March 14, 2016 - the joy that comes in losing yourself in the Lord's work

The Guacimo District - the 4 on the left are in Guacimo and the 4 on the right are in Guapiles, I think.

Hi family! 

We saw so many miracles this week!! Honestly, this ward is amazing, I love these members. There's a member who gave us the reference of her friend, it-s a mom, Ileana, and her two daughters, Betania and Brittany. The member has been friends with her for 17 years from work! But she called us, asking when we could go visit with them, and we went on Saturday, and they-re such a linda familia!!!!! They used to be Jehovah's Witnesses (there are seriously so so many here), but they had some problems with the Church, and have just felt really sad because the mom's parents and family won't talk to them, because they don't go to the Church, and you could just see that they were so sad about that. So we were able to testify of God's love for them, and see that they were just really wanting to know more about our church. And they came on Sunday!! and they loved it. Betania had a lot of friends in high school who are in our ward, so that was cool. And, it was really cool. Because yesterday in Church, Sunday School was about prophets, and Relief Society was about Joseph Smith. And we were kind of worried, because they were talking just a lot about him, and not sure how the investigators would take it, because everyone hears that we worship Joseph smith and everything. But Ileana made a comment in Relief Society that was so great--she was just saying that she was glad to learn about Joseph Smith, because he just must have had such great faith, and it just a good example for us about faith! And you could really feel the Spirit while she was making the comment. So we-re excited to go with them on Tuesday!

Also last week I talked about Rachel and Rachele...and we saw miracles with them this week too! We were able to put a baptismal date with both of them!!! 18 marzo, this Friday, for Rachelle and 26 for Rachel!! It was really cool teaching Rachel, because last week she had been saying that she wouldn't be able to be baptized for her friends and everything. But this week, she really was showing that had the desire, and she was praying for the strength to be able to keep God's commandments and everything. But, she wasn't able to go to church yesterday because there were things with her baby, so we'll have to change her date til April. But we're super happy that she's willing to sacrifice and really wants to change!

 I love seeing how learning about the gospel really changes people, changes their perspective, and changes the things that are most important in life.  Yesterday one of the converts in the ward who is like our best friend bore her testimony, and it really made me think. She was saying that before she knew the gospel, she only thought about herself. But leaning about the gospel, she realized that Heavenly Father was the most important person in her life. That really, the only thing that mattered was what He thought about her, what she was doing, and that the gospel was more important than any other thing or person. And, I'm so glad for these months that I've had as a missionary to be able to build more testimony more in that. Before the mission...I really only thought about myself too. Really the things that were most important to me was if I was doing well in school, and eating what I wanted to eat, and running every day, and was doing what I wanted to do every day, and having fun with my friends and if people liked me. And, I thought I was fine! I tried being nice to other people and doing service projects sometimes. I definitely never ever thought about the salvation of other people, what I could do to help others come closer to Christ. Which, really is the most important thing we can do, is serve others always, magnify our church callings, think of the happiness of other people before ourselves. And, I still have so so much work to do...I still think about myself, a whole lot. But, I'm glad that I'm learning poco a poco that there is so much more in life, and the joy that really comes from losing yourself a little in the Lord's work.

Anyway. Love you all! Have a great week!