HOLAAAAA!!
Hello again!
What a week!! After a little bit harder last week, this week has felt
like Heaven. I have been able to feel so close to you guys.
Heavenly Father has put so many reminders that He loves me in every day and
I've been so blessed. Thank you for all of your prayers. I love
you.
This past week
was really good and full of lots of miracles. We are really enjoying the
work. I keep learning more and more about how to become an even better
disciple of Christ and missionary everyday. We had intercambios this week
and that was really good. I stayed in my sector with Hermana
Hanosek. She is awesome. She has an incredible gift to connect with
people and I loved watching her talk to the members in my ward. She
jumped right in at Consejo de Barrio and really just started giving good
ideas. You know someone is an incredible missionary when they treat the
work the same wherever they are--in their sector or not. I learned a lot
from her(: Hermana Egbert and I are doing really well. We keep
learning everyday how to teach more like Christ. Something I've started
doing is picking a miracle from Christ's life and trying to put it into
practice in my day. For example, He healed the blind. So I try to
help someone who is blinded by fear see clearly that God is in charge and has a
plan for them. Another time I studied Him walking on the water to the
disciples. The disciples were afraid because they didn't know who He
was. They didn't recognize that He was their source of help, so they were
frightened and Christ tells them to "Be of good cheer. Fear not. It
is I". So I tried to help people we came in contact with really
recognize that we were representatives of their Savior and that we bring a
message of peace that can help them to be happier and have profound
peace. I've really been growing a lot closer to Christ in the mission and
it is such a privilege.
Once again, we have
seen a TON of miracles in the work this week, even though sometimes they don't
show up in numbers. Two people from part member families that have always
rejected the missionaries and been kind of harsh with us are showing interest
and inviting us to meet with them. That is incredible. We have
found a few new people, taught some pretty powerful lessons, and so much
more. Missions are the best.
After P-day, on
Monday night we went to visit a lady (abuelita that has been investigating
the church for a long time and whose baptismal date fell through) and it was a
pretty sad experience. We watched finding faith in Christ with her and
afterward the Spirit was really strong. We started talking and things
were going really well but then she started to cry. She proceeded to tell
us that she had an experience the other day and that she wants to stay with her
church. At first, I was really confused, then I was sad, then I was
confused AND sad, then I was peaceful. Completely peaceful. We sat
there and just listened to her and loved her. We told her that we still
would visit her and be her friend but she asked us not to come by again until
we are leaving Punta Arenas so that we could say good-bye. That will rip
your heart out every time haha. It’s hard to see someone that you love SO
much reject a message that is so beautiful and that you know will bring them
the most peace and happiness in this life and after. She is so
special. The whole time we were talking I just felt Heavenly Father
reassure me that she is His daughter and that He loves her. That we did
everything that He wanted us to do and that now she is in His hands. It
was a very bittersweet experience, but I know one day she will accept the
Gospel of Jesus Christ.
But on a positive
note, I GOT TO TALK TO JACOB ON HIS BIRTHDAY!!!! That was my favorite and
happiest moment of the week. He works in the MTC in Provo and they had to
call the missions to verify if we could receive texts or not and he had
permission to call me!!! It was such a miracle too. I was thinking
about him all day because it was his birthday. An appointment had just
fallen through and we were a little bit down. We decided to take our
dinner and go sit on the beach. A few minutes later, JACOB CALLED!
It was actually really funny because Hermana Egbert answered the phone and she
was like, "Someone wants to talk to you...I think it might be Elder
Shields (someone from the office)". But right when she handed me the
phone she said, "Wait! It might be Jacob!!" Right when I heard
his voice I started crying because I was so happy. It felt like I had
never left. I was able to sing him happy birthday really quick and it was so
special. For about 2.5 hours after that I couldn’t stop smiling.
And then every time I felt a little bit down throughout the week I remembered
that experience, and it reminded me that God is aware of me and that He wants
me to be happy. Sometimes I cant believe how blessed we are. I love
being a missionary!!
Anyway, thank you for
all your prayers. I can really feel them. There is nothing better than
serving Heavenly Father and playing a part in His work. Find a way to touch
someone this week. There are so many ways to serve and I promise you will
be able to feel Gods love for you as you do. Have an incredible
week!! I love you!!
--Hermana West
