BLOOM

 

Hiii 

I love you all and hope you're enjoying this warmer weather!!! With the flowers blooming I can't help but think about how we can bloom ourselves. In many of our lessons we have been coming back to President Nelson' s talk in general conference about faith! Something I've learned from Covid that I hope to never forget is to protect my little seed of faith. It is the most important thing I can do! I also loved a demonstration of faith given by some sisters from Japan in a pass off lesson with our bestest friend ever Um! She compared faith to falling backwards into someone's arms. We have to be willing to fall and with that there is a guarantee that we will be caught 110%. 

This week was a better week:) still so many ups and downs but it's all worth it. I am learning SO much from the experiences and people. I'm learning that it's best to forgive, and not just once but seventy times seven... like the Savior taught! 

We had a lesson this week with a new ESL friend Carol. The first time we met her she came prepared with assignments and we were able to let her know that we start and end with prayer help with English then share a little spiritual thought. Our first lesson went well and later she messaged us and said she was so touched by our words. We had a second lesson with her and wowowowowowow. This time instead of coming with her assignments she came to us with a broken heart And contrite spirit ready to embrace the gospel and invite God back into her life. She mentioned that a loved one passed away just that week and she felt like we were the angels sent to her at this specific time. That lesson we were able to have the Spirit testify through our words that she was loved, known, and taken care of. I've learned that it is only when our hearts feel broken that we are able to feel the Savior's loving hands holding it together still. Carol is a divine daughter of God and I'm grateful God let me stay here to witness this miracle and to reconnect with a heavenly friend. I'm so thankful for all the eternal friendships I'm making here! 

Another tender mercy... Melissa Molina. This girl is a light. We had the most spiritual lesson this week. She was feeling confused about whether she wanted to go through the temple May 15, or to wait a few more months for family to be able to join. With the Spirit and with prayer the answers came! While kneeling in prayer with her and listening to her sincerity with God my heart felt like leaping! I could not deny the Spirit I felt. 

This week after zone conference and after the departing testimonies my heart was filled, and I wanted to sing the song of redeeming love. My testimony is firmly rooted. I know who's side I'm on. I love my Savior. He is my King! Personal revelation is real and can happen for each of us. I love studying my scriptures. I love prayer. I love missionary work. I love God. I love trials. I love my companions. They are so good to me.

I've been on my knees so often lately with the words repeating in my head, "thank you thank you thank you thank you". 

GOD LIVES. His power is on the earth today to help us bloom into the people He knows we can become and for that I will forever say "thank you"!

Hard Times Give Meaning

Hi friends and family! 

If you get this email today just know that it is by the grace of God! I say that only because we woke up with no service and no connection. Our phone can’t make/receive any calls or texts! 

On Saturday we got news that our stay-at-home lockdown just got even more serious! One missionary said this is good news because it can only go up from here! We really are experiencing high levels of restrictions, and God knows it! For us, this just means that more people are ready and willing to hear a message of peace. As for coming home, we will see if it is a part of the Lord's plan for me right now still! : ) I trust Him! 

I know that when two or three are gathered in His name, He is there also. I also know that because of this the devil works even harder. The adversary put atheistic thoughts and doubts into the mind of one of my dear companions and it was dark and scary! It was really hard to feel the Holy Ghost and I didn't know how to help! As the days went on it felt like the weight just got heavier, but Sunday came! After church we asked our Branch President to give a priesthood blessing to my companion. Our Branch President knew nothing about the situation, and because of that my testimony about the priesthood has been strengthened. His words were God's words. God's power is real, and it is on the earth today and the powers of heaven were revealed. I know God's power is manifest when exercised by worthy priesthood holders. 

Because this week was HARD it has become one of my favorite weeks on my mission and that is for one reason: I have learned that TRIALS GIVE MEANING. 

Opposition allows God to show forth His power! He humbles us to remind us that we really are nothing without Him.

Sister Larsen says, "Jesus Christ divides our grief and doubles our joy"… so hang on! Just when you feel like quitting, hang on! Reach up to heaven! What you are facing has meaning. God is with you. He is real. He lives. He loves you. 

Saya sayang kamu 

Mahal kita

Je t'aime.

I love you.

Referrals :)

 

Hiii everyone! How are you doing?? 

Because we all know that every week has its highs and lows, I figured I would just focus on the highs because life is just better that way:) little update with Sister Urzua… her next flight is April 29th! We are praying this flight does not get canceled again! Keep her in your prayers.

This transfer we have been setting HIGH goals, exercising A LOT of faith and we have witnessed some BIG miracles! We set a goal to find 8 new friends this week… praying so much for referrals… and wowowowow. This week we received referrals from four different sets of companionships, two members and two from church headquarters. PLUS, an added 10 at least from Facebook and around 10 from WhatsApp… how miraculous is that?? These friends we are finding are seriously remarkable and I admire every single one. The Lord is hastening His work through technology and even though our entire mission is in an emergency stay at home lockdown, the work doesn't stop... it speeds up! The Ossington zone was even able to have two baptisms this week along with 8 on date! 

I'm thankful for opportunities that allow us to exercise faith. I'm thankful for obedience and diligence and the blessings they bring! God is so wonderful. 

We had a lesson about the Plan of Salvation with some sweet missionaries in Japan and their friend Um, who lives here in Toronto! She is SO COOL and we are so excited to love her to bits. 

We also had a lesson with the most awesome guy, Kadeem and the member that referred him! That was a POWERFUL lesson filled with testimony, love, and the Spirit. I honestly don't know if I've ever had such a good first lesson anyone! It was so normal and natural, and he was absorbing it all and the member was a literal angel. What's cool too is that this all happened because we posted a little spiritual thought on Facebook and that member commented saying, "hey I have a friend I want to introduce to you sisters."

Another wonderful miracle from this week... at 9pm we felt prompted to call our friend Jess! We tried once with no answer then got rebuked by the Lord for not praying before calling (big oops) it felt like the Lord was saying, "why wouldn't you include me in this phone call" so we asked for forgiveness, prayed and called again and she answered!!! We then felt prompted to invite her to church on Sunday and she responded with the happiest "YES" because she said she has Sundays off work! How perfect:))) She is actually the cutest and we love her so much. 

Another highlight from this week was talking with Melissa Molina. She is my angel. I really believe that I'm here in Toronto because I needed her, her example, her testimony and conversion! So, a little background about Melissa… She called us maybe my second week here in TYSA asking for help to get to the temple. She grew up in the church but was less active for years. When she called, she asked if we would teach her the missionary lessons and so that's exactly what we did, and those lessons were some of my favorite moments on my mission. Then just this week she messaged us saying she got interviewed and is going through the temple on May 15th!!!!!!! My testimony has been strengthened as I've been a part of this journey with her. It's beautiful how the gospel of Jesus Christ can change us and help us become our best selves! Repentance is so real and no matter how far away we feel from God and no matter how long we've been away it is always the right time to turn back and look up! This sister changed me.  

This past Wednesday I got asked to share my departing testimony in our virtual mission wide zone conference! It's hard to put into words the love I have for these 18 months of service. Also, I got to give a talk in sacrament meeting this Sunday! I'm feeling extremely thankful to God for all these opportunities He is giving me to share what I know to be true. 

I love this gospel with all my heart! Christ's New Testament Church is on the earth today. The heavens are open. Jesus Christ LIVES and He loves YOU.

Mahal na mahal kita!

Saya sayang kamu! 

 

Count It All Joy

A week of personal revalation!

My heart leaps when I think of where I was at a year ago this week, to where I am now! I had just returned home unexpectedly from Australia. I was confused, and I was sad, but I honestly would not have wanted it any other way. My faith and trust in Jesus Christ is stronger because of it. I have a great understanding and love for prayer, and I know that His plans will always be better than my plans. I'm thankful He sent me home and brought me here to Toronto! I'm choosing to count this all joy because in Alma 31:38 we know that all afflictions, and I'll add confusion, and sadness can be "swallowed up in the joy of Christ!" 

Suddenly this week we got news from President Ford that all of Ontario would be going into the grey zone again. Before I could see light in this, I'll have to admit... I was SAD. When President and Sister Ensign explained the new rules for the next 4 weeks (the last weeks of my time here) the Covid fatigue felt insurmountable. I'm ashamed to say that I lacked faith. I thought I was a faithful person! Where did my faith go??? Then Sister Ensign talked about GRIT. She said, "This is grit Elders and Sisters. We were foreordained for this. When you become a victim, you lose." In that moment I knew God was giving me another opportunity to exercise my faith in Him. I had the sweet spirit confirm to my heart that I was foreordained to me a missionary in the last 4 weeks of April 2021. I found the courage and I'm again choosing to count this all joy. 

Fortitude: strength of mind that enables one to endure adversity with courage. 

Just like President Nelson said in his faith filled talk this general conference, "your growing faith will move the mountains of misery in your life. He is never closer to you then when you are climbing a mountain with FAITH." 

So, my invitation to all of you is to climb your mountain with FAITH. Just like Elder Uchtdorf said, "God is among us," and I can promise as a representative of Jesus Christ that He is right there with you. 

Love you heaps and have a beautiful week!  

Enjoy the crack up April fools’ tricks. (Toothpaste in the wagon wheel and ketchup on the hand; my companions are the best!!!