I Believe in Christ, So Come What May

Heading to Chile on Monday! Sweet beats! The bugs and birds and trees remind me that I´m surround by God´s love. Hermana Inskeep and I had fun welcoming in our new district to the CCM with the zone leaders. An elder is suffering migraines and passed out. During my branch meeting, all the district leaders gave him a blessing. I´m so grateful that we have access to the power of God, that same power Jesus Christ possessed, that miracles can be performed. In sacrament meeting, my district sang a medley in Spanish of Come, Come Ye Saints and Lead Kindly Light. In one of our devotionals, President Eves shared a story about his grandpa. He was attacked by a mob as a missionary. They stripped him of his clothes except his garments and beat him with a strap off a horse saddle until he passed out. He had bruises all over except where his garments covered. There is power in keeping temple covenants. In another devotional, my favorite part was when the speaker shared the story about the man who cut off his arm when it was pinned under a rock in a slot canyon because he knew he would have a family. When it rains, I like to think of the primary song ¨I like to look for rainbows¨ because I want my life to be as clean as earth right after rain, too. My hope is to live with God again and Christ makes this possible through repentance. On the other end, when we forgive others, we become a vessel for Christ to work through. I love when Jesus is described as the Intercessor. If we repent, our merciful Lord will stand between us and justice to claim us as His own. Enduring to the end is our pattern of living that´s necessary. The answer to knowing the truth of all things is always the same: read the book of Mormon and ask God. I like the scripture D & C 50:24 because we should let our faith carry us until we receive further light. Meanwhile, grip tighter to the iron rod! Life is good and beautiful and happy, and it can be all the time through Jesus Our Redeemer. 

CCM - Mexico MTC

Hermana Jerman and Hermana Inskeep

(4 weeks)

We had our first TRC, which is teaching local latina members of the church. Just before, our teacher told Hermana Inskeep and I that our volunteer was a real investigator. She was so receptive. With the Spirit, she accepted the invitation to be baptized. God prepares His children. She´s going to meet with the missionaries next Thursday! The landscape is marvelous here in the CCM with three mountainsides surrounding us to watch the sunrises and sunsets. Hermana Inskeep and I were called as Sister Training Leaders. In spare moments, I scramble to study more from the scriptures. I love losing myself in its pages. When I think of virtue and holiness, I think of one of my heroes Joan of Arc. She led an army for the liberty of France at maybe 17 years old. She was respected by her troops because she eminated with divine purpose. My teacher has a friend struggling to find a job, so she asked us to pray for him. It reminded me of the story of Job. His family and possessions were taken, so immediately he worshipped God (D & C 121:7-10). I know with a certainty that if I´m going to go through this life than I´m going through with God and Jesus Christ. In the story of the people of Moses, many perished because they would not look up at the serpent. They didn´t believe it would heal them. All they had to do was look to Christ and His Atonement in faith and trust to live. Believe Christ. Believe Him when he heals you and forgives you, and in Him you can find new life, even life eternal.This gospel is a gospel of love. Gratitude is expressed not through our words but through our actions. 
Love, Hermana Jerman

Cleaning dishes in the cafeteria

Christmas

We got to go to the temple one more time for a session and went in the visitors center. In Mexico City they have no speed limits on the streets, so they have speed bumps instead. It was fun. Everything is like Christmas to me here in the CCM: I bought those clear stickers of pictures that match the story of specific verses in the scriptures and was so excited. Often you can hear a chorus of missionaries singing a hymn at the CCM. It's also where I've heard the most whistling in one place, haha. A Mexican tradition is to chant "mordida" {bite} to the birthday kid and then shove thier face in the cake. That is what our teachers did to an Elder with a birthday in our district and it was a good time.  Sunday devotional was broadcasted from the Provo MTC. Elder M. Russell Ballard spoke: Have Christ foremost in your mind. 

We watched "Missionary Work and The Atonement." I know that my Redeemer lives. I want to always remember Him and His sacrifice. This week I discovered how much I love the Topical Guide in the scriptures. It's so neat. Tuesday we had another worldwide MTC broadcast devotional. It was with Elder Neil A. Andersen: Faith can cause things to happen that need to happen. "He that loseth his life for my sake shall find it." -- Matthew 10:39.

CCM

Rainbow Houses

Sister Training Leaders 

Second cousin, Elder Barrett, at the temple

Playing volleyball plus no shoes was pure joy for me​

Handwritten Letter from MTC (CCM)

 I've tried but can't get this letter to face the correct direction.

Like a Heaven

The CCM

Neat-o trees

The CCM is like a heaven because there are saints everywhere. Our district feels like a family. I heard that perhaps the sacrament bread is broken into individual pieces because the Savior suffered for us individually. I really liked that. President Bennett, President of the CCM, shook my hand and told us we always look happy. I replied it´s "porque leemos la palabra de Dios cada día" (because we read the word of God each day). I´m so happy I get to learn about things pertaining to salvation every day here. One day for gym we played tennis! I love singing the Spanish hymns. Sunday we had three devotionals: We watched the Joseph Smith movie and I felt the Spirit so strongly throughout it even though I´ve seen it before. I must stand firmer in the faith, for others have suffered even unto death that I might have the truth. I love Joseph Smith. The church held an experiment in Europe where people just read a single page from the Book of Mormon and shared their thoughts. We read some of their responses, which are only made available to the MTCs. It was sweet how much just one page affected them through the Spirit. You can get something you need from every page. I think about how I love nature and all creeping things in it and how much curiosity I have to learn more about it. Alma 30:44 says, "All things denote there is a God; yea, even the earth, and all things that are upon the face of it." 

It is such a blessing to know how to pray. The most Supreme Being is just a prayer away and he answers us. In class there was a spider. Just before I picked it up, my teacher smashed it, and for some reason we all began laughing, haha. For feedback from yesterday´s lesson with an investigator, she said the lesson was perfect because the spirit was the teacher. While reciting the first vision, I felt the power in the words of Joseph Smith manifest to us. For the Tuesday night devotional, I sang Love One Another (in español) in the choir. I was thinking about how I will teach my kids the loving gospel and be married forever to a worthy priesthood holder in my future fam. The speaker was one of the Seventy, Elder Pieper. To God, we make commitments. Then we find out it takes more than we are. God does this so we trust Him (1 Nephi 3:7). When we are in over our heads, we either become humble or become rebellious. Christ kept the greatest commitment of all when he performed the Atonement. There is no commitment we cannot keep with Christ. The closing hymn was How Firm a Foundation. While singing verse 7, I committed myself to "never, no never, no never forsake." I cried happy tears. I still can´t believe I get to be a missionary! It is a privilege for us to wear the name of the Savior and be His representatives. 

Love,

Hermana Jerman

With Sister Inskeep

Our home with fourteen other hermanas​

CMM

​Today for pday we got to take buses to 

El Templo de Cuidad de México for a session. 

I love the temple.

Day 1 of the CCM when we arrived we put on our nametags (I feel so much love for it) and got our companions. My companion is Hermana Inskeep. She is from Star Valley, and we have a good time together and with our district. I love the green parrot birds and bright red birds here. The thunderstorms are sweet, too. The CCM has beautiful grounds and we get to have class outside sometimes. Gym time is so lovely. I was so happy to get to run around and exercise. We do yoga, jog, play ultimate frisbee, workouts. Breakfast on our first official day (July 26) was corn tortillas with cheese and meat. I tried a Mexican drink made of pressed flowers and tacos are served almost every lunch here with fruits and veggies, so yummo stuff. My teachers are Hermana Marcias and Hermano Vasquez. I love them. Next day we taught our first investigator. We´ve been teaching him since then. I learned you need the Spirit to teach. We later sang I Am a Child of God to him from our Spanish hymn books. When he accepted to be baptized, it was amazing to feel God´s love. Sunday was grand. I talked to the Zollingers who are senior area missionaries who lived in Tremonton and know the Kerrs. Hermana Inskeep and I made a goal to speak only Spanish here. It´s fun to be really obedient! There are 630 missionaries now and I feel so blessed to be a part of God´s army. Without God, I am nothing. My life belongs to Him. Be consecrated to the Lord and radiate with the happy gospel. 

With lots of love,

Hermana Jerman

District 7D!!