Alicia's Homecoming

Friday was Alicia's last day serving as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.  We went to celebrate with her when she walked out of the MTC.  The Stake President came to our home to hear about her mission and to release her. 

 Then we went out to dinner to celebrate and there was Jorge, one of the young men she helped teach for baptism. 

She will be speaking this next Sunday, December 30th at 9:00 at the white church on the corner of 700 E. and 300 N. in American Fork.  We would love for any of you who can come to join us that morning for sacrament meeting and then come to our home for something to eat and a chance to visit with her.  

She would LOVE to see you!

P.S.  The closing song will be "Placentero nos es trabajar" sung in Spanish.  Anyone who would like to join in the spontaneous, minute-man choir is invited to go up front to join Alicia and the local Spanish Sister Missionaries in singing.  Thanks!

[[With the Lord, there is no commitment we cannot keep]]

While contacting, I jumped off someone's porch but fell on the way down from tripping over a sign, and then Hna. Johnston surprisingly followed right after me. Luckily, that person didn't answer the door when we choked back laughs to string their sign back up. We visited Yoana, a young single Colombian mom with a 2 year old son. She moved here alone and has been going through things she cannot carry by herself. Yet, there is someone who can carry her burden and will not leave her -- even "a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief," who bore our sorrows and our grief (Isaiah 53). We were so happy Yoana could come with us to the ward Christmas party where members from each of their countries made traditional food and performed dances or songs. 

I like that in the first week's video of Light the World, there's dirt on Jesus' hands and the hands of the woman he heals in the last scene. Though King of kings, a God in human form, "the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve" (Matt. 20:28). He labored alongside all people. This season let's put our hands to work in the service of others as our gift to lay before the King.

Well, this makes my last. My mission has been a good one. I am ever grateful to have been called to testify that I know He is the Head of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, the Messiah of the Book of Mormon, and the Savior of the world. I know that what I've learned and felt I could not have experienced any other way. I have been a witness of miracles, of hard, of mercy, of fulfilled promises, of change, of joy, and of Jesus Christ. That's life after all, and ain't that the beauty of it, the beauty of God's great plan? :)

Love, Hermana Jerman

Para siempre Dios este con vos... See you folks real soon!! 

Come to my homecoming talk on December 30th at 9am {white church on 700 E. 300 N. American Fork} and brunch at my home {42 Jackson Circle}!

  Hermana Arnold (from Washington) y Hermana Johnston (from California)

The Light and Life of the World

Shared the Light the World initiative with members, a Rodrigo from Mexico City, and Juan Carlos' parents, who have started listening when we visit Juan Carlos! They're a lovely pair of people we hope to work more with. The Martinengos also came with us to the Valverde's. Upon meeting a really good guy named Jorge, he expressed that at the death of his son, he knew truth was in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. He already wants to get work off on Sundays so he can come to church to be prepared for baptism. Volunteered one evening to be in a live nativity. I know that that night really did occur when mankind was given the gift of a Savior. 

President Nelson mentioned that one of the gifts the Savior gives us is the unlimited capacity to love. Despite our limitations of mortality, we possess limitless love. With Christ's help, we are able to keep on loving, even when knocked down, rejected, or hated again and again. Though not one soul of Helaman's army in Alma 57 perished, all of them received many wounds; we all get scars from the battle of life, but the Lord will deliver us -- and enable us to love still -- if we look to Him for strength. Therein we become a wounded healer, someone who succors another because they themselves have suffered. We begin to love how He loved, finding joy as He did among the trials. 

Love, Hermana Jerman

Erube

Good-Bye Hermana Laurie

Last night with our sweet Sister Hermana Laurie from Concepcion Chile.  We have been privileged to have her here often for more than 6 months. 

We will remember her forever and our hearts will always be full of love for her.  

Living Nativity

We had the opportunity to "Light the World" by helping at the Living Nativity in Alpine.  Cold, long night but fun to be a part of this amazing event!

White Christmas

A mother and daughter from Colombia got baptized the first day of December! Had a Noche de Hogar with Branden and his family, visited the Cazares with Jorge and Williams, taught Erube a couple times, and Juan Carlos came with us to visit the Sandovals. Hermana Laurie and I have a good time teaching each other grammar and expressions between Spanish and English. I love her with all my heart! She's quick to laugh and love and has a gift with words. With transfer calls last night, Hna. Laurie will be leaving Wednesday. I have been so blessed to serve with her and Hna. Jonston for six months together. 

Once we see the problems others have, our own problems we thought huge and pressing may become comparably insignificant. Time and time again, I am humbled at how much God trusts us by putting His children in our care, even those going through heavy things we've never experienced before. "How encouraging it is to know, though we are imperfect, if our hearts are turned to God, He will be generous and kind and use us for His purposes" (Elder Uchtdorf). We covenant at baptism to bear one another's burdens, mourn with those that mourn, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort. That's a big role of missionary work/ministering. We do that as we come to know and love the people – our hearts share part of their hurting, and that is precisely what Jesus does for us with absolute empathy. "The thing is, loving people kind of hurts... John 11:35 says, 'Jesus wept.' The perfect mortal, the perfect example of manhood, wept." 

Love, Hermana Jerman

Rocio and Sara's baptism day

Las Hermanas Vaca (the ward members who gave us her referral)