We've had a good week. We've had a couple of miracles, maciza lessons,
funny experiences, and I have a new favorite scripture.
First, one of the miracles. We stopped by to visit an investigator and
she starts telling us she has been praying for guidance. Weird things
have been happening in her house and her mom suggested she look for
someone who has been prepared to come and pray for them. She asked if
there was any way we could help her. We taught a little lesson about
the priesthood, and the next day a member of stake presidency who
lives close was able to come and bendecir la casa. Afterword we asked
her how she felt. A little teary eyed she told us that she felt so
much better.
It was neat that when she was praying for guidance we were able to
stop by and offer help.
Funny experience... one of many this week. My companion bought a coco
(coconut) at the local pulperia (kind of a little store ish.) They
offered to open it up for her so she could put her straw in the top
and drink the water. El hermano carefully placed the coconut, prepared
the machete, and brought it down cutting just a little bit off the top
to make a small hole. But as soon as he chopped the coco it began
spurting coconut water all over me. I have never seen that happen
before. We all busted up laughing and everyone who passed us in the
street gave us the weirdest looks. Now every time we walk past the
pulperia the hermano asks if we want to buy more cocos...
New favorite scripture... Alma 38:5. Everytime I've opened my
scriptures this week it always falls open to this verse. ''Ahora bien,
hija mia, (Hermana Thacker), quisiera que recordaras que en proporción
a tu confianza en Dios, serás liberada de tus tribulaciones, y tus
dificultades, y tus aflicciones, y serás enaltecida en el postrer
día.'' (English Translation). I love how it says that according to the degree of trust we
have in God we will be delivered from our challenges, trials,
difficulties, etc. I've been thinking about that a lot. If I put all of
my trust in Him, no matter what comes I will be able overcome it. But
if I am only willing to put a little bit of my trust in Him, it will
be a lot harder for me to accept the way He is offering to deliver me.
It's really easier and smarter to trust Him.
Well, I wanted to send pictures, but the internet is slow...I guess
you'll have to wait until next week...
But thank you for your love and support!
Hasta la próxima!
Hna. Thacker
Monday, September 22, 2014
The Gospel Had the Power to Change Lives
So I have to tell you more about Jonathan, our recent convert, and his family. It is amazing to see how much of an impact the gospel has made in their lives.
The Mom: Tuesday, at the end of the day we finished up an appointment and started heading back toward the church for the english class we have every week. We didn't make it more than ten feet in that direction when my companion and I stopped dead in our tracks, looked at each other, and said, ''We have to visit Jonathan.'' We didn't have an appointment with them and we were planning on seeing them in 20 minutes in the English class, but we both felt that we needed to go and visit them in their house. So we climbed the hill and as we aproached the gate Jonathan stepped out of the house looking very serious and sad. He was followed by his little brother who was crying. As they stepped aside we could see Jonathan's mom cradling the littlest brother in her arms and crying. In an accident on a bike the three year old had fallen and cut open his head and they couldn't get the bleeding to stop. Jonathan's mom didn't know what more to do, and we didn't either, but knew that he needed a blessing. We shared a scripture to explain about priesthood blessings and with the permission of the mom we called an hermano from the ward to come and give him a blessing. In the end he was able to receive a blessing and the whole atmosphere of the house changed completely. It was a night to day change. Luis started talking more and acting more like himself, the mom was able to calm down and think clearer. The best part was that they all were able to note the difference. I felt the difference, and that strengthened my testimony too. This experience with her youngest son, coupled with the baptism of her oldest son, has really helped the mom in her progress. She was receptive before, but now is even more so.
Jonathan: In only three weeks of being baptized he has already gone to the temple, wants to accompany us to make visits all day every day, and shared his testimony in sacrament meeting. There is nothing better than hearing a recent convert share their testimony.
The Dad: He's joined us for only one lesson, but he has always been supportive of Jonathan. He was able to come to the baptism, but we haven't really had much more contact with him because he is always at work when we visit. However, he came to church for the very first time Sunday and got to hear Jonathan bear his testimony.
It is incredible how they have all progressed. The gospel really has the power to change lives. I love being a missionary!
Love,
Hermana Thacker
The Mom: Tuesday, at the end of the day we finished up an appointment and started heading back toward the church for the english class we have every week. We didn't make it more than ten feet in that direction when my companion and I stopped dead in our tracks, looked at each other, and said, ''We have to visit Jonathan.'' We didn't have an appointment with them and we were planning on seeing them in 20 minutes in the English class, but we both felt that we needed to go and visit them in their house. So we climbed the hill and as we aproached the gate Jonathan stepped out of the house looking very serious and sad. He was followed by his little brother who was crying. As they stepped aside we could see Jonathan's mom cradling the littlest brother in her arms and crying. In an accident on a bike the three year old had fallen and cut open his head and they couldn't get the bleeding to stop. Jonathan's mom didn't know what more to do, and we didn't either, but knew that he needed a blessing. We shared a scripture to explain about priesthood blessings and with the permission of the mom we called an hermano from the ward to come and give him a blessing. In the end he was able to receive a blessing and the whole atmosphere of the house changed completely. It was a night to day change. Luis started talking more and acting more like himself, the mom was able to calm down and think clearer. The best part was that they all were able to note the difference. I felt the difference, and that strengthened my testimony too. This experience with her youngest son, coupled with the baptism of her oldest son, has really helped the mom in her progress. She was receptive before, but now is even more so.
Jonathan: In only three weeks of being baptized he has already gone to the temple, wants to accompany us to make visits all day every day, and shared his testimony in sacrament meeting. There is nothing better than hearing a recent convert share their testimony.
The Dad: He's joined us for only one lesson, but he has always been supportive of Jonathan. He was able to come to the baptism, but we haven't really had much more contact with him because he is always at work when we visit. However, he came to church for the very first time Sunday and got to hear Jonathan bear his testimony.
It is incredible how they have all progressed. The gospel really has the power to change lives. I love being a missionary!
Love,
Hermana Thacker
Monday, September 8, 2014
The Spirit Is The Most Powerful Teacher.
Highlights of the week....
-We had a neat multi-zone conference with President. The coolest thing I learned was that the Spirit is the most powerful teacher.
-Our recent convert that got baptised two weeks ago went to the temple to do baptisms this week. -Our recent convert came with us to make some visits. Even though almost all of the appointments fell through we were still able to have some neat lessons.
-We had an amazing lesson with our familia de oro. I don't think I've told you about them yet. It's a little family consisting of the mom, a son, his wife, and a little baby. The first time we met them was with Hna. Morales. We met the mom and she told us that a long time ago just after her mom died missionaries had taught her the Plan of Salvation. That helped her enormously then and later when her daughter died. However, the missionaries for whatever reason never returned to visit. With Hna. Morales we were never able to find them again and it took until right before this cambio started to be able to have a lesson with them. When we finally did it was powerful, and every lesson since the spirit has been there so strongly. The daughter-in-law has a million questions about how to know if there is only one true church, how to tell if someone is a true prophet or a false prophet, did Jesus Christ establish a church and what happened to it...All questions we happen to have an answers for.
Yesterday we were able to answer her questions and she had read her reading assignment from the Book of Mormon three times. Now she has questions that can be answered with the Plan of Salvation and anxiously invited us back to help her find answers to them all. We just have to help them with the legally married part of the law of chastity and they are good.
-I learned something neat reading a general conference talk, ''Drawing Closer to God.'' Elder Vinson explains that trials are not just for getting over, but are carefully designed opportunities to help us turn to God. He refers to the Brother of Jared building the barges and says, ''Pointedly, the Lord not only left temporarily unsolved the challenge of how to provide light, but He then made it clear that He, the Lord, would allow the buffetings and trials that necessitated its solving.'' This really struck me that Heavenly Father allows things to get difficult because He knows what valuable experiences they are.
That's the most exciting parts of the week. If I have the chance I am going to try to send pictures, if not, next week you'll see them.
Thank you for your love, support, and letters!
Love,
Hna. Thacker
-We had a neat multi-zone conference with President. The coolest thing I learned was that the Spirit is the most powerful teacher.
-Our recent convert that got baptised two weeks ago went to the temple to do baptisms this week. -Our recent convert came with us to make some visits. Even though almost all of the appointments fell through we were still able to have some neat lessons.
-We had an amazing lesson with our familia de oro. I don't think I've told you about them yet. It's a little family consisting of the mom, a son, his wife, and a little baby. The first time we met them was with Hna. Morales. We met the mom and she told us that a long time ago just after her mom died missionaries had taught her the Plan of Salvation. That helped her enormously then and later when her daughter died. However, the missionaries for whatever reason never returned to visit. With Hna. Morales we were never able to find them again and it took until right before this cambio started to be able to have a lesson with them. When we finally did it was powerful, and every lesson since the spirit has been there so strongly. The daughter-in-law has a million questions about how to know if there is only one true church, how to tell if someone is a true prophet or a false prophet, did Jesus Christ establish a church and what happened to it...All questions we happen to have an answers for.
Yesterday we were able to answer her questions and she had read her reading assignment from the Book of Mormon three times. Now she has questions that can be answered with the Plan of Salvation and anxiously invited us back to help her find answers to them all. We just have to help them with the legally married part of the law of chastity and they are good.
-I learned something neat reading a general conference talk, ''Drawing Closer to God.'' Elder Vinson explains that trials are not just for getting over, but are carefully designed opportunities to help us turn to God. He refers to the Brother of Jared building the barges and says, ''Pointedly, the Lord not only left temporarily unsolved the challenge of how to provide light, but He then made it clear that He, the Lord, would allow the buffetings and trials that necessitated its solving.'' This really struck me that Heavenly Father allows things to get difficult because He knows what valuable experiences they are.
That's the most exciting parts of the week. If I have the chance I am going to try to send pictures, if not, next week you'll see them.
Thank you for your love, support, and letters!
Love,
Hna. Thacker
Monday, September 1, 2014
Snow in Honduras?
It snowed in Honduras this week.
Just kidding. It's just flour. We celebrated the birthday of another hermana and the tradition here is to crack eggs filled with flour, glitter, and confetti on people's heads.
In the end it turned into a flour fight and everyone covered. It was a lot of fun and I learned how to make the eggs... :)
Today we took a jungle walk. Through banana trees and bamboo. In the end we avoided the corn, but I took advantage of the opportunity to stand in it for a minute. You know you're from Iowa when.... :)
In the end this week's been a good one. Definitely a large opportunity to learn and grow. I learned how important it is to trust that God loves us and that as His children we are of infinite worth. And that as long as you can learn from it, any experience can be for your good. It is amazing how God works.
Pues, Hasta la próxima!
Love,
Hermana Thacker
Just kidding. It's just flour. We celebrated the birthday of another hermana and the tradition here is to crack eggs filled with flour, glitter, and confetti on people's heads.
In the end it turned into a flour fight and everyone covered. It was a lot of fun and I learned how to make the eggs... :)
Today we took a jungle walk. Through banana trees and bamboo. In the end we avoided the corn, but I took advantage of the opportunity to stand in it for a minute. You know you're from Iowa when.... :)
In the end this week's been a good one. Definitely a large opportunity to learn and grow. I learned how important it is to trust that God loves us and that as His children we are of infinite worth. And that as long as you can learn from it, any experience can be for your good. It is amazing how God works.
Pues, Hasta la próxima!
Love,
Hermana Thacker
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)