September 16, 2013

Hola Familia!

well, we´re moving!! we´re leaving out of that apartment....its RIGHT SMACK on the metro and that is sooooooo beautiful!! we don´t have to take a stinkin long walk from who there to our old apt. we move in wednesday :) its brand spackin new as in she JUST finished renovated it all. 2 baños, 3 habitaciones, 2 hermanas. ssssíííííííí.....

oh and I love Section 135 of D&C. ´´They lived for Glory, they died for Glory and Glory is their eternal reward´´...wow such powerful stuff.

and to answer your questions about english class, we do! there are 2, wednesdays and saturdays. we teach saturdays and its super fun. we have 2 classes within the one class: basic and conversational. i teach basic and its always so much fun. we did the body a few weeks ago and then taught them ´´head shoulders knees and toes...´´ and then we´d play hang man. hahaa its so much fun!

and to answer your questions dad, those ideas to interact more nonmembers is a great idea. the problem is actually getting people to really participate. i think a person can really see some character and pretty much the Gospel itself is when there are service projects. but especially for those families with missionaries, have social visits! more is better, because then they feel more comfortable to ask questions. and who wouldn´t want to know why your child is gone for a long time!? its so cool hearing about the progress of the stake and ward. you´re doing a great job! I´m so proud of you guys! go Caldwell Idaho Stake! i know it will be sooooo difficult for some members. but ask the presidency from each organization to keep tabs on each of the members and their progress with missionary work. make it a PRIORITY. it is a big one and if we make it so, then it will be so. every 1st and 3rd sunday we´re in ward counsel, but yes it is mostly the Do you need something? oh good moving on... each organization, primary, YM, single adults, has a VITAL key in this work. have specific parties or functions for each organization. the missionaries will focus on that and they´ll see some grand success. i promise you that as a missionary.

Well, we had an amazing surprise this past weekend! We had the privalege to hear and shake hands with Elder Russell M. Ballard. He was here to a stake conference in another zone but last minute wanted all the missionaries from the the madrid zones and mtc to come for a mini fireside at 8 am. it was amazing. he focused a lot in section 11. i don´t remember word for word (its too good) but these are the words from someone else who recorded it word for word....

´´Elder Ballard gave a wonderful message. Part of it focused on D&C 11, where the Lord answers Hyrum Smith’s question, "What would the Lord want me to do?"

Verse 3 states, "Behold, the field is white already to harvest; therefore, whoso desireth to reap let him thrust in his sickle with his might, and reap while the day lasts, that he may treasure up for his soul everlasting salvation in the kingdom of God."

And then, in verse 8, "even as you desire of me so it shall be done unto you; and, if you desire, you shall be the means of doing much good in this generation."

Notice the word DESIRE in these verses. The key to success is desire. Elder Ballard told us that all things that we desire and really believe in righteousness can be achieved.

Elder Ballard said, "Your success is directly proportional to your desire."

Then, he asked, "How much do you love The Lord? Do you love Him enough to get up on time?"

He said that this had been a very busy trip for him. Then said, "Frankly, I’m tired. Sometimes I ask myself, "What is an old 85 year old doing running around like this?" Sometimes he is tempted to get discouraged. When he does, he pulls out a small picture of the Savior that he always travels with, and looks into His face. He said that he keeps going because he understands Gethsemane." ´´

I was deeply touched by his words and it honestly helped me so much. Elder Maynes and Elder Dyches from the Seventy and presidency of the Seventy were there too and we shook their hands. Elder Maynes (or dyches i cant remember) said that our we should recite 3 Nefi 5:13 whenever we leave the house. now its taped by the mirror right before we leave. its an amazing scripture!

Now, about my week! This week was really good. Honestly, I can´t really ever say that a week is bad in the mission. Sure, there are trials and difficulties, but in all we´re doing the best thing any one can ever do and there is nothing negative in that! hahaa i´m glad to say i´m blessed with positivity. 

I have been trying to relay more and more on the Spirit. Literally every decision I make, I try and relay on what the Spirit tells me I need to do or what to focus on. It reminds me of what Elder Bednar said in his MTC talk about listening to the Holy Ghost. I have been trying more to do that and Hermana Stepp has been a great help. Every grand or small decision I make, later I´m doubting it. For example, our investigators daughter was returning to her home with her mom in the North. She had been staying with her dad for a month during vacations and while teaching him, she started praying and reading the book of mormon. She´s only 8 years old, but she told us that she likes the way we pray better than the Catholic way. Her mother is very Catholic and its difficult because we don´t want to get Adelson (our columbian) in a bad situation. But after giving it to her, I started to doubt, wondering if that was the right thing to do and wondering if we just nailed the coffin shut permanetely. Hermana Stepp asked me that when we made the decision, did I feel good about it? When I told her yes, she said, then it was a good decision. I have felt more sure of my decisions, knowing that they are in line to what my Heavenly Father would want me to do.

Its been a little disappointing with our investigators. Just this last week, we´ve literally have had half of our investigators ´´kind-of´´ drop us. One won´t answer his phone, the other doesn´t do the church thing, and the other one doesn´t want to get his ex-wife angry at him. Thats Adelson. yes. my adelson is doubting. siigghhh....i´ll write more next week on that. I´m trying very hard not to get discouraged because I can´t work with that spirit. Faith has been brought a lot in our discussions and they have helped me more I think than they´ve helped our investigators. Faith is the key and everything will fall into place.
I love you all very much! i hope you know i am so grateful for your support and everything that you do for me. know that I have a strong testimonty of this Gospel. That Jesus Christ lives and he is the only way to our Heavenly Father. I know this and I try and live it. i love you all and keep smiling! Because there is someone is Spain who loves you very much!

Loves and Hugs

Kinsey