February 2, 2015

Dear Family and Friends,

 Last week was amazing!!  We had the privilege of getting 22 lessons!!!!  We got a new investigator that just moved here from Utah, and she knows about the church, and she wants to take the lessons!!  Andddd I hit my 1 year mark!  Woot woot.

This is the last week of the transfer so we are saying potential goodbyes to everyone...just in case.  I really love this ward and I want to stay another transfer, but we'll see what happens. 

We had a really great lesson yesterday in Relief Society about Christ helping us through our trials.  We read the story of the apostles who were sitting in a boat and Christ is watching them from far away.  He goes to help them and He's walking on water, then Peter comes out on the water too, but starts to doubt when immediately Christ helps him.  We read the 3 different accounts in Mark 6:45-52, Matthew 14:22-33, and John 6:15-21.

 We talked about how Christ allowed them to go through the trial, even though he could have easily helped them before they rowed 3 miles in treacherous wind.  He could've rescued them, but He knew they never would grow if they didn't experience these trials.  This is the same in our lives.  If we don't go through hard times then we never would learn to rely on the Lord.

 
Another interesting insight is the fact that the Savior actually told them to get in the boat.  Sometimes we pray for guidance and the Lord directs us to a certain path, things are going fine when suddenly something happens.  We get frustrated because we're doing everything right.  Why would this happen?  Well, just because we follow what God wants us to do doesn't mean that we won't have trials.  Sometimes these trials are blessings in disguise.  

"Moreover, enforced change usually does not last, while productive enduring can ingrain permanent change"   Neal A. Maxwell.

I know that Jesus Christ came to earth and provided for us an example.  We should always be striving to become like Christ.  I also know that it is impossible for us to be perfect by ourselves.  We need the Atonement so we can repent and be worthy to live in God's presence again.  I know that Christ lives today and He is willing to help us through anything, but we have to let Him in first. 

I love the scripture in Moroni 10:32  that says, "Yea, come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, and deny yourselves of all ungodliness; and if ye shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness, and love God with all your might, mind and strength, then is his grace sufficient for you, that by his grace ye may be perfect in Christ; and if by the grace of God ye are perfect in Christ, ye can in nowise deny the power of God."

I know if we come unto Christ by reading our scriptures, going to church, and asking ourselves "What would Jesus do?", and we use the Atonement and repent of our sins, and strive never to go back to our old sins, and if we love God with all our being then and only then can we be made perfect in Christ and have eternal life.  Have a great week.  Love,

 

Sister Moon

Pictures:

What the heck is wrong with people in California??

Restoration :)

Our investigators!!  The Noriega Family.