I can't believe week 4 is starting today. I still feel like there is so much I need to be doing here in my area, for the 16 sisters in our zone, and for my own companionship (Hickmans the best), and even for myself. This week I truly realized how much the atonement can help me be a refined, energized, and truly happy person. I have thought a bit about what this week in the mission was like with two intercambios, trying to teach as many lessons as possible, trying to maintain everyone else's area successful as well as our own, and baptizing. The most rough point of the week was on Sunday, when no investigators came to church (i had never experienced this feeling during my mission). I sat there, and just pondered, what else could I have done? As I sat in sacrament meeting and began looking around at everyone I saw three people that stood out to me, Ramiro, Jose, and Anna Karen, three of my converts here in Teran. I then realized and reflected on the quote by Elder Holland on salvation and remembered if I did all that I could do, and the Lord knows I did, then my efforts were enough. No amount of effort goes in vain.
The Lord truly is merciful. He cares about and loves the people here so much. He cares about and loves me. This was going to be Hectors 5th Sunday attendance and his baptism was programmed for this Saturday,but if he didnt come to church it would have had to have been pushed back a week which would be hard with General conference being next week. On special circumstances like these we are able to ask the mission president for special permission, and we were granted it. Hector will be baptized on Saturday by Jose, one recent convert to another.
I learned in this situation that sometimes we mistakenly believe that happiness is the absence of a load. But bearing a load is a necessary and essential part of the plan of happiness. Because our individual load needs to generate spiritual traction, allowing us to grow. "The good works that really matter require the help of heaven, And the help of heaven requires working past the point of fatigue so far that only the meek and lowly will keep going long enough." I don't think anyone but Hna. Hickman and I can express this weeks efforts, but I do know that there were and will continue to be times during the week and for the rest of my earthly life when I won't know if I can put another foot in front of another, or handling another trial, or rejection, but I have come to learn that when we push past these points of fatigue, or heartache, that is when miracles happen, and when "His arm is revealed" (DyC 123:17).
"I am convinced that missionary work is not easy because salvation is not a cheap experience. Salvation never was easy. We are The Church of Jesus Christ, this is the truth, and He is our Great Eternal Head. How could we believe it would be easy for us when it was never, ever easy for Him? It seems to me that missionaries and mission leaders have to spend at least a few moments in Gethsemane. Missionaries and mission leaders have to take at least a step or two toward the summit of Calvary. Now, please don’t misunderstand. I’m not talking about anything anywhere near what Christ experienced. That would be presumptuous and sacrilegious. But I believe that missionaries and investigators, to come to the truth, to come to salvation, to know something of this price that has been paid, will have to pay a token of that same price. For that reason I don’t believe missionary work has ever been easy, nor that conversion is, nor that retention is, nor that continued faithfulness is. I believe it is supposed to require some effort, something from the depths of our soul." - Elder Holland
During my mission and for the rest of my life I have to be willing to show the Lord he can trust me, by traveling the road few have traveled, for few are willing to just keep going. It will be tough, but This is the Lord's work so it is worth every ounce of lost sleep or effort!
Let us gladly carry those loads that are given to us, for through them we come to know ourselves and better yet; we come to know HIM, and become like HIM. (2 Corinthians 12:7-10)
It will all be worth it.
Love you all A LOT,
Hermanita Coronado
The Definiton of a Capacitadora (in the words of Hna. Hickman and I):
- our excuse to travel
- see my companion twice a week
- try to fix everyone elses problems
- all we want to do is come home and sleep
- run out of saldo (unfunctional phone)
- cold showers :)
- we now exercise even more... it hurts to laugh
- laugh like crazy
- living purely on the atonement
la famosa cruz de Copoya
(casi todas) Hermanas en la Zona Tuxtla Mactumatza
Painting with the Zone leaders, we have fun
Want to have intercambios with me?!
I made a calendar with a wee bit of the things we have to do every week...
This weeks service project: paiting a pink wall white
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