Hola everyone!
Wow, it’s been quite the week for
me. Who knew so much could happen in two weeks. It literally feels like I’ve
been here for a year!
First, I want to thank everyone for
their emails last week. It was great to hear from all of you. I heard that
Reagan´s funeral was good, and that so many people showed up. Reagan had such
an infectious personality, and it doesn’t surprise me at all that so many
people came. Please, please, please keep praying for the Jensen’s during this
difficult time. Also know that I am praying for the Jensen’s and all of you
during this difficult time. Every day. Breakfast, lunch, dinner, and personal
prayers. I can’t even imagine. Let me know if there is ANYTHING i can do to
help. I don’t know all of the reasons why things happen. Sometimes its hard for
me to know why the Lord puts certain things in our lives. To be honest, I
really wish I could have been there for the funeral. I wish I could have been
there for my family, and for the Jensen’s. I wish I could be with my best
friend, who has just lost her brother. The Jensen’s are my family, and it was
hard for me to not be there with them and with all of you. It breaks my heart.
However, I find much solace in the gift of the Holy Ghost and the plan of
salvation. I realize that these are very typical, primary answers to problems.
But, I have never realized the true influences of these principles until I have
been on my mission.
It devastates me to know that people
in the world have no concept of being able to see someone who has passed on
again in the next life, and that they can receive so much comfort through
espiritu santo y la expiacion. Oops, sorry, that was Spanish. The gift of the
Holy Ghost and the atonement. I testify to all of you that these are real principles
and that if we utilize them we can feel so much peace and comfort in times of
need. There are SO MANY chapters in the book of Mormon that talk about all of
these. The book of Mormon can also bring so much comfort and peace to
people.
In addition, my testimony of prayer
has also been strengthened. Pray to God. I know it seems so simple. But pray to
God and ask him and Jesus Christ to bear your burdens, your pains, your
sorrows. The atonement isn’t just for sin, it’s for the pains of the entire world.
We cant get through this life alone. Ask him for his help. You are NEVER alone.
The atonement and the savior are the only reasons why I have been carried
through hard times in my life, and this time during the MTC.
On another note, I am so grateful for
my companion Hermana Steele and my entire district and zone. I have never felt
so much support and love. I have learned to appreciate the little things in
life. The support they have give me has been absolutely incredible. The day I
found out about Reagan’s death, I was struggling. My companion handled it so
well. She took me outside, hugged me, and just let me cry. My companion and I
have become so much closer because of all of this. Throughout the day, I
struggled, and people noticed. One of the hermanas in my zone, Hermana Ferris
gave me a HUGE chocolate bar and would just hug me. It seriously meant so much.
I never knew a chocolate bar could make me cry so much.
In addition, two of the hermanas
that are in the same room as mi companion y yo, wrote me the sweetest notes.
They covered my bed with sticky notes and chocolates, with words of love and
encouragement. They are so incredible, and it meant so much. In addition, one
of the other hermanas in my zone wrote me a letter about friends that she had lost
in a tragic accident and how hard it was, but how through Christ, the
atonement, and prayer, she was able to get through it. Another Elder in my
District gave me a book mark that said strength on it and a scripture in
Philippians 4:13, which states that we can do ANYTHING with God and a package
of tissues.
I also want to testify of the power
of the priesthood. The night I find out about everything that happened, one of
the Elders in my zone offered to give me a priesthood blessing. All of the
hermanas in my zone stayed for it. It was absolutely incredible. I felt so much
peace and comfort. It said how proud the lord was of me for serving him, and we
all completely lost it. I know that the priesthood is real. Receiving a
priesthood blessing can help all of us feel the Holy Ghost, and can bring us so
much comfort. I don’t know what I would have done without that blessing.
I have one last experience I want to
share. The gift of tongues, and teaching by the spirit is so real. This past
Sunday, we had a testimony meeting. I was a little afraid to go and share mine
because of my poor ability to speak Spanish, but I felt inspired to do so, and
went up and bore it. The experience was so incredible. I have never spoken such
fast, fluent, and perfect Spanish. The words just came to me. I didn’t even
stumble. I felt such an incredible power inside of me. When I finished my
testimony and sat down, I literally felt electricity inside of me. I was
literally shaking from the power and the spirit that I felt in that moment. My
ability to give such a powerful, fluent testimony was by no power of my own,
but through the Holy Ghost and the spirit. I know God is with me and all of us
in all times.
Lastly, I fasted for all of you and
for the Jensen’s this week. My testimony of fasting has been strengthened, and
the peace I have felt has been so indescribable. In addition, my district and I
sang nearer my God to thee in Spanish during sacrament. I sang it for the
Jensen family, and for Reagan. We were all so emotional, and I know that
spirits were with us.
I love all of you so much. You are
all so incredible. Know that you are not alone and that you can receive peace
and comfort through the Holy Ghost, the atonement, and through the power of the
priesthood. Remember, you are NEVER alone.
Sorry for this scatterbrained
email!! haha.
Until next week.
Hermana Failner
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