WEEK 57 "Miracle March"
This week was a wild one! We have finally reached 'Miracle March! And for those who are thinking what in the world is that... Our mission has a goal that every companionship will baptize this month!!! It has been one crazy ride. I have never seen our mission come together with such unity and rise to another level of comittment in my whole mission. I LOVE how inspiried our mission president is and I truly know that this is what the Lord has invited us to do right now to hasten his work.
However, just like in anything in life, there is an opposition in all things... right? I love that God gives us hard days to truly appreciate the good moments. So as soon as we heard about Miracle march we started seeing major trials and hardship come into our lives like crazyyyy and espcially in the lives of our sweet people that we are teaching. This is becuase the adversary doesnt want us to accomplish this great victory.
Last week starting Monday, we had lost contact with our best freind Tomas who we had been working with for months and who was ready to be baptized that weekend. Our other friends started facing major health, family and economical issues. I would go to bed feeling nearly defeated every night. But I always kept my faith that our Savior Jesus Christ had all these situations under control. It was very trying. But I had an ah hah moment one day in district coucil... I was thinking to myself that Miracle March is more for me and the missionaries that surround me than for our freinds. God is testing us. He is watching every single move that we make and He is just waiting for us to reach the top of this climb. He is cheering us on every step of the way. All we need to do is have patience and see the arm of God be unfolded. I know that He lives and will continue to fight for us. This is His work and He is our loving Heavely Father. He gives us trials so we can stretch and grow and reach our divine potential.
In the moments that I feel the weakest is usually when I feel and see a glimpse of what our Heavenly Father sees. I feel closer to my Savior. I can't even start to comprehend the magnitude of His sufferings. How he bled from every pore and allowed a way for us to retain a remission of our sins. But my understanding does grow a tiny bit every single day when we wade through each specific trial with our friends, fight side-by-side with them, and pray for their sorrows, and heartaches. One thing that I have gained on my mission is a deeper appreciation for my Savior. In these moments of despair it's hard to be grateful but I know that when we are put in the refiner's fire we come out more pure and holy.
However, the Miracles still always come. This past Wednesday I had a life-changing, rainy day while on exchanges with Sister Simpson. We started out our day praying hard to set friends on date and pled to allow our plans and goals be in the hands of God. And guess what ? right when I was loosing hope God interceded. We had a bomb lesson with the famliy of Rolando and Teresa, my parents skyped in and bore powerful testimony of the restoration and how we need to be baptized by proper authority. Seriously it was a life changing moment and I have never felt a stronger spirit in any first vision lesson that I've had on my mission. At the end, this family wanted to be married AND baptized into the true church of Christ. I know that after all we can do, God does intercede. If we hold out patient and if we love God with all our hearts- we will truly see His Hand and He will fight for us.
I love you all!!!
Xo,
Hermana Richards
Highlight
-enjoyed a nice Sunrise in the pier today
-Found Karen this week and she is flawless!!!
Lowlight:
Seriously these cockraoches are so spontaneous. We have been clear for three weeks and then last night one just randomly showed up in our room and I stepped on it!!!!!
funny english to spanish moments with sister V:
jumper up=jump rope
like your bone= i like your bun
cut her= cut her off
