Nueva Casa, hooray!

Lots of good news from Hermana Maki this week.

First thing first, we moved into a new house on Saturday! I attached a picture of our bedroom, it has air conditioning! I feel super spoiled. It´s much nicer than our other house, buttttt it has a lot more cockroaches. 

Yesterday, I spoke in church about missionary work and how members can help us more. Because of a crazy busy week, I wasn´t able to prepare anything until 9:40 pm Saturday night, always happens that way, right? Anyway, as I sat in my hammock wondering what to write, I had the impression to begin with a prayer. I kneeled down, said my prayer, and asked for guidance and inspiration as to what the members in our ward needed to hear. Almost immediately afterward, I began to think of many different ideas, and many different things I had read in Preach my Gospel that apply specifically to members. Within 25 minutes, I had my whole talk planned, scripture references and everything I needed, and I was able to sleep soundly, my first night with air conditioning :) I was sooooo excited. It was a testimony builder to me. We can try to do things for ourselves, or we can say a prayer and turn it over to the Lord, asking for help and guidance, and I know that when we do so, he helps us. He gives us the words we need to say.

Cool experience. This week on Saturday, we had a lesson with one of our new investigators, Giner. He is the twin of one of other investigators who is preparing for baptism. Their brother passed away this week, and Giner feels lost and says that he really wants our help. He wants to know what´s going to happen with his brother...

Anyway, we arrived at his office and had a lesson planned, but he began to talk..and talk...and talk more..and at first I started to get frustrated because i just wanted to teach! Be quiet, i was thinking, we want to teach youuuuu.. But as I began to just listen, I realized that by doing so, I could really find what he needed and we could better learn how to teach him according to his needs. We learn as missionaries and are taught the importance to teach PEOPLE, not LESSONS. If what he needs right now is to learn the Plan of Salvation, that´s what we´re going to teach him, even though the Restoration would normally come first..

Later that night, as I was prepearing my talk actually, I thought of what Elder Holland says in Preach my Gospel about listening to the people we teach. 

 Elder Jeffrey R. Hollandtaught: “More important than speaking is listening. These people are notlifeless objects disguised as a baptismal statistic. They are children of God, our brothers and sisters, and they need what we have. Be genuine. Reach out sincerely. Ask these friends what matters most to them. Whatdo they cherish, and what do they hold dear? And then listen. If the setting is right, you might ask what their fears are, what they yearn for, or what they feel is missing in their lives. I promise you that something in what they say will always highlight a truth of the gospel about which you can bear testimony and about which you can then offer more. … If we listen with love, we won’t need to wonder what to say. It will be given to us—by the Spirit and by our friends” 

I have always loved this quote! We must listen before we speak, and we must listen with love. Some people have nobody to talk to, because nobody listens. Everyone has needs, and if we open our hearts and listen, we will know what it is we can do to help them! 

I love this Gospel, I love the mission life. I know that the Lord watches over his missionaries. I know that this Gospel is true! 

I send my love from Mexico to each and every one of you!

Hermana Melody Maki