Carmen got baptized! It was such a beautiful, sweet experience for us
and for her and I am so happy for her. Sunday she got confirmed a
member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and was
given the gift of the constant companionship of the Holy Spirit. As
her sweet husband Roger was pronouncing the blessing I thought about
something Hermana Farias would sometimes say when we would take
pictures. "I look way too happy," she'd say. In my last letter to her,
I told her that she had left me way too happy, and as I sat in church
on Sunday and thought of sweet Carmen and the joy I have felt from and
with her I couldn't help but think, "God, you've left me way too
happy." :)
Many prayers were also answered this week that helped 23 year-old
Mayra to be able to prepare to enter the temple, and just in time
because in two weeks the Spanish branch is offering temple preparation
classes during Sunday school! The Lord's timing is so perfect :)
I also learned a great lesson this week in an experience we had with Nancy.
These past two weeks I started this habit of writing a question on a
sticky note every time I go to study the Book of Mormon. And EVERY
TIME, my question is answered as I read. One day I was praying about
the question I should ask and felt like I should ask, "How can I be
better at overcoming discouragement?"
I thought it was funny because the work was good and I was happy. But
that day the work was slow and everything just kind of was falling out
of place so that by the time we neared
dinner we hadn't taught any lessons and I was feeling like I just
wanted to curl in a ball and take a nap. In my morning study I had
read Alma 34 and found the answer: pray for strength, pray for others,
and serve. It was almost dinner time and we had dinner alone that
night.
I said a prayer, got up, and said to my companion, "We need to go see someone."
"Who?" She asked.
"I don't know," I said. Luckily, she was on board, and we started
driving. I still wasn't sure where to go but had the vague idea that
we should visit Pamela. Except that it came to the street I should
have turned down and I passed it. Already, I was on a route I wouldn't
normally take. We passed by some apartments and, remembering a less
active, Nancy, I decided to stop.
We had been asked by someone earlier in the week to visit her and
could never find her home. She and her daughters welcomed us in and we
had a beautiful lesson. The timing could not have been more perfect
and I left with spirits lifted.
I am so grateful for the Book of Mormon and the individual revelation
we can receive as we read. I am grateful for the Holy Spirit that can
comfort and strengthen us and guide us to those who we in turn can
strengthen and serve. I am soo excited for General Conference this
coming Saturday and Sunday!! (You can find it on LDS.org) Get excited
people, it's gonna be awesome!
With love and affection,
sister Anderson
