Happy Spirit

I got assigned! Because the time until my release date is too short, the missionary department won't allow me to return to the field so I will be set apart to serve full-time as a missionary at the MTC. My biggest wish was to proselyte again, but I'm so grateful for all the people who helped me get this spot. I will be an interpreter for hispanic missionaries and help in the store there. It was fun to pass out language materials to the incoming missionaries and listen to sacrament and mission conference interpreted to Spanish. 

Gave a missionary district a ride to go on a hike for pday. We met 87 year old Norman on the trail with a great shirt and a great testimony. He shares copies of a conference talk with his testimony written on the back with those he meets. He was converted after serving in war and said he wouldn't be alive if he hadn't read the Book of Mormon due to heavy drinking and smoking. The hermanas and I taught a teenager named Maya who is very bright and loves learning about God, and two young girls who told us many excited stories before we could get them to read and pray with us :) Juan Carlos had nothing to change for the Word of Wisdom or Law of Chastity when we taught him Friday and is set for baptism this week.

"Those who move forward with a happy spirit will find that things always work out." G.B. Hinckley


Love, Hermana Jerman

Norman

Juan Carlos

MTC

Dando la bienvenida a Marco

I liked learning of Sis. Reyna Aburto's conversion story in Nicaragua posted on lds.org. She is the new 2nd Counselor of the Relief Society General Presidency. Check it out >> https://www.lds.org/media-library/video/2018-06-0010-reyna-aburtos-story-part-1-heartbreak-and-hope?lang=eng

We taught Marco Antonio the final lesson before his baptism on Saturday. His brother did the baptizing and his sister-in-law did the tamales. Even our investigator Juan Carlos was able to come! We had a lesson with Juan after church and he told us of all the miracles he has seen since listening to the missionaries. Little things like wanting spiritual wealth v.s. materialistic wealth or having a more positive perception in general. Sometimes he rides his bike to the temple grounds to read the Book of Mormon or to the church during the weekdays to feel the inexplicable that can only be from Heavenly Father. He accepted baptism last night for the 8th of Sept!

Love, Hermana Jerman

Nuestro amigo Marco Antonio

Juan Carlos

Tamales Rojos de Puerco y de Pollo

Nacho: "Hey, take it easy"

Jorge got ordained in the Aaronic Priesthood! The hermanas and I met some young women during their mutual activity. Had a lesson on the Plan of Salvation with a family from Mexico where every person participated and seemed to feel a super strong impression from the Spirit. We were late to our next appointment with Marco Antonio so we ran to his house to find out he was playing soccer with members at the church. Ran there and stopped him in his sweat to teach him the ten commandments real fast in between. I thought of the first time teaching a new investigator whose dogs started fighting stray dogs outside so we sprayed them with a hose mid-lesson.

Don't forget that the commandment to have charity also applies to having it for yourself. Once you've repented, forgive yourself and move on. God has. He gave His Son only because he loves you! So, if you wouldn't say it to someone else, don't say it about yourself. Jesus taught to become as a little child. Go to bed early, wake up early, love who you are, don't think of tomorrow, share, play, say please/thank you/sorry, be good, don't judge, make friends, believe in yourself and dreams, take naps when you need them, say your prayers, eat your vegetables. Live well and love big this week and "take it easy." :)

Love, Hermana Jerman

Alma 30:44

It has been 6 months so I was finally cleared to resubmit a missionary application! Did a temple ordinance in Spanish to help a woman from Santiago. 

I heard the counsel that in order to follow Christ we must follow the Man, not the principle –believe and trust in the real, breathing Son of God, not in the word faith – experience redeeming grace from the greatest miracle performed, don't just know of what the Atonement does for others. Living the gospel cannot be made into a list of principles, nor can following Christ. The Savior says, "I Am" so we can learn from His example in our state of "becoming."

Love, Hermana Jerman

Hna. Johnston & Hna. Laurie

Spray painted a favorite mountain and scripture

Tudo Muito Bem

The Restoration is such a powerful message! In one night of teaching it, we had three people accept baptism. Had dinner and played outside with a family that moved from Brazil two weeks ago. We read parts of Mosiah 27 with Marco Antonio and he told us that since meeting with the missionaries 2 days earlier, he had not drunk alcohol or smoked when he previously smoked about 20 cigarettes a day. He threw it all out because he felt like vomiting and read the Book of Mormon homework he had instead. Pretty incredible influence the power of Christ can have. He came to church and has a baptismal date for the end of August!!
Love, Hermana Jerman

 

"Believe in good things to come" J. R. H.

Went on missionary splits a couple of times. Had FHE with a young family and we sure got a kick out of singing "cabeza, hombros, rodillas, y pies" (head, shoulders, knees, and toes) as fast as we could go with their little kids. 

"Sometimes good things fall apart so better things come together."   AL CARRAWAY

I don't know all the reasons to why bad things happen, but it's cool to see how people of all ethnicities/beliefs will help even those they haven't met who are in danger of natural disasters, emergencies, poverty. In Luke Chapter 12 it says,

"22 ¶ And he said unto his disciples, Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat; neither for the body, what ye shall put on.

30 For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things.

31 ¶ But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you."

Everything doesn't just happen for a reason because we want to make sense of things or because we've heard others say that or in order to comfort ourselves. Everything does happen for a reason and everything will be okay because God is real, and so are those feelings you've had that told you so. God is real. I think that because we forgot our preexistence, we are really good at worrying. We should never have to be stressed or devastated when it comes to defeat, mistakes, death. There's really no way we won't be alright when Christ is in every little thing. If we at least have the desire to trust and follow God's plan, we will be happy about now, yesterday, and forever. After all, happiness is the plan.

Love, Hermana Jerman

Short and Sweet

Being loved but not known seems safe
Being known but not loved feels terrifying

Being loved and known is from the Savior

If He hasn't blessed you in the way you think He should, He's blessing you in the way you haven't thought of yet.

Love y'all and hope you have a happy week

Love, Herman Jerman