This
week we worked a lot with Hermana Betty, a less active who at one point
in her life was very active in the church. Her husband was the bishop
of the ward in Centro and she was the primary president and later the
relief society president. She knows a TON of doctrine and usually
teaches us more than we teach her! Because of personal and family
problems, pride, and wordly things getting in the way, she has been
inactive for a long time. When we first started visiting her a few
months ago, she wouldn´t let us in. I remember one Sunday we went over
to pick up her daughter, Arely (23) because she always comes to lessons
with us. Betty was sitting outside having a BBQ with her family and
introduces us to her family as "the hermanas from Arely´s church" and
now, just a few months later, she has opened up and is humbling herself
before the Lord little by little. poco a poquito. when we got there on
Wednesday afternoon we yelled through the gate "Buenas tardes!" (because
in Mexico we don´t knock on doors and couldn´t if we tried because
everyone has fences outside their houses) so you just stand outside and
yell until they hear you and come out.
Anyway,
she heard us and came running to the door and then goes, "Amigas! I´m
so glad you came!" she´s hilarious. She always calls us her amigas
anyway,
we got her one of the triple combinations that are really big for
people who can´t see well, because she wants to read the scriputres but
can´t see too great, so we surprised her with one and have been reading
the Book of Mormon together. We were going to invite her to church with
us on Sunday and before we even could, she tells us, "Sisters, it´s
going to be a long, hard process getting myself active in the church
again. I may not ever be 100% like I was before, but I want to try. I
think I need to fast and pray a lot." We told her that we would fast
with her and she agreed and then told us that we would finish the fast
on Sunday in the chapel, before we could even say aything! So, on
Saturday when we went to her house to start the fast, she got a huge
plate of pan dulce out and made us eat chocolate donuts and churros with
nutella. It was hilarious and lemme tell ya we weren´t hungry the
whole time....but we did have bad stomach aches for a solid 24 hours. It
was so much sugar and there was no saying no to her. Hilarious. But she
showed up to church and looked great. I hope that she will reactivate
and get a temple reccomend because two of her kids are getting sealed in
the temple between now and January. Wouldn´t that be great to be able
to be there!
sometimes
working with less actives can be hard, but actually, it´s really great.
A lot of times they just need someone to listen to them, sometime to
give them a hug and tell em that everything is going to be alright. they
need love! That´s what we have given Hermana Betty, LOVE. We truly love
her. I think that LOVE is the answer to just about everything.
The
members helped us a lot this week. Hermana Evelyn who was just released
as the Relief Society president, came with us to visit Maria and really
reached out to her a lot. They switched phone numbers and have been in
contact all week. It helped Maria have a friend at church and feel like
someone really cares for her. There´s success in missionary work when
members and missionaries work together.
I
saw the hand of the Lord many times throughout the week. I testify that
He loves and watches over His missionaries. I know that if we are
humble and submit ourselves to do His will, he will lead and guide us,
and more importantly, bless us and our families. Satan is attacking the
family, I´m seeing it everyday. I have seen many families who are
suffering, who are sad, who are being torn apart and have left or are
leaving the church. I was touched by a conference talk that I studied
this week titled "Defenders of the Family Proclamation"
"All of us—women, men, youth, and children, single or married—can
work at being homemakers. We should “make our homes” places of order,
refuge, holiness, and safety. Our homes should be places where the
Spirit of the Lord is felt in rich abundance and where the scriptures
and the gospel are studied, taught, and lived. What a difference it
would make in the world if all people would see themselves as makers of
righteous homes. Let us defend the home as a place which is second only
to the temple in holiness. Sisters,
I am grateful to be a woman in these latter days. We have opportunities
and possibilities which no other generation of women has had in the
world. Let us help build the kingdom of God by standing up boldly and
being defenders of marriage, parenthood, and the home. The Lord needs us
to be brave, steadfast, and immovable warriors who will defend His plan
and teach the upcoming generations His truths."
I think that whether we are mom´s yet or not, we can defend the
family and should strive to do all we can to make our homes a small
piece of heaven for all who enter. One of the greatest blessings that
Lord has given me is my family, a mom who is faithful to her covenants
and loves her children, a dad who who has taught us the importance of
serving others first, two sisters who each have their own unique
personalities and beautiful smiles, and two brothers who have helped me
toughen up and learn how to stand up for myself. I LOVE my family! and I
love the Lord because he has given them to me.
That´s it for now,
con amor,
Hermana Melody Maki (:
Photo-
Hermana Bailey and I headed out to church yesterday (we were excited
that it rained again because we could wear sweaters!)
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