A new week...

Familia,

How`s it going? I hope yàll have had a good week and are ready for the Easter Bunny to come. As well as General Conference...seriously so excited! I hope yàll are thinking of some good questions to take to conference, some revelation and things that you`re looking for right now so we all can prepare and come away spiritually strengthened and edified.

Today is my 17 month birthday in the mission. October 30th, 2013 I left my home. The first few weeks of the mission felt like an eternity for me. When I only had 5 days in El Salvador to be completely honest the only thing I could think to myself was, "What did I get myself into? This is going to be the longest 18 months of my life."

Making pupusas.

 Then I made the decision to forget myself and lose myself in this work. And that is what I have tried to do. Now 17 months have passed by and I am a little scared to come home. The time seems to have flown by and I am grateful that I have one more change left in the mission and not wanting to count how many days until I have to leave the mission field and I will no longer be a full time missionary. 

Why? Well, because this work is amazing. Because I have nothing to worry about except teaching people about the gospel of Jesus Christ. And it`s beautiful and amazing to watch people learn and make changes in their lives and see the light of Christ enter and see them transform right before my eyes. I love this work. It`s truly amazing. I know that God is real. That Christ lives and that they both love us dearly. They are part of our every detail of our lives, we just have to let them in. And when we do, our lives change drastically.

If you still haven`t seen this new video for easter, then here is the link:

http://www.mormon.org/easter

Aside from that, here some events of the week.

- two of our investigators left to go visit with us...that was awesome. They both want to serve missions. Hoping for their baptism this month.

- we dug some more of that dirt hole for the bathroom

- I got some big time diarrea Saturday...good times.

- We made pupusas with a bunch of investigators...delicious...getting good practice for when I come home. 

-I`ve relaxed a little and just decided to hand it all over to the Lord. Doing my best and knowing it will all work out. 

Love you all to pieces. Thanks for your love and support always. Seriuosly, my family is the best. 

Love,

Hermana Wright

Futbol

Brainfreeze...

Dearest Family,

To be completely honest I have no idea what to write home. I´ve been online for about 30 minutes and still unsure what to say. I didn´t even write that much in my journal this week.  

I think I´m unsure what to write home as a result of stress and anxiety if I´m completely honest. 

I´m not good at expressing my feelings. Never have been. But here is a little how I feel...

Journal:

16 Marzo

I only have 7 weeks left. Panic sets in from time to time as it did a little bit this morning. Mostly because there is so much to do before I leave and I want more than anything to baptize all these investigators like a crazy person before I leave. We are teaching some really great people and I  seriously love them so much. I plan on coming back and visiting them as I feel like they are my family. So wanting them to accept the restored Gospel and wanting to see them be baptized is the greatest desire of my heart. So, feeling pressure and nervous and a whole bunch of stuff. But I´m just trying to trust in God and put all my confidence in Him. 

 I feel like Alma in Alma 31:34-35

"Oh Senor, concédenos lograr el éxito al traerlos nuevamente a ti en Cristo! He aqui, sus almas son preciosas, oh Senor, y muchos de ellos son nuestros hermanosñ por tanto, danos oh Senor, poder y sabiduria para que podamos traer a estos, nuestros hermanos, nuevamente a ti!"

("Oh Lord, wilt thou grant unto us that we may have success in bringing them again unto thee in Christ.  Behold, O Lord, their souls are precious, and many of them are our brethren; therefore, give unto us, O Lord, power and wisdom that we may bring these, our brethren, again unto thee.")

All group pictures are a bunch of our investigators. All of which I love dearly and with all of my heart. 

All of which I would love to see baptized before I leave. #stress

I don´t know how to describe it but this week I felt this burden and anguish as a result of my desire to see this area progress, and specifically by seeing these people come unto Christ.

I feel better now and I feel like my burden has been lifted. I know I need to have more faith, hope, and trust in God. Trust that if I do everything that I possibly can and do my best, then I can hand it over to the Lord and let Him make up the difference. And that is what I´m trying to do. And I´m feeling better tonight. Eternal salvation is stressful sometimes.

Apart from that. I love you all. I am grateful for the support and love that you all send me and always give me. Thanks for everything. I love you all dearly. 

Love,

Hermana Wright

PS since I don´t have much to say I am sending pics. 

Bathroom Building Again

And chicken feet soup...yep, I ate that. 

service project...building a bathroom. 

Amazing grace...

Familia,

Today will be short. Not sure what to write to be honest. Various thoughts and feelings.

But what is on my mind is what I learned this week in my studies. I studied about the Atonement, but specifically focused on the enabling power of the atonement...which also can be called grace. It really helped me when I was feeling desperate and overwhelmed. 

I read and studied a talk that my mom sent me by Sheri L. Dew called, "sweet above all that is sweet." to be honest, she sent that to me a few months ago. And I read it back then, but still didn`t really dive in and didn`t really get it. But this time, I felt like I got it. 

To be honest I`ve never understood the word "grace" or really what it meant. Every one sings the song "Amazing Grace" and we hear that word constantly, but I just never understood what that meant or what people were trying to say. But this week I understood for the first time what grace means. So many scriptures that I had read or heard with the word "grace" I finally came to understand. And it was amazing. 

 Grace is really a power, that enables us to do things we simply could not do on our own, which comes as a result of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. It is the enabling and strengthening power. It is the power that will carry us throughout life and the difficulties, if we will let it. And it is the power that will permit us to return to live with God again some day, if we do our part.

When we struggle or go through difficulties, sometimes we pray to have the circumstances changed and that things will be better. But really, our prayers should consist of praying for the strength and power to change the circumstances, not simply for the circumstances to change on their own. 

My eyes were opened and I felt like I came to understand more and feel closer to Christ and His sacrifice. He truly gives us power and strength and He will carry us. But only if we let him.

I just want to finish with a couple parts from the talk that were great. I mean it really is all amazing, I encourage everyone to read it. And then please do share. I would love to hear your thoughts. Or we can just chat about it when I get home ha. But this is what I liked:

"...in contrast to the institutions of the world, which teach us to know something, the gospel of Jesus Christ challenges us to become something. Our access to divine power hinges upon who we are becoming."

2 Nephi 25:23 "It is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do."

"Doing all we can do about the direction we`re headed and what kind of people we are becoming. Doing all we can do is about discipleship."

"Discipleship is not easy, but it is easier than not becoming a disciple...if our lives are centered on Christ, nothing can ever go permanently wrong, but if they`re not centered on Christ, nothing can ever go permanently right."

"As disciples we can ask for more energy, more revelation, more patience, more self'discipline, more hope, more love, more healing, more happiness. We can ask for miracles, for freedom from pain, and for the desire to forgive. We can ask for more faith and for help in becoming better disciples. And we can ask for angles to walk with us."

"When disciples do their best, whatever that is at a given moment, the Lord magnifies them. Doing all we can do is about becoming and behaving like true disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ. That is our part."

"What one thing would you be willing to give up, starting today, to put the Savior even more at the center of your life? What one thing would you be willing to do, starting today, to unlock more of His power? The Savior`s grace is what will enable us to do what He is counting on us to do."

Because "the path of discipleship is actually the easiest path because the Lord`s love for us has no end ' which is why the fruit of the tree is sweet above all that is sweet."

--------

"My grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them." (Ether 12:27)

I know that I am nothing. And I have never been qualified for the tasks in front of me. But I don`t have to be. I just have to confide and rely more on the grace provided through Christ.

And that is what I`m trying to learn at this time, believing it will help me throughout my life. 

I guess that turned out to be longer than I thought, ha.

I love you all. And I know this is true. Thanks for your love and support and friendship. I truly love you all dearly.

Love,

Hermana Wright

Breakdown...happiness...joy

Querido Familia,

Wow, this week flew by. I can`t believe it`s already Monday again. But it was a great week! Full of some big time downs and ups..but that`s what makes it so great.

Last Monday we played soccer for about two hours with the Elders. When I woke up Tuesday morning I was SO SORE. Seriously. Every muscle hurt haha. I felt like I did some super intense WOD, but yet I didn`t. So pathetic haha. But seriously so funny. 

"Meet Jose. He`s 5. and hilarious."

------------

I had a breakdown this week due to various situations and investigators and such. I feel like here in Los Naranjos I have fought harder than I have had to fight in any other area. Not literally, but I have come to learn that this is literally a war between the good and bad, the righteous and unrighteous, that is a war occurring every day and I have literally felt that here in this area. But as a result of our fighting and not giving up, we have seen amazing results and huge miracles and God will always pull through. 

It`s hard to express and explain it all in a short letter home to the family. Ask me more when I get home and I am sure that I will be able to talk for days until you`re bored. 

I love this work. I love this area. I love seeing people change and grow and coming to know that this Gospel is true. It`s seriously incredible the felicidad (happiness) and joy that it brings into the soul. 

Honestly, I feel so much paz (peace) and happiness and joy that it indescribable. I am so honored to be a missionary and to be a representative of Jesus Christ. This work is truly unreal. To watch people change and grow and accept this Gospel...it fills you with a joy that is unreal. And it is everlasting, and it is a joy that comes from no other source. 

You could say that I`ve had a pretty successful life. And there have been times when I was extremely happy and excited from things in my life. Winning a big time tournament game in soccer is an incredible feeling. Scoring the winning goal after working so hard is something that is impossible to describe and feels so good. And I felt happy and joy and stoked beyond stoked. 

But that type of joy and happiness is fleeting. And while it was amazing one day. The next day when we lost and were done with the tournament, the joy and happiness left and wasn`t ever lasting. 

And that is the difference between the joy I feel now and the joy I have felt other times in my life. The joy and happiness that God gives, and that comes through the Atonement of Jesus Christ is everlasting and does not leave. Yes we have trials and difficulties and moments of afflictions...there`s no doubt about that. But amidst those difficult times God provides a peace and joy that stays and comforts and is everlasting. 

And that is why I am here serving a mission. Because I have felt it. Many times. And I continue to feel it and continue to be more and more amazed and marvel at the wonders and power and glory of God. It almost seems too good to be true. But yet it is true. And that is what is so amazing.

I can`t express my feelings, although I do try. And I will never be able to express sufficiently my gratitude to God for sending me here on the mission...even when I didn`t want to. Oh how selfish I was. And oh how blessed I am. I have way more than I deserve, and I hope to maybe give a smidgen back in gratitude...but knowing whatever I do give it will never be enough and I will always be in debt to God. But that is what I want, to always serve Him, here and now, as well as continue after the mission. Because serving Him and trusting and confiding and following His will, will always lead to joy and happiness that will last for the eternities. 

"a pic of my parka...long overdue"

I know this is true. And I love it with all of my heart. 

Alma 29:10

"And behold, when I see many of my brethren truly penitent, and coming to the Lord their God, then is my soul filled with joy then do I remember what the Lord has done for me, yea, even that he hath heard my prayer yea, then do I remember his merciful arm which he extended towards me."

Love you guys to pieces.

Love,

Hermana Wright

Only 10 more letters to write...

Familia,

Well today I realized that after today I will only have 10 more letters to write home...yikes. I guess I better make them some good ones. 

Hilarious moment of the week:

The greatest thing happened today. So here it is totally normal for men or young men to make a bunch of cat calls and say creepy things to women walking in the street, and it always happens to us. My whole mission I`ve gotten it (mostly cause I`m gringa) and the best move is to always ignore them completely, which I always do. 

Well today we were walking by a group of jovenes that always yells or says things to us when we walk by, like "mamacita linda, te quiero" (pretty mama, I love you) and stuff like that. They do it for attention from their friends and cause they think they are so cool. Well we had to walk by this group of jovenes twice within like 10 seconds. We walked down and passed them, so they yelled at us, (like they always do and have for the last 3 months), well then we decided we actually needed to go down that passage way to visit someone so we turned around and had to pass them again 5 seconds later. Well they yelled more cat calls but one of them said, "mamacita bonita cuando va a invitarme a la iglesia?" (Pretty mama, when are you going to invite me to church?) Well, not being able to ignore that invite, I immediately turned around to go over to chat with them and invite them to church...cause that`s clearly what they were looking for...right? So when I turned around and started walking towards them, the one who yelled that got a look of terror on his face and immediately turned and booked it down the street running full speed away from us, haha. His friends just got real quiet and kind of all huddled together looking ashamed and not sure whether to run or stay and talk to me. I kinda of chuckled and asked them why they didn`t want to talk to us. Then my companion and I walked away laughing pretty hard. I don`t think we`ll be getting any more cat calls from that group.  Good times on the mission.

We are visiting these two viejitos (old people) that are just about the cutest thing ever. The abuelita is like our grandma always telling us where we should and should not go to visit because she's worried about our safety. It`s adorable. They are actually super positive and committed to going to church, so I`m excited about that.

 

Los viejitos super lindos.
(The super cute old people)

I don`t know why, but this week I felt like I had so much less patience for all the crazy people saying that we worship Joseph Smith and the anti Mormon crap. It just is so ironic that everyone that talks so much about the church and says all these rumors and such have never in their life stepped foot in a Mormon church nor talked with missionaries to know what we actually believe. It`s such a huge problem here in Los Naranjos as well, and while I`ve usually had quite a bit of patience, this week I felt like my patience was leaving and I did not have much. Who knows. Excited for a new week and praying for patience and to know how to help people understand. 

But I know this is true. I know that God lives and loves us. I know Christ was sent to suffer and die for us so that we have the chance to return to live with Him again. He truly is our Savior and I know that He directs this church through a living prophet and it`s an honor and privilege to be a part of this work. I will forever be grateful for this chance I have had to serve. 

Keep up the good work back at home. Be good examples to those around you. And turn to the Savior to get power from His Atonement that will sustain and carry you if you will let it. 

Love you like crazy! Thanks for your killer support and love. 

Love,

Hermana Wright

"One of these things is not like the other...can you find it?"