Monday, November 10, 2014

A story, a baptism, and two moments to reflect...

Familia!

Another week bites the dust. 

This week in our Consejo de Lideres, Hermana Spjut asked us all a question when she shared with us. She said that her daughter who´s a missionary loves the work, she doesn´t want to go home and isn´t ready to be done. She then talked about how it´s hard, how we go without eating for hours and are hungry, we walk and walk and walk and our feet or legs hurt, we are exhausted physically from lack of sleep or just pure tiredness, the bugs and mosquitos attack us, people reject us daily, etc. But for some reason we get up the next day and do it all over again. So she asked us, "What is it that motivates you to get up each day and work in this great work as a missionary?"

"Just because it´s beautiful..."
 I have thought a little bit about that and something that an Elder said that I totally agree with, is I was thinking how much I would charge to do what I do each day as a missionary. How much money would someone have to pay me to be a missionary for a job? Well...the first time I thought, "They would have to pay me a whole lot!" But then I realized that I actually don´t think I could get paid sufficiently or enough to do what I do as a missionary each day. Honestly, it´s just not worth the money.

So if there´s not an amount of money that would be worth it, what is it that motivates me to get up and work as a missionary each day? Well, I think the biggest thing for me is seeing the changes in people. Watching the miraculous changes that happen in their lives, watching more light come into their eyes, watching their attitude change to want to follow God. So many changes that are so miraculous and I absolutely love being a part of it and watching it happen. And that is why every morning, I get up and am excited to have a new day to work in this work...because I would never do it for money, but doing it for the people and literally watching the gospel of Jesus Christ change people´s lives, that is what it is all worth, and the only payment we need.

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Story of the week: And the most eventful thing that happened today though was when a little child ran up to me and just shoved me. Literally. I stood there in shock. Then he ran back and shoved me again. And then a third time. I mean he´s like 10, so it didn´t hurt or anything, I think I was just way more in shock than anything. I don´t think I´ve ever had a small child shove me, especially one I don´t even know. Oh the life of a missionary. Good times.

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"Awkward mission pic where you can´t
touch them..."
Yesterday was Jonathon´s baptism. The baptism was really great and special, you could definitely feel the spirit. But the part that touched me the most is that Jonathon had chinkunguya (I don´t remember how you spell it), it started Sunday morning. Well for those that don´t know what that is, it´s like dengue but way worse. You get it from mosquitos and it´s been an epidemic this year in El Salvador (everyone has it!). It consists of horribly high fevers, aching bones and body, swollen and inflamed joints, and rash all over the body. It´s horrendous and everyone is getting it down here. Well, his dad told us that he told Jonathon that he might not be able to go to be baptized, but Jonathon said, "No way, 
I´m going." And even though he had this awful sickness that is totally a legit excuse, he didn´t let anything from stopping him to 1) go to church this morning, and 2) get baptized and follow Christ. That touched my heart. He is simple. And SUPER shy. But he really showed his grand faith and desire to follow Christ. He´s such a good kid.

Jonathon´s baptism
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Last night we went and visited a family that if I´m completely honest, I don´t really love them. I feel like I love the majority of people...but they are hard for me. They live in our area but go to another ward and they have just honestly treated me super feo just for the pure fact that I´m a missionary from this ward. I don´t know, they are just so ridiculously prideful and selfish and really just people I never want to be like. And the way they have and always treated me hasn´t been the best. So my companion knows them from when she was in their ward another time in her mission, so sometimes we go over there (sacrifices as companions ha). 

Well last night while we were with them and it was just awkward and they were so selfish with their comments and it was super fake and false...I had a million thoughts run through my head. Then I knew that I needed more love for them so I started praying in my mind for help to know how to love them, knowing I couldn´t do it on my own. And one of my thoughts was, "Ugh, I can´t love them, they´ve just treated me so poorly." And then God reprimanded me a little as I immediatly thought about the Atonement and I thought about Christ´s sacrifice. I thought about how horribly and awfully Christ was treated by some people and still continues to be rejected, mocked, scorned, and blasphemed, and despite all of that, He loves us perfectly. Yes, it´s easy to love those that treat us well, but to love your "enemies" is a whole other story. And I definitely have failed at that. How does Christ do it? How does God do it? So I don´t know how, but God and Jesus Christ love us perfectly and unconditionally. Unconditionally...meaning no matter what the circumstances. And while the Lord reprimanded me and taught me that while I have lots of love...it´s no where near the Savior´s love and I still have a long ways to go. I´m working on it,a nd praying for more love for those that are harder to love. It was a humbling moment.

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So...what´s been new in your lives? Hope all is well. 

Love you lots and lots!

Love,
Hermana Wright 


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