I
Need Thee Every Hour
One
thing, I’m most likely leaving Elche next week so any letters sent after today most
likely won´t make it to me but I’ll send you my address as soon as I get it!
By
the way, when people talk about how they ¨killed off their companion¨ it means
that their companion finished their mission and went home. There´s a lot of
funny vocab in the mission. When you enter the field you are ¨born¨ so I was
born four months ago here in Elche. When you go home from your mission you
¨die¨. So if you are the companion of someone who is going home you are
¨killing them off¨. Hahaha. Really strange but it´s what it is. Ha-ha.
My sweet friend who we've been teaching WAS BAPTIZED LAST NIGHT!!!! Wow! My first baptism here in Spain!!! It was
really hard to plan for because I had never planned a baptism before. The Lord made up for all of my weaknesses
though and everything worked out.
I
will never forget his face as he came up out of the water! I will never
forget it as long as I live!!! It was as if he were seeing the light for the
first time. He was the happiest that I’ve ever seen him. I could literally see
the change that baptism brought to his life. He was a completely new and happier
man. WOW! He brought his entire family to come see his baptism (none of them
are members). Apparently he´s told his family all about us so when we met them
they treated us like family! It was such a sweet experience!!! They have
watched the change that the gospel has brought to his life and they told
us that they´d like to meet and receive some of the lessons.
WHAT?!?!?!?!?! Miracle. Nothing short of a miracle. I can
honestly say that this man has become like one of my very best friends out
here. It´s going to KILLLLLLLLLL ME to leave him next week. I never
thought I’d get this close to anyone on my mission. He´s absolutely incredible!
He´s like my uncle or something. I love this man with all of my heart!
This
last week was FULL of miracles. The Lord truly did put people who were prepared
for the gospel in our path. One example was that we showed up at the door of
one of our citas but she cancelled on us. We remembered the promise that the
Lord had given us about how someone in the area was prepared so we started our
search for this person in faith and prayer. We literally talked to every single
person on the street around the piso but no one was even slightly interested. We
tried tocing the doors near-by but no one was interested. We were about to give
up and move onto our next cita when we both felt that there was in fact someone
who was ready near-by.
We
were walking down the street when a door literally opened on its own for us so
we took that as a sign and walked right in. We went to the top of the building
and the first door we tried was a girl who thought that all faiths were the same. After
a little bit of testifying to her she finally let us in. We then talked about
the Book of Mormon and she was extremely receptive. It
was absolutely amazing!!!! That was such a humbling moment for me to know that this is the Lord´s work and
not mine. He is truly preparing people for the amazing gift of the gospel.
WOW!!!!
This
week I learned a lot about humility. I literally cannot do ANYTHING without the
Lord. I made so many mistakes this week like leaving our phone at the church,
forgetting to assign prayers for the baptism, taking the wrong bus and missing
an appointment, and the list goes on and on. I learned so much about the
atonement this week and it became so much more personal to me. With every
single mistake I made the Savior was there to pick up the pieces. He was there
to pick me up, dust me off, and get me back on track. I put forth my VERY BEST
effort this week but it literally wasn´t enough. I did everything I possibly
could to serve the Lord but it wasn´t enough. That´s where my Savior stepped
in. He made it enough. He made up the
difference and made everything I did enough. HE made it enough. He did. The
atonement is not only for our sins and pains but also for making up the
difference when we do all we can do and it´s still not enough. It´s through
him, and only him, that it is enough. In fact, through him it is more than
enough. I have a deeper and more personal love and understanding of the
atonement than ever before. I was made
very aware of all of my faults and weaknesses this week but through the savior
he helped me fulfill the things I needed to do.
I
love the Savior and I will never ever go through another day without begging
him for his help. Remember that you need the lord every day. Don´t ever think
that you can do it alone. Why do it alone when you don´t have to? He´s there,
just waiting. Open the door and let him in. Love you all!!
Come
what may and love it!
Hermana
Israelsen
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