February 4th

This has been a great week!

 

We currently have 2 investigators with baptismal dates before the end of the month—we are reaping the work of previous Hermanas in the area and the work of members. The teaching is going well with our other investigators, but it seems that every person we teach has one stumbling block, and not a very little one if I may say so, that is the one thing keeping them from progressing.  In times like these I remember the quote from Jeffrey R. Holland when he says that he “is convinced that missionary work is not easy because salvation is not a cheap experience.” Why would it be easy for us as missionaries or as the children of God investigating the church, when it was never, ever easy for Christ to atone for our sins so that we could have that salvation? That´s why we work hard!

We had the Area Conference of the Caribbean this Sunday and it was wonderful! I especially enjoyed a talk by Elder Wilford W. Andersen of the 70. He spoke on faith and used an example from 1 Nephi 5 when Sariah murmurs against Lehi because she thinks that her sons have died and believes that they, too will die in the wilderness. Lehi´s response to her is inspirational. He tells her that he KNOWS their sons will returned and that he has “obtained a land of promise.” Keep in mind that he says this in the midst of his 8 years wandering in the wilderness, an ocean away from the promised land of which he speaks. He has such faith in the Lord´s promise to bring him and his family there, that he has already obtained the land of promise, even without physically being there. Isn´t that incredible? Elder Andersen taught that we can develop this caliber of faith if we learn to align our will with the will of God.

 

Here in Santiago things are getting ripe and crazy for Carnaval, a Dominican festivity that involves all sorts of crazy costumes, parades through the streets, children running around cracking whips (pray for my safety please), and lots of loud music and alcohol! I think it has put the men in the city in a more….fresh, shall we say? State of mind. I am considering dying my hair black to save myself from the irritation of being “rubia” here. My companion pointed out that black hair would only make me more pale though. I´m afraid that ultimately I´m just going to have to learn more charity and patience haha.

 

Here are pictures from this week!

 

https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0ByRUZeow-VaVS241a2paekhwRXM&usp=sharing

 

Have a great February and remember the faith of Lehi!

 

Love

 

Hermana Anderson