind. All that is left for us to do is pick ourselves up and keep moving on.
I love you, and hope that this email finds you actively engaged in the work of the lord.
Yours!
Hermana Oldroyd
Wednesday for World Cup, making pizza Argentinian style
My choir group, after the YW conference
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