WEEK 60 "Accomplishing The Impossible With Our Dream Team of 9"

Hoy Sera un buen dia buen dia buen diaaaaaa! (name that song)

Well this week I think goes down as the wildest week of my mission...also the best week in the history of my life and in the Hialeah ward!! The underlining theme that I learned this week is that Darkness can never conquer when you have Christ on your side. NINE amazing souls fought valiantly for the cause of Christ to make the final sprint, and each came out more than conquerors on March 23. However, in my mission I have never felt Satan working harder to spoil the Plan of the Father. My testimony is that whenever we are about to make a sacred convent with God or whenever we are moving forward in our testimony and making major decisions there is going to be opposition. This is because Satan works hardest on what is most important in God's plan. He knows that this is Christ's church and the only way that we can return to live with God in pure happiness is by making these covenants.

This week it all started out with Rolando getting sick again!! His infection got really bad after his surgery three months ago and the doctors told him on Wednesday that he wouldn't be able to get baptized this Saturday. However I remembered something that our President's wife had told us... that receiving a priesthood blessing is the quickest way to chase out darkness. So that is exactly what we did. We called up our Ward mission Leader who is my fav person ever haha and he gave Rolando a healing blessing. AND IMMEDIATELY guess what happened? As soon as we said Amen Rolando (being his faith-filled self)... smiled and said, "I will be baptized this Saturday; I dont care what it takes. I will be baptized." PEOPLE, HIS doctor told him that very morning that he probably shouldn't be baptized but He laid aside his doubts and fears and put allll his trust in God and in the revelation that he received during his blessing. 

 Another example is found in my favorite little buddy Kevin. Kevin's parents are separated and his dad is catholic. He called Kevin the morning of his baptism, gave him a quiz on the Bible and then told him that he didn't know enough about Jesus' life to be baptized. Kevin called us devastated and told us that he couldn't be baptized because he wasn't ready. We reassured him that baptism was the beginning of his journey, not the end. By the end of our conversation and sharing Moroni 7 he was excited to move forward with faith!!!

 The others sisters in the ward had a lot of challenges with their friends too. Satan was trying every tactic that he possibly could think of but all nine of our incredible friends overcame each obstacle with faith in their Savior. 

This week I was memorizing "The Living Christ " in Spanish. Shout out to my cute aunt Jenn who inspired me many years ago and I have always had a goal of accomplishing it. This week I finished memorizing and I can testify that this experience has truly helped me See, know, and understand who my Savior is. I love a quote by one of the apostles that says, "Any effort to increase our faith in the Savior is never in vain." This week I told God that I would finish memorizing it before our baptisms to show my love and gratitude for Him and so that each one of these souls could feel more light and power in their lives through my own personal efforts.

I know that it was not in vain. I know my Savior better than I ever have. I know He Truly lives and appeared to the prophet Joseph Smith to restore His gospel and church on the earth again. I know that in order for the second coming to be brought to pass, this life changing answer to a prayer needed to be answered. Now we have the gospel in its perfect form with prophets and apostles who have His power and authority to act in His name. There is no doubt in my mind that Christ does talk face to face to our prophet like he did to Abraham, Moses and all the prophets of old. I know HE is the life, light and hope of this world. AND through Him we can find rest, strength, healing and joy. He LIVES and this is my great joy to proclaim the Father's story to all the Cubans in Hialeah haha!

Love you all so much. So grateful for all of you. 

con mucho amor, 

hermana Richards