Blue Island Letter #25

Snowing Greetings from Illinois!

The District is doing great! The new elders are awesome. I am really looking forward to Zone Meeting tomorrow, as well as Stake Conference this weekend.  They'll be having two sessions for conference: one in English, the other in Spanish. 

Well....Diane kinda diappeared. Sometimes that happens. We're still trying to contact her. Same with the cute family that caught us at the door. We've contacted them, but for some reason or another, we've not been able to meet with them each time. We've got an appointment with the family planned for this Saturday.

We found a gal from Argentina a while back. We returned and taught both her and her older brother. We returned for the third appointment to teach her brother and mother. The mother wants to read the Book of Mormon out of curiosity.  The son, on the other hand, since the first lesson has been very interested in reading the Book of Mormon in order to know if it is from God. In our recent lesson, he taught his mom several principles (using biblical backing) about specific things we were discussing.  For instance, she has a big doubt about anyone actually seing God -- her understanding of the Bible is that no one actually saw God's body - just felt His presence, but her son used the example of Moses seeing God. Her son is AWESOME. The son said that if the Book of Mormon is true, he wants to do something about it. We invited them to be baptized when they receive that testimony. They are very intelligent, faithful, great people. It was a great cita (appointment).

We had WONDERFUL experiences with a couple of less active members of the ward this week.  They don't attend church because they work on Sundays.  One member felt the spirit tell him how he can make a change about his work schedule.

Our ward is blossoming and uniting more and more, it's beautiful! It is a ward full of so many great people, many great leaders. The three baptisms in two weeks seemed to really pump up the ward.  The three new converts are being welcomed with open arms. The ward is making a great push to help reactivate; they are going on regular outings to visit the menos activos (less active) a minimum of once a month.

Love,
Leshelle

Blue Island Letter #24

Hermana Hoer & Friends

I will hit ONE YEAR this week - Thursday, the 23rd. Can we believe I have been gone for that long? Sometimes it seems as though it cannot be nearly a year. Other times, it seems as though I have been gone for much longer than a year. Strange how time works in our brains.

Someone asked Hermana Moffat about why we have to repent before baptism if we're baptized to be cleansed of our sins. She repeated the question to me, and I had this thought:

Before we can get a license, we have to study, practice, and take a test in order to qualify. Once we fill the requirements, we are permitted to drive. Once we have a licence, we are able to drive "more" than with just a permit. A law degree works this way, too. If we have a law degree, we can practice law in the courtroom. But, look at all that is required to get a law degree. Lots. Once we have the degree, we can pass the BAR to actually practice law, then we can go forward and even become a judge at some point. However, if we never have a law degree, we're limited in what we can do in the law field.

How does this relate to repentance before baptism? Well...God gives us checkpoints to make sure we're prepared so that we can progress. These checkpoints and steps enable us to continually move forward. Look at the Gospel. Baptism has steps leading to it, right? Repentance and faith. But, also praying, reading scriptures, going to church, etc. After baptism, we are opened to more opportunities that were not available to us before baptism: callings, patriarchal blessings, missions, temple endowments, temple sealings, etc. It all builds from the steps (or principles) of faith and repentance that we need to take first. We need to prepare and qualify for the ability to "practice law"or "to drive" forward in the blessings and opportunities available to us.

The district had some BIG changes -- new elders!!!! Elder Lavelua is from New Zealand. He is in the spanish program, and in our ward. He has a heart of gold, and is such a gentleman. He is perfect for his companion. Elder Clawson is from Provo and is AWESOME! He has so much energy and spunk. He is so open and teachable, and so so willing. Elder Green is still a mystery to me. I don't know him. He's in English, as is Elder Clawson. However, I know that these arrivals are all perfect for their companions.  The elder's attitudes towards us Hermanas is very respectful and supportive. We're going bowling as a district today. I love bowling!

At the baptism this past Saturday and at Church on Sunday, I had a really neat realization. My ward members are my family here and they really love me as such. It was a peace and comfort to feel that. One Hermano came up to me after Church and told me that I have a very special spirit about me that will never be forgotten. He told me that I've been an angel to the ward, and that I have had a very special influence there. The feelings I had, the assurance of their love for me, helped me to see part of the good I have been able to do in this area. It is a blessing to be able to see it and feel it. I think it's going to be harder for me to leave this area than I expected. 

Hermana Moffat and I were walking along the street, on our way to look for a former investigator, when we came across a woman and her dog. We struck up a conversation. Turns out Diane and her husband have been looking for a Church. We set up an appointment to return the following day. In the appointment, we taught her about the Restoration. She asked how often we have baptisms in the Church and if she could be baptized in our church even if she'd been baptized previously in another church. YES! We put her on date for the 10th of March! The Lord truly prepares His children. She's opted to go in English, so we're going to turn her over to the English Elders. No matter, because it's all the same Celestial Kingdom, right?

We've been praying to find a family to baptize before the end of this transfer. As we prayed to know which less active members to visit one evening, a former investigator (Julio) came to my mind.  We knocked on his door. Once. Twice. Thrice. No response. Why did we have the impression to come to Julio's, we wondered?  A family passed by to go upstairs as we were knocking and waiting at Julio's door. We said hi, and they didn't respond very much. As we were leaving the apartment building, the man from the family chased us down the stairs. He asked if we talk about God. Yes. Could we come over to talk to him and his family? Yes. So, we have another appointment with Ernesto y Mari this evening! We went yesterday, but Mari was not at home. We were able to talk to Ernesto in the hall, where he invited himself to Church and we invited him to an activity this coming Saturday.

Missionary work is exciting!

Love,

Leshelle

 

Blue Island Letter #23

Hermana Hoer, Ivonne, and Hermana Moffat

February 11, 2012

Highlight of the Week:

Ivonne was baptized Saturday and confirmed yesterday! She was SO happy! She is such a neat girl. My heart only felt joy for the joy that she was experiencing in being baptized. She is hoping to go to BYU Idaho, which would be awesome! She doesn't have any support at home. Her brothers even make fun of her each Sunday as she goes to Church. I hope that she can go to Idaho and be surrounded and supported by people trying to do the same thing she is.

I will hit ONE YEAR this month - in just over a week! Crazy, huh? Pretty nuts. It's strange to think it's been that long. My spanish is coming along really good. It's great to be a missionary!

Several new missionaries arrive on Valentine's Day.  It will be neat to have new missionaries, because they are so excited for the work.

Thank you for the Valentine cards & packages!

Happy VALENTINES DAY !!!!
Leshelle

Blue Island Letter #22

Eliuth is still .... como te dire? reserved? withdrawn? I'm not sure. Something along those lines. but, we're working on her. Ivonne is very excited for her baptism this Saturday.  So am I.

We've found several new people to teach this week. For example, we ran into a kid named Daniel, and asked if we could visit his family.  We talked to his mom, asked her questions, and she opened up a lot. It resulted in her fixing a return appointment, and offering her phone number. We didn't even have to ask. Pretty neat.

We also went to an appointment with Karina. We've been trying to get her to pray about what to do in order to be baptized.  We talked about God's plan for us. Karina's boyfriend ususally hides in the back room whenever we are there.  We got him to open up more than EVER.  I've been here almost six months and he has never agreed to pray. This week HE PRAYED!!!!! We've been praying for them and plan to fast with Karina so that she will know what she needs to do in order to be baptized. God works in ways that we just don't understand. 

Hermana Moffat and I are seeing miracles and finding people daily.  We keep being in the right place at the right time.  Hermana Moffat is a stand out missionary - really and truly an outstanding missionary. She shines above the rest. Yet, she's human. And, she is very obedient, which I love.

Wanted to share something I've been thinking a lot about this week.  Once upon a time my Mission President emailed me this scripture:

"Let us cheerfully do all things that lie in our power; and then may we stand still, with the utmost assurance, to see the salvation of God, and for His arm to be revealed" (D&C 123:17)

I had a ponder/study/sit down moment with this scripture. I broke it down into parts, and I want to share one part with you. I thought about the word DO. Cheerfully do. Well, the word cheerfully describes the quality of doing. But, what exactly can we take from the verb "to do"?

These are Leshelle's thoughts on it:

Doing is not merely acting. Laman and Lemuel are only two of many examples in which someone acts, yet lacks the true purpose and correct attitude of "doing".

I've come to the conclusion that "to do" is "to offer". When we "do" something, it should be an offering from our own initiative.

The HOW of "do" is more important than the WHAT of "do". Empty actions are just that: empty.
This is why small and simple things (Alma 37:5-7) bring about miracles: doing something even small and simple can be an offering of all we have. When we give our everything, God gives His everything, too. He fills in the rest, thus resulting in miraculous things.

There is a huge element of agency required in truly DOING anything. We can act and give nothing. However, we can choose "to do" and offer the Lord our all.  And we can do it cheerfully.