What an amazing week… I learned so much… I guess I will start with something profound I learned in my personal study. I was studying Jacob 5, the parable of the vineyard. I was really struck by the last bit that talks about our days and the missionary work in the last days. It really struck me that when the master of the vineyard talks about how this is the last time he will work in his vineyard. The coming of our savior is so close, I feel that something big is coming. The God of Israel is hastening his work and we get to be a part of it. But I also learned something that really hit me hard. The Spirit reminded me of Moses 1:39, and how our Heavenly Father obtains his glory, through the exaltation of man. So, when someone uses their agency to reject the message of the gospel, they are literally robbing the Almighty of his own glory. When we as missionaries and members do not work our hardest, talk with all that we see, we are literally robbing our Heavenly Father of glory that he could obtain. It really struck me that the glory that He can obtain, depends on how mortals use their agency… He has so much trust in us. I don’t know if I am spitting out spiritual conjectures but I invite you all to join in hastening the work of salvation. We have to do our part, if not for our fellow men, for the glory of our God. How epic our cause!
The success in our area is coming… slowly but surely. This week was so crazy…
Zone Leaders called us an on Thursday we left and they worked with us. We had some amazing lessons and I felt the spirit so strong! On Friday, the Sister Training leaders also came to certify us and they gave us a lot of positive feedback. To certify, you just teach the lessons, trying to apply all the things that you have learned, basically teach a perfect lesson. Usually we certify with a leader pretending to be an investigator, but this time, they left with us and we certified in real lessons. They were with us from ninety-thirty to about four thirty. It was so crazy but I learned so much!
The best part of this week was when I had an interview with my mission President. I love him so much, and he is such an amazing example of humility and consecration. I have been struggling with a couple things and have really compared myself with the success of others. I know that I shouldn’t but, I am human. I told him how I was feeling, and that I compare myself way too much to my trainer (shout out to Hermana Judd, I love you so much!). He got really quiet and then said, how he often feels very inadequate, especially when he thinks about President Cordon, the mission president before him. But then he told me the story of David and Goliath that he first went to the King. The King gave him all of his own armor to go and fight, but it didn’t fit. David went to face Goliath with just a sling and some stones. He couldn’t do it with the armor of the King, but at the end he came away victorious. Then with tears in his eyes President said, “If you offer your work with a broken heart every night on your knees, begging the lord to accept your offering, the Lord will accept it.” I am trying to focus on what I can do, but without being too hard on myself, trying to be accepted of the Lord. The world is filled with our own Goliaths, but the God of Israel is at our back to support us. Never forget the love and power of our Heavenly Father.
I love you all so much! Thank you for your love and support!
Hurrah for Israel
Love, Hermana Hipol
