Nov. 24, 2014....Welcome to the apostolic work

Nov. 24, 2014.....Welcome to the Apostolic work
Happy Anniversario: Aunt Teri  y Uncle Den, Uncle Ronnie y Aunt Melinda,
Feliz Cumpleanos: Jordan Haven

Well, can I just say that it brought tears to my eyes to see Meg and my mother in the same room! I just love both of you so much! and I absolutely loved seeing the fish that Dad and Brooke and Brielle caught! Man you are all awesome! (I'm coming with you all next time)

Well this week-- was one of the craziest weeks of my missions.

We had one funeral, one primary program, one ward cena for thanksgiving, 2 zone conferences that we had to teach at, and then 3 exchanges! Our area suffered a little bit, but the Lord really took care of this area as we were called to do some other things this week!

I am just going to share a bit about Zone conference this week. Our APs (who are awesome) presented an awesome lesson to everyone! We studied Alma 24. This story is about the people of Ammon the Anti-Nephi-Lehi's. It is the story when these people bury their weapons of war. It was powerful. The assistants made us all put our heads down and made us imagine that we were about to die, and so were our families, they then asked us, "Would you look up and await your death?" "Would you go down praising God?" "Would you die praying that your family might live" I invite you, family to read this chapter in the Book of Mormon and to think about who the sons were of these families, The Sons of Helaman! I felt great power making covenants of my own with God. Things that I buried, symbolically to submit my will to Heavenly Fathers. It was awesome!

Hermana Izu and I also taught a little. Our theme that president wanted us to speak about was letting Christ's atonement fill the fear we have and replace it with faith. We shared the story in the bible in Mark Chp. 9. It is about the man that begs the Savior to heal his child and Christ asks if he has faith enough to heal his son, and dad responded, "Help, thou mine unbelief." It was powerful. There have been so many times on my mission, where I just think, "Do I even have faith? Well, I think I have faith, Lord please help me, please help thou mine unbelief." It is something very dear to my heart to ask the lord for help when you only have a particle of Faith. He fills the faith you don't have. There have been times where I only have a twig of faith, where I know I have family back home rooting for me, who are pulling for me, but I know that it is Christ pulling with me. It was powerful.

We also had Rafael drop us. I was on an exchange, but Hermana Izu said she cried right then and there. He choose Soccer over the Sabbath day, but no worries family, we aren't going to give up on him quite yet.

I went on exchanges this week family... TO WOODSTOCK, and guess who I got to see? HERMANA MONGE and HERMANA ALCANTAR! Oh my goodness, it was so cool to see them! I was on exchanges with Hermana Warnock and it was one of the best exchanges I have ever been on! Hermana Warnock is an awesome new missionary, who is literally incredible! Her trainer is.. Hermana WOOLF! super cool!

We had a great lesson with Rosa this week! She told us some hard things she is going through, stuff with the word of wisdom, only pretty serious, BUT she just kept saying, "Hermanas you are my motivators!! I love you!" After she told us what things she was addicted to, we told her about priesthood blessings and she wanted one right then and there. It was awesome, we got the Elders to come and they gave her a great blessing! She still didn't come to church but I know she will one day! She is amazing! When she gets baptized that will be quite the incredible day.

Well family I love you all so much! The work is good, my theme ".. I can rest in Gods kingdom, But let me build it first..." really applied this week, because we are pretty tired, but NO IMPORTA!

Also, its pretty cold here, like freezing. I love it.

Here is a quote from Hermana Warnock (who seriously is like the coolest person on the planet)

"Don't think you are just minding the shop waiting for the Saviour to come...the spirit of this work is urgency, and we must imbue our missionaries with the spirit of now. N-O-W. We are not just waiting for natural slow growth. We must move more rapidly. We must take things up a notch. If we have to call down miracles or angels, then
call them down. The drama is unfolding and we must do whatever it takes to ratchet up the work...I feel an incredible sense of urgency. I feel such a sense of urgency in my chest that I can hardly breathe. Every dispensation begins with a vision. We must have a vision. We are the church that dreams dreams. We are the church that has visions. We must believe in miracles. We are going to putter along, be average-until we wind up to the level when our heart is up in our throat and if we opened our eyes, we would expect to see angels...if this is God's work, and if He still lives, then miracles and angels are still there. We must live up to our potential. God will bless us with whatever we need. God wants us to see just what He sees and know what He knows. He wants us to ratchet up the vision. God is easy to please and hard to satisfy... This is not convenient, easy work. We have got to take things to the edge. We have to move into the realm of the miraculous. We have to live in such a way that we cannot do it alone anymore-where we will resort to the Lord-where we will cry, "without thy help, I will fall," "help me fly." Go to the edge where miracles happen. Move in to the realm of the miraculous. Have full faith. Believe in angels. With the power of the priesthood, push the envelope. Welcome to the apostolic work." -Elder Holland

All of me loves all of you all

Hermana Hammond                       Yay for the Woodstock Hermanas!!

                                                      Hna Monge!! Love these people!!!

                                                        Hna Alcantar!!