Today is an awesome day. I got letters from my roommate, Paul and all his roommates, my MTC companion Hermana Brewer, Dad's talk on faith, and emails from each of you. Thanks so much for your love and support. I have the best family ever!
First off, it sounds like the missionary work in the Baltic States is going really well. What did Elder Perry challenge you to do again? 150 baptisms? That's awesome and it sounds like you're off to a great start.
Oh yeah, my schedule. Since there are only four showers in the bathroom some of us get up and get ready and other get up and have personal study first. So we have to be in class by 6:15 but we can go in our gym clothes and then we have time after to get ready. It hasn't been too hard to get up-I think I've been blessed to be more of a morning person than most people
So I did a PRP last week but then I when I was reading in the white handbook I saw that it tells us not to get up early to be alone so I decided that I could to the same activity during personal study in the morning. I felt like the Lord accepted my sacrifice and that it is enough for me to focus on pondering and receiving personal revelation during the normal study time.
I've been thinking a lot about the atonement and the Savior this week. We did an activity to assess our development of Christ-like attributes on Wednesday and one of the things both my companion and I realized we needed to work on was remembering Christ more throughout the day. It seems a little ironic because we're here doing his work but sometimes we get so caught up in working and studying and the schedule of the day that we don't stop to think of him. So we made goals to do things like memorize hymns and scriptures about Christ and the Atonement and to put a mini picture of him on our planners. Right after we made those goals, we both felt so happy. Our day and our lessons went so much better, and I know it was because we were making an effort to focus more on Christ.
A few days ago I was reading in 2 Nephi 27 and I came across verse 27 where it talks about how the unrighteous people will say the works of the Lord are "esteemed as potter's clay." I didn't really understand it so I went the footnote and read in Jeremiah 18:1-6 where it talks about how the House of Israel is clay in the maker's hand because he can destroy and rebuild a "marred vessel" just as easily as he can destroy and rebuild a wicked nation.
That was interesting, but then I really started thinking about the imagery behind Christ being at the potter's wheel. To make a pot he has to get his hands dirty, and his hands always have to be in the clay guiding it on the wheel or it will collapse on the wheel. When the pot is done, his fingerprints are all over it. The pot is like us and our lives. His fingerprints are in our lives just as the marks of our lives are on his hands forever.
Then it made me think of the scripture in 1 Nephi 20:14-16/Isaiah somewhere that mom shared during that first meeting with the missionaries in Latvia. Christ says "I have graven thee on the palms of my hands, thy walls are continually before me." Everything that stands as a wall or obstacle in front of us is continually on his hands before his face--he never forgets us or leaves us alone.
I know that's true. I love the Christ and his Atonement so much. All that is painful and unjust in this world can be overcome and healed and made right through the atonement. It covers EVERYTHING. I know that with all my heart, and I am so grateful for it.
Today is my last Pday for a while because next Tuesday I'll be on a plane for Panama, but I'll write to you all again as soon as I can. Thanks for your love and support. Miss you and love you all!!
Love,
Hermana Dance
Isaiah 54:10
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Life is good
Pues, another week has passed in the CCM. Thanks for the emails and letters and especially for the missionary advice mom and dad. Haha I'll try my hardest not to be a frumpy missionary mom. Dad it sounds like you had a really cool experience with the scriptures on Sunday. It's funny you said the verse you were thinking of was 1 Nephi 2:15 because in one of our meetings with the president this week someone asked a question about that verse and we ended up talking about it for a while and thinking of some interesting things we can learn from it even though it's so short and simple. I'm excited to hear your thoughts.
I can't remember if I've mentioned this before, but I right before I left to go into the MTC one of my hometeachers told me about a PRP (Personal Revelation Program) that he did for a while on his mission. He said he and his companion would get up 30 minutes early and do 10 minutes of singing or reading the Book of Mormon to invite the Spirit, then say personal prayers for ten minutes, and then write down all their thoughts and the impressions they received for ten minutes.
I've thought about that a lot while I've been here and I've tried it a couple times but I haven't gotten up early enough to finish it. We already have to be in our classrooms for personal study by 6:15 so it seems hard to get up earlier but I know I need to do it. A few days ago I read an article from the August Ensign that talked about the same sort of thing (a PRP) and I felt like I needed to try it again but I haven't done it yet. I think I need to learn how to be faster at responding to the Spirit because Dad's experiences were another huge prompting that this is something I need to do in my life, even if it means I have to get up at 5:30 am.
Other things from this week...Ahh there's so much I want to tell you all but I know there's not enough time.
I'm not sure if I told you much about this earlier but one of the first meetings we had with President Christensen (our MTC president) was this awesome lesson about the Restoration. We looked at the 18 centuries that passed from Christ to the Restoration and how all these things contributed to the apostasy but then all these people lead the way and made the Restoration possible. I don't have time to explain it but I want to mail you the notes from it because it's so cool. It really helped open my eyes up to how the Restoration fits into the big picture of the history of the world, and how awesome it was/is and how much time and preparation went into it.
Ok, so this week were reviewing the ¨18 Centuries at a Glance¨ lesson as an activity Sunday night and I starting thinking about the Restoration and this idea that's been running through my head lately of how perfectly-crafted God's plan is. There were years of planning and preparation that went into the Restoration-it didn't just start with Joseph Smith. So as we were talking about all these things Elder Davis (an elder from my district who reminds me so much of Dad or at least how I think Dad might have been as a missionary) said something about how it's cool that you can see the hand of the Lord with us even when the gospel wasn't on the earth. Even when it seems like he wasn't there, the Lord was there with us the whole time helping to prepare people and places that would lead up to the restoration of his gospel.
After Elder Davis said that I started thinking about my own life, and how even though I didn't always realize it, the Lord's hand was in my life too, and years of preparation went into my own personal ¨restoration¨ or conversion. The Lord sent me so many people, experiences, and resources to help me.
Then I started thinking about how amazing it is that I get to be a part of someone else's restoration process in Panama. I get to help restore then to what they already knew and accepted before this life, to the gospel of Christ. And maybe for some people I will just be a Martin Luther or a Deist and they won't fully accept the truth, but it will help pave the way for them to experience their own full ¨restoration¨ some day. And that will be awesome.
Well, I'm pretty much out of time but I hope these thoughts make sense...I thought they were cool. I don't have time to tell you about how awesome my experience at the temple today was, but I'll try to write you a paper letter about it :) I know this is the church of Christ and that it was restored through Joseph Smith. I know God loves us and he always will and that we can always come to him.
I hope all is well with you all. Love and miss you!
Love,
Hermana Dance
Ooops, I'll send a scripture next week I promise!
I can't remember if I've mentioned this before, but I right before I left to go into the MTC one of my hometeachers told me about a PRP (Personal Revelation Program) that he did for a while on his mission. He said he and his companion would get up 30 minutes early and do 10 minutes of singing or reading the Book of Mormon to invite the Spirit, then say personal prayers for ten minutes, and then write down all their thoughts and the impressions they received for ten minutes.
I've thought about that a lot while I've been here and I've tried it a couple times but I haven't gotten up early enough to finish it. We already have to be in our classrooms for personal study by 6:15 so it seems hard to get up earlier but I know I need to do it. A few days ago I read an article from the August Ensign that talked about the same sort of thing (a PRP) and I felt like I needed to try it again but I haven't done it yet. I think I need to learn how to be faster at responding to the Spirit because Dad's experiences were another huge prompting that this is something I need to do in my life, even if it means I have to get up at 5:30 am.
Other things from this week...Ahh there's so much I want to tell you all but I know there's not enough time.
I'm not sure if I told you much about this earlier but one of the first meetings we had with President Christensen (our MTC president) was this awesome lesson about the Restoration. We looked at the 18 centuries that passed from Christ to the Restoration and how all these things contributed to the apostasy but then all these people lead the way and made the Restoration possible. I don't have time to explain it but I want to mail you the notes from it because it's so cool. It really helped open my eyes up to how the Restoration fits into the big picture of the history of the world, and how awesome it was/is and how much time and preparation went into it.
Ok, so this week were reviewing the ¨18 Centuries at a Glance¨ lesson as an activity Sunday night and I starting thinking about the Restoration and this idea that's been running through my head lately of how perfectly-crafted God's plan is. There were years of planning and preparation that went into the Restoration-it didn't just start with Joseph Smith. So as we were talking about all these things Elder Davis (an elder from my district who reminds me so much of Dad or at least how I think Dad might have been as a missionary) said something about how it's cool that you can see the hand of the Lord with us even when the gospel wasn't on the earth. Even when it seems like he wasn't there, the Lord was there with us the whole time helping to prepare people and places that would lead up to the restoration of his gospel.
After Elder Davis said that I started thinking about my own life, and how even though I didn't always realize it, the Lord's hand was in my life too, and years of preparation went into my own personal ¨restoration¨ or conversion. The Lord sent me so many people, experiences, and resources to help me.
Then I started thinking about how amazing it is that I get to be a part of someone else's restoration process in Panama. I get to help restore then to what they already knew and accepted before this life, to the gospel of Christ. And maybe for some people I will just be a Martin Luther or a Deist and they won't fully accept the truth, but it will help pave the way for them to experience their own full ¨restoration¨ some day. And that will be awesome.
Well, I'm pretty much out of time but I hope these thoughts make sense...I thought they were cool. I don't have time to tell you about how awesome my experience at the temple today was, but I'll try to write you a paper letter about it :) I know this is the church of Christ and that it was restored through Joseph Smith. I know God loves us and he always will and that we can always come to him.
I hope all is well with you all. Love and miss you!
Love,
Hermana Dance
Ooops, I'll send a scripture next week I promise!
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Yayyy!
Today is Independence Day in Guatemala and the Latinos all left this morning so we get a little extra email time since there aren't as many missionaries here who need to use the computers.
Tonight the new wave of North American come in the from Provo MTC. I think there are around 30 so it will be the biggest group of North American they've ever had here. The new Latinos will start arriving tomorrow, and they're going to be one of the smallest groups of Latinos they've ever had here.
It's weird to be ¨los viejos¨ or the old ones now. And we're going to have to try harder to speak Spanish amongst ourselves since there will be so many americans.
Time is going by fast and slow at the same time.
Divisions last Wednesday were an interesting experience. My companion was from Belize and I looooved her-she spoke English with a sweet accent and Creole and Spanish. I could tell she had a very strong testimony and she was very fun and welcoming but she has only been out for two months so she's still learning a lot too. She taught me a lot about the culture of the people here and how to be safer on the streets. Buuut, I feel like we could've worked a little harder. We had 4 or 5 appointments and most of them were with members. We knocked a few doors in between but no one ever came to the door even though we could hear them inside. I contacted someone on the bus, but I'm still learning how to gain people's trust and be their friend but also share a gospel message in 2-5 minutes--It's hard.
I definitely need to try to talk to more people. My companion didn't really talk to people on the street and I just followed her lead but I should have just talked to people anyway. Next time I will be better :)
Some random things I've been meaning to tell you all before I forget:
1. Dear Elder works here but they print it out in Provo and then mail it so it takes about 5 or so days to get here
2. Today I got the present from Mom and Dad that Cassie mailed here-Thank you!!
3. You'll be very surprised to hear that I have now sung twice in front of groups of 70-100 people with 5 other girls. We sang How Great Thou Art for our branch in the Provo MTC and then the same song again for a devotional with the area president here. Sweet huh? I looove the last verse of that song-if you are ever feeling bummed go sing it or read it (and the whole song actually, it's amazing)
Hmmm what else...Yesterday we went to this giant church-owned park called Las Colinas and got to play games and hike and spend time writing in our journals on our last day with the viejos and the latinos. It was really fun and the land is beautiful. We also served for a while bringing giant firewood logs up this huge hill. It was cool because there were so many of us (almost 90) that we just formed a huge line and passed them up the hill. I wish I would've gotten a picture of it. Afterwards my companion and I talked about how it reminded us of the scripture in Moses 7:18 where ¨the Lord called his people Zion because they were of one heart and one mind.¨
We also watched the Joseph Smith movie last night. I've seen it 6 or 7 times already but I always love it and I always learn more or notice new things. Joseph Smith went through so many trials but he always remained faithful--it's incredible. I think the theme I've been learning about the most this week is about trials and how, in the words of Elder Holland, ¨salvation is NOT a cheap experience.¨ I knew that already, but this week it's really hit home to me. I knew that Joseph Smith and the early saints had a lot of really hard trials but I always sort of thought that was over. And in a way it is, but we are all going to have other trials that may be just as hard in their own way. They're going to be hard, but they're also necessary experiences that will help us learn and grow. I know that through Christ and his atonement we can overcome them and then the Lord will ¨consecrate our afflictions for our gain.¨ ( I can't remember where that reference is right now but it's in the beginning of the Book of Mormon when Lehi is talking to Jacob)
Even though Joseph's story seems incredible and crazy sometimes, I know it's true. I know that all through his life and death he worked to restore the gospel of Jesus Christ to this earth today. Shall we not go on in so great a cause?
Well I'm out of time but I love you all, talk to you again soon!!
Love,
Hermana Dance
(2 Corinthians12:9-10) we can glory in our infirmities and be made strong in Christ
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Herrow family! I lub you!
Thanks so much for all the birthday wishes! It`s weird to have a day where people focus on you after being trained to think about other people all the time. It was kind of awkward but nice of everyone at the same time. My district sang to me and said happy birthday probably every 10 minutes and for sure every time they saw me, my teacher in the morning, Hermana Chacon, made me a cute homemade card and bought us all Twix bars because she heard it was my favorite candy, and the CCM president`s wife brought me a cupcake holder full of skittles. People were very sweet.
This week we got to do contacts at the temple. We ended up talking to only members, but it was still great to practice our Spanish-we have a lot to learn. Everyone is so patient with us.
Tomorrow we have divisions with the Guatemala City missionaries so we get to go out on splits into the big world outside and do grown-up missionary things. I´m stoked and terrified at the same time.
I´m not exactly sure how much time I have so I want to make sure my testimony is in here before I write anything else. I realized today that the two over-arching themes I´ve been learning the most about are how much Heavenly Father loves us, and the importance of strong families. Everything I´ve been learning seems to go back to those two things. Last week I forgot to include scriptures at the end so I´m going to write two this week:
Romans 8:35-39 Nothing can separate us from the love of God
Gen 18:19 God made great promises to Abraham because he knew Abraham would teach his children and family to follow the Lord
I`ve been so blessed to have such a great family. As I meet more and more missionaries from the U.S. who come from abusive, broken, or inactive families I am realizing more and more how lucky I am to come from such a loving, strong family. I´m so amazed by the missionaries I meet here who were able to work through such hard things and still come on a mission and be faithful in the gospel.
I know that Jesus Christ is our Savior. I know that through him and his Atonement we can overcome everything. I know God loves us and he is always waiting for us to come to him. He is always there for us and the moment we take the first step towards him he is already sending legions to our aid.
I love you all and I hope you all are doing well. Thanks again for all the birthday wishes and emails. I love to read them and to hear from you. Have a great week!
Love,
Hermana Dance
Monday, September 7, 2009
What a week!
Hey family!
Wahooo, what a week for our family :) Mom and Dad are chillin with General Authorities eating ice cream, me chillin with Latinos in Guatemala, Cassie starting work again, Jamison changing his major and Liz getting registered for school-we pretty much rock.
Guatemala is amazing! I wrote some of you emails and some of you real letters so sorry if I repeat myself because I can't remember which details I told which person sometimes. Last night I attempted to compose my email to you all in my head so I´d be more prepared, but after I realized I´d been talking about how amazing the food is for 5 minutes I thought it might be better just to wait until now. I´ll restrain myself, but I have to tell you the food is one hundred times better than Provo-it´s like having an abuelita cook for me personally every meal-perfecto.
Ok, so the MTC president here is awesome. I´m glad you got the pictures and stuff he sent. We get to hear from him at least once or twice a week and I always learn so much. I love it here because it´s like being in a giant family. Oh and my district is AMAZING. Seriously Dad, you´d be so impressed with these elders. One of them has his PMG completely covered in tiny notes with fullsize papers taped in covered with notes too-it´s incredible. They´re all so hardworking and excited to be here, and most of them are pretty mature (especially compared to my district in the MTC).
My spanish is getting better. I love having the latinos here but right now there are so many north americans that we have to share the latinos-there are 17 N.A. hermanas and only 4 latina hermanas.
Oh yeah, sorry I didn´t get to talk to you in Atlanta. I tried calling through the church operating system again but they told me they didn´t have the power to connect me to you even though they did it the night before...kinda weird. But it was great to talk to you a little bit in the SLC airport :)
I´m learning so much here! I know I say that everytime, but it's true. This week I've really been realizing more and more how much God loves us. I already knew that of course, but I'm seeing it more and more everyday. Because he loves us, he's given us Jesus Christ to allow us to have a way to return to him if we repent. Because he loves us, he's allowed us to be placed in families and to have a beautiful earth to learn and grow. Because he loves us, he and his son Jesus Christ appeared to a young Joseph Smith in an answer to sincere prayer. Becaus he loves us, he's allowed his gospel to be restored again on the earth through Joseph Smith and modern prophets. I know this is true. And it's awesome! :)
Hmm, what else can I tell you. My companion is the same (well, one of them). Her name is Hermana Caldwell. (By the way have you gotten the pictures I sent yet?) Yesterday we were walking outside to visit the Casa de CRE (the TRC type place where we practice teaching) and on the way we talked to a few different people. We gave this adorable family (a mom, grandma and two children) a restoration pamphlet and then on our way back we met a 18 year old -ish girl and talked to her for a while and then got her address so the missionaries from Guatemala City can go visit her. Even though our Spanish is still very weak people are so nice and like to talk to us. And even though it's hard to say what we mean sometimes, we can still feel the Spirit so strongly when we talk about the gospel and bear our testimonies. It's awesome how even in practice lessons in CRE we can feel ourselves being guided by the Spirit to answer questions and teach to the needs of the practice investigators.
Ok I'm out of time but I love you guys!! The gospel is awesome
Love, Hermana Dance
Boulevard Vista Hermosa, 23-71, zona 15
Vista Hermosa 1. C.P. 01015. Guatemala,
Guatemala C.A.
Wahooo, what a week for our family :) Mom and Dad are chillin with General Authorities eating ice cream, me chillin with Latinos in Guatemala, Cassie starting work again, Jamison changing his major and Liz getting registered for school-we pretty much rock.
Guatemala is amazing! I wrote some of you emails and some of you real letters so sorry if I repeat myself because I can't remember which details I told which person sometimes. Last night I attempted to compose my email to you all in my head so I´d be more prepared, but after I realized I´d been talking about how amazing the food is for 5 minutes I thought it might be better just to wait until now. I´ll restrain myself, but I have to tell you the food is one hundred times better than Provo-it´s like having an abuelita cook for me personally every meal-perfecto.
Ok, so the MTC president here is awesome. I´m glad you got the pictures and stuff he sent. We get to hear from him at least once or twice a week and I always learn so much. I love it here because it´s like being in a giant family. Oh and my district is AMAZING. Seriously Dad, you´d be so impressed with these elders. One of them has his PMG completely covered in tiny notes with fullsize papers taped in covered with notes too-it´s incredible. They´re all so hardworking and excited to be here, and most of them are pretty mature (especially compared to my district in the MTC).
My spanish is getting better. I love having the latinos here but right now there are so many north americans that we have to share the latinos-there are 17 N.A. hermanas and only 4 latina hermanas.
Oh yeah, sorry I didn´t get to talk to you in Atlanta. I tried calling through the church operating system again but they told me they didn´t have the power to connect me to you even though they did it the night before...kinda weird. But it was great to talk to you a little bit in the SLC airport :)
I´m learning so much here! I know I say that everytime, but it's true. This week I've really been realizing more and more how much God loves us. I already knew that of course, but I'm seeing it more and more everyday. Because he loves us, he's given us Jesus Christ to allow us to have a way to return to him if we repent. Because he loves us, he's allowed us to be placed in families and to have a beautiful earth to learn and grow. Because he loves us, he and his son Jesus Christ appeared to a young Joseph Smith in an answer to sincere prayer. Becaus he loves us, he's allowed his gospel to be restored again on the earth through Joseph Smith and modern prophets. I know this is true. And it's awesome! :)
Hmm, what else can I tell you. My companion is the same (well, one of them). Her name is Hermana Caldwell. (By the way have you gotten the pictures I sent yet?) Yesterday we were walking outside to visit the Casa de CRE (the TRC type place where we practice teaching) and on the way we talked to a few different people. We gave this adorable family (a mom, grandma and two children) a restoration pamphlet and then on our way back we met a 18 year old -ish girl and talked to her for a while and then got her address so the missionaries from Guatemala City can go visit her. Even though our Spanish is still very weak people are so nice and like to talk to us. And even though it's hard to say what we mean sometimes, we can still feel the Spirit so strongly when we talk about the gospel and bear our testimonies. It's awesome how even in practice lessons in CRE we can feel ourselves being guided by the Spirit to answer questions and teach to the needs of the practice investigators.
Ok I'm out of time but I love you guys!! The gospel is awesome
Love, Hermana Dance
Boulevard Vista Hermosa, 23-71, zona 15
Vista Hermosa 1. C.P. 01015. Guatemala,
Guatemala C.A.
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