3-24-14

Sa by dee family!

Sa by dee is how you would say hi to some one in Loation, it is one of the like 4 words I now know! This week has been good, It has been a week of growing and learning. It really tires you out to learn so much! Especially when you are learning about Christ-like love.

It has been a roller coaster of a week as we strive to talk to 10 new people every day. I am amazed that we haven't run into the same people over yet. But it has been fun as we talk to everyone, it really helps us to branch out and do as the Savior would do. It is crazy! Sister Tuigamala has been learning some Spanish so that when we aren't companions she can still talk to someone about the gospel. Well, she got a chance to use it the other day and she was so excited! It was really funny. She was backing me out of a parking spot and she said hola to a little Spanish man across the parking lot. He said hola back and kind of paused waiting for her to say something back.. So she looks at me in the car, (At this point she is kind of laughing because I am watching all of this go down through the rearview window and trying to figure out what is going on.) then looks back at the guy and said, "Puedo dejarle una tarjeta?" and then runs to the car opens the door and pulls out a card with the Elders number on it. It was so fun! She was super excited that she could tell him who she was and how he could learn more. And we are literally trying to talk to EVERYONE that we see!

It has been a long week. Debbie's baptism is going to get moved again, but that is something that we need to be okay with. She is so amazing and I know at some point she will come unto Christ through baptism. I need to have faith that it will all happen in God's time. Earlier this week I learned a lot about Christ's love for other people. We had a really busy day on Sister Tuigamala's birthday this week and we had some amazing lessons, and in every lesson we talked about overcoming our weaknesses, and as we drove home I wanted nothing more than just for one day to take away the pain of the people so that they can be happy and at peace for just one day in their lives. I know it helps them learn and grow, but I just want them to have one day where they don't have to worry about all the things of this world! So then for our Book of Mormon challenge I had a few chapters to finish and I started on 1 Nephi 14 and verse 1 says, "And it shall come to pass, that if the Gentiles shall hearken unto the Lamb of God in that day that he shall manifest unto them in word, and also in power, in very deed, unto the taking away of their stumbling blocks." What a cool promise! Every person has these stumbling blocks, but they can leave them to Christ. That scripture hit me like a wave and reminded me that my trust needs to always be in our Savior Jesus Christ.

I also got to remember the power that comes when we step into the church building. I think it is something we often overlook as we go to the church weekly with all the hustle and bustle that happens on a Sunday. We got to take Raquel on a tour of the church and I am always amazed at the spirit that accompanies us in the chapel. I was explaining that it was a house dedicate to the Lord, and that the Spirit resided more strongly there. I love going and sitting in a quiet chapel. I now know why it was so important that my parents taught me to be reverent. The feelings that we can feel as we sit there with our thoughts and concerns. The feeling that investigators can feel when they felt something different. I feel for real that Heavenly Father is closer to us than we might think sometimes and that we really do have his angels round about us.

Last night we had a really fun experience. We got to eat authentic Laotion food! A member in our ward has a brother-in-law from Laos and they were in town for the weekend. We went over and had Pho (super good!), coconut soup, fried rice, and chicken. Of course the brother in law insisted that we try all of it. I think I gained 5 pounds yesterday it was so good. I will try to send a picture next week. But they had Aiden and Bo over and after dinner we had a lesson with them. I have a personal testimony of the scripture that says every person will be taught in their native tongue. Watching them converse in Laotion (the only words I picked up were the ones they said in English Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ, Joseph) they really came alive. We learned a lot about what Aiden and Bo need and the concerns that they had. We talked a lot about the Holy Ghost and how we can feel the Holy Ghost in our lives. Aiden then asked us each to share a personal experience of when we felt the Holy Ghost in our lives. That was the first time I had ever had someone ask me for a specific experience in my life. So I talked about the Holy Ghost as a comforter and how sometimes the problem doesn't go away but we can receive strength in those times and know that tomorrow the sun will rise, or Sunday will come, whatever phrase we may use to say that things will work out. It was a good lesson! I didn't teach most of it, but the best is when you can feel the Spirit and watch your investigators growing without even being able to understand the conversation! I am so grateful for the Spirit who doesn't have a language barrier.

I love every thing that I learn as a missionary. I love that people know who we are as soon as they open the door and see our name tag. I hope that one day, when my name tag days are through that I can do as Elder Anderson encouraged and imprint one on my heart. That people can look at me and have no doubt that I am a Member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Later-day Saints. Hope everyone has a great week and looks at how they can be more charitable and more humble, and how they can be an example of the believers and find someone that they can serve!

Hermana Ray