Thursday, October 30, 2014

Are you really happy?

I've been thinking a lot about daily miracles this week. President Uchtdorf's talks from this conference and last: being grateful in our circumstances, and seeking spiritual light have really settled on my mind. We can be grateful for pure gospel light in any time. And we can't see far enough into the galaxies to know why these circumstances are good for us, but we are grateful because there are stars and we know that they mean something more. I know that daily miracles is the way to get through any trial in our lives. 

Happy Halloween diay! And Happy Birthday to Dad last week, and to Gracie girl this week!

Siaton is teaching me. I'm applying what I call "practical optimism" which comes closer to true faith than practicality or pure optimism alone because it encompasses planned action. 

The people here are doing so well! In Siaton, I think we've been blessed with more new investigators than I've had in any other area, and then they sometimes don't progress, but we don't stop believing in them. It's still so exciting to enter someone's house and sing "I am a Child of God" and really see them as a child of God who he needs and wants in His church and I'm somehow lucky enough to be an instrument in doing that.

We found this family, across a rickety bamboo bridge who is so ready for the gospel. The Sabihon family sat in awe while we told them about truth, not just anything that someone tells us. Bro. Roland is a computer repair man, Sis. Jinky just had a new baby, and we need some strong families and a new clerk who knows how to use a computer here in Siaton. 
Plus all of their neighbors want to listen and are looking for truth. 

Of course, with sucess comes trials. Sis. JingJing is choosing to listen to the voices that tell her not to leave the religion that she's used to and so she isn't ready now. But the seed is there.
Bro. Santo has also gone back to alcohol :( a bunch of their family came down from the mountains and then that was it.
But Cheryl is doing well. We talked about repentance but I'm not going to say we taught because she taught us. Sis. Cabrera and I just looked around- she had explained all the steps of repentance that we learn in Sunday school- because she understands.

I love my companion Sis. Cabrera. She is so refreshing and loving and a missionary and I love working with her.
We also worked with our senior couple the Henrichsens yesterday. They were such good sports and I saw that testimony has no bounds. That was the gift of tongues in action. We taught the Tinguban family at this big house that we always pass, but we've never been allowed in- miracle of having a nice American couple with you! And we thought that they might just say, "We're Catholic, but we'll listen" In fact they did, probably 5 times. But then, Bro. really understood the apostasy and sat up a little and said, "Then what?" Sister and Elder Henrichsen told him the amazing story of Joseph Smith and he sat back a little with a smile. "He saw Heavenly Father, didn't he?.... Come back on Saturday. We'll study this."
They would be so good for Siaton

We taught the Agir family. I feel like we gave them a telescope last night. No one had ever really explained to them why we go to the temple- it was just something we should do and it's really pretty. So we talked to them about the highest level of the celestial kingdom and we asked them if they were happy. They are much happier kono now than they  were 3 months ago when they didn't go to church. But they think that they could probably be happier if they went to the temple. Please pray that they'll have a way to do it! I love Bro. Junie and Sis. Leoncia. 

Here's some wise advice from Preach My Gospel (specifically about how to work with ward (okay, branch) leaders, but it's a pretty fix it all formula) : Develop a "How can I help?" attitude. 
Don't you love that? We don't look at the problems and say well, that's too bad. Or say, "Here let me fix that." And we don't just ask, "How can I help?" and then walk away. But we live it! We make it our attitude and the thing we search for everyday. I've been trying it in my prayers and it's incredible. How can I help Heavenly Father today?

I know He has something for each of us. And he loves you. I'm really grateful. More next week!

Sister Josie Tueller

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