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| My companion, Hermana Ovando |
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| Going to Zone Conference in our styling muddy boots! |
Family-
First of all, thanks so much for all the pictures!!! I loved them!!! I
can´t believe how much the family is growing up... I hope all the grandkids
aren´t forgetting about me!! :) I miss them so much! Oh... and you guys too, I
guess. :) Haha just kidding. Well it was a good week! Nothing new really... the
usual. We are working really hard, and are not seeing much happen yet but I
know we will be blessed for our work and I´m really happy to be here. I am
learning SO much in this area... I feel like just in the short time I´ve been
here so far I´ve grown SO much as a missionary and a person and have become so
much better.
Today I want to just share a little bit with you about something I studied
a few weeks ago... it´s about ´overcoming´.
I have thought a lot on my mission about agency, and how important and key
that is in the plan of salvation. It is the thing that God wanted us to have,
and that Satan wanted to take away. Now, Satan is still trying to carry out his
plan of taking away agency... only in a different way, by tempting us and
leading us to make wrong choices, which ultimately takes away our agency little
by little. With every wrong choice we make, the harder it is to make the right
choice the next time, and so on and so forth until we really have no option...
we have no ability to choose. For example, someone who does drugs one time, is
way more prone to do them again, and then again, and again and again until he
really has no control over his body and is dependent on the drugs. On the
opposite end, one who decides to never even get near drugs will be able to live
his life drug-free and will really have no temptation to do drugs.
I have been thinking about the word overcome, and what that really means,
and why that is so important. I was reading in Revelation and in the first
couple of chapters it uses this word a lot. A few examples... ¨to him that
overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life...¨ ¨and he that overcometh
will I give power over the nations...¨ ¨to him that overcometh will I grant to
sit with me in my throne even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father
in His throne¨... etc. A few other scriptures that talk about overcoming are
found in JS Matthew ¨but he that remaineth steadfast and is not overcome, the
same shall be saved¨ and D y C ¨he that is faithful and edureth shall overcome
the world¨.
So what are the things we need to overcome? Well, of course.. temptations,
the natural man, and world, and really.. ourselves. We need to overcome
ourselves, by having enough will power to not do what we want to do, but
to do what He wants us to do. This has kind of been a theme of my
mission (as I wrote about a couple of weeks ago about sacrifices and choosing
God´s way instead of our way), and I am working really hard on trying to search
out the spirit and learn God´s will, and do it, instead of do my own will.
Why do we need to overcome? As the scriptures state clearly, we will
receive many rewards by overcoming and turning ourselves over to God. His way
is always better than our way, even if we don´t have enough faith to see that or
if we are too prideful to see that. How do we overcome? As the scriptures also
teach us, first of all, we must not be overcome. We have to
resist. By resisting... we become stronger and the temptation becomes
weaker or less effective. Along with resisting, we must be steadfast and
continue enduring to the end. Really, it comes down to the first principles and
ordinances of the gospel. We must start with opening our hearts and humbling
ourselves enough to have faith... we must believe that it really is important to
overcome and that God will bless us for following his way instead of ours, and
that we are capable of doing God´s will with the help of Jesus Christ. Then we
must show that by being obedient and following, and of course sincerely
repenting when we mess up.... picking ourselves back up and turning around.
Then we must continue in our repentance process by taking the sacrament each
week and renewing our committment to follow, and of course... enduring. Like it
says in JS Matthew ¨but he that remaineth steadfast and is not overcome,
the same shall be saved.¨
Really, in order to be saved... we must overcome. We must choose one way
or the other. God´s way, or our/the world´s/satan´s way. God´s way is always
better. By choosing God´s way, we win. It is inevitable. Even if we don´t do
everything perfectly, we always have repentance and what matters is the road we
are choosing... not where we are on that road. As long as we are moving
forward, we are doing what´s right. By not choosing God´s way, we lose. It is
also inevitable. I am learning more and more the importance of not just
listening to the spirit to know God´s will and do it, but to actually search out
the spirit and pro-actively follow God´s way. This shows our true humility and
desire to follow God. I definitely have a longs ways to go, but I am trying
each day to apply this to my life. I know that by following God´s plan, we will
receive not only the prize in the end, but pure and true happiness and joy in
this life, right now. The world provides fake happiness that lasts for a
second, God provides real happiness that is deep, unexplainable, and
everlasting. I know that these things are true because I have seen them and
experienced them in my own life and I see them every day in my own decisions and
the decisions of the people I teach and talk to everyday.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is Christ´s church, I am
absolutely 100% sure of that because I have asked my Father in Heaven with
sincere desires to know and he has answered me. Besides the answer that I
received, I receive a witness every single day in my mission from the Holy Ghost
that it really is true and really is the right way to follow. I know that God
loves me so much and is so aware of me, along with every person here in
Argentina, and each one of you. I know that Jesus Christ is real, that He
lives, and that by Him, we live. My life is a witness and testimony of that and
I am so grateful for the miracles He has done in my life and the miracles He
continues to do in my life and the lives of others. I can´t explain the
happiness and deep joy that I feel by studying about and living the gospel of
Jesus Christ. I love you all so much, and am so grateful for your examples and
your support. Have a fabulous week, and remember that God knows you, loves you,
is aware of your situation, and is listening to all of your prayers. Que tengan
una semana maravillosa! :) Besitos!
--Hermanita Hunt
P.s. I sent a few pictures! My comp and I, a family we are teaching, us
hermanas in the bathroom lookin´ real good in our boots at zone conference
(haha) and a paper piano I made... this week I am going to start teaching piano
lessons in the church! An hour every week for everyone who wants to learn.
It´s going to be interesting trying to teach not knowing all of the terms in
spanish.. but luckily my companion knows how to read music so she´s helping me
out with the vocab! I´m really excited, and I´m sure Grandma is really happy and
proud of me :)
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