Hola a todos! Tengan muy buenas dias!
Wow, the time has just flown by. I cannot believe that it has already been six months. Six months of lessons, six months of Spanish, six months of trial and refining, and six months of growth (spiritual, that is).
Really I am so grateful for my Heavenly Father. This week was an adventure but taught me so much, as always. There were moments when I sat in front of the phone debating whether or not to make the call and throw in the towel, but just when I hit rock bottom, I recognized that Christ is the rock at the bottom, and if he is our foundation we cannot fall. We might stumble, or wobble, but we will never fall. Like Peter, we have to keep our eye on the savior and not on the tempest or the size of the waves. But, when we begin to sink, when our faith wavers and in our moments of weakness the Lord stretches out his hand and saves us. The Lord saved me this week and I forever am indebted to him and the sacrifice that he made for me. Should you have the chance I invite you all to look for a video called The Atonement and Missionary Work (in Spanish it is La Expiacion y la Obra Misional). It is two clips from talks by Henry B. Eyring and Jeffrey R. Holland talking about missionary work and the atonement.
The phrase that struck me the most was when Elder Holland said, “I am convinced that missionary work is not easy because salvation was never a cheap enterprise. Salvation was never easy.” I have thought about the Saviors mission. All that he accomplished in three years. He suffered, was rejected, and had no food, hard companions, and not a single baptism that we can read in the bible. And yet, his mission changed the world. There is a song that I love to listen to in the morning and one part of it says,
The hardest thing I have ever come to see
Is a man down on his knees in agony
A drop of blood falls down on olive leaves
And for a moment, he suffers there for me
I might only have six months in the mission. I might not have many baptisms, but I would not change a thing. In these moments when I fell that I cannot move on, I am standing shoulder to shoulder with the greatest missionary this world has known, and it is an honor to be side by side with the Lord of heaven and earth, the mission is not easy, but salvation was never easy. I love this scripture in 1 Corinthians 1:17, it hit me so hard when I read it:
For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect.
The Lord blesses me so much, in little ways. This week we met with a sister that was inactive when I came to the area. She is now active, received a calling, and told us that this past Sunday she had received her Patriarchal blessing, and in her blessing was told she would be a temple worker. She is now preparing to enter the temple. This young woman (in the picture) is a less active and for the first time since I have come, told me that she is saying her prayers. My faith might be no bigger than a mustard seed… but that is all the Lord asks!
I love you all. Thank you for your support, your love, and your prayers. I pray for you all. Keep the faith, fight the fight!
Hurrah for Israel!
Love,
Hermana Hipol
