There comes a point when nothing seems to be going right. When you
want to sit down and cry and give up and not talk to a single person.
There comes a point when you feel like you are worthless and like the
entire world is against you. And in that moment we just have to stand
back up again, rely on the Atonement of Jesus Christ, trust in his plan,
and endure to the end and remember the words of Jeffrey R Holland:
"Don’t give up, boy. Don’t you quit. You keep walking. You keep trying. There is help and happiness ahead—a lot of it—30 years of it now, and still counting. You keep your chin up. It will be all right in the end. Trust God and believe in good things to come.”
This
week I found my love for this area. I liked the people before, I liked
the work and I enjoyed teaching. I was a little self-conscious of my
Spanish. But now I love these people. I would do anything for them. When
I see the people around me choosing the right and making and keeping
covenants with God I can hardly contain my happiness. There was a family
recently baptized and confirmed in our branch this week. I could simply
think of all the happiness and joy they would receive. Eduardo came to
church and exercised his priesthood in blessing the Sacrament and I
couldn't stop smiling. A little girl we've been teaching for what seems
like forever asked us when she could get baptized because she wants to
follow Jesus. Any time we teach the Pineda children they pray that we
can come back soon so they can learn about God.
The
little things build us up and build the kingdom of God. It isn't the
grand conversions that solidify the church. It isn't the visions and
fire from Heaven that builds heaven in our homes. It is living the
gospel a little bit every day that brings heaven into our lives. The
blessings of the Celestial Kingdom are not reserved for the life to
come. Men are that they might have joy, here, today. And when we can
pick ourselves up and brush off the dust we learn how to apply the
Atonement.
To end today I just want to share a
video with you all that I was invited to watch by a good friend of mine.
Because when times get rough, when a door slams on your face, when all
your good times seem to be past, when you face rejection, when you face
loneliness, when you feel like you can't go on, there is someone who has
been their before who has his hand extended still.
I
love you all so much. I know I say that every week but know that it is
true. I love you and I hope you can see your inestimable worth in every
day. You are a child of God. You are my brother or sister. And I know
you can do it. Si se puede.
Con Amor,
Hermana Fletcher
PS- Transfer calls are next Saturday. I have a pretty even chance of staying or going. Keep an eye out.
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