I am Grateful for the Challenges

Written November 19, 2012

Hey there family!!

Well it sounds like things only keep getting busier for you guys and no one ever slows down. Don't worry about the letter last week, I knew that it was probably between the 50 RS meetings and luncheons and dinners and work and service that you got caught up in it all. So don't worry I am doing just fine. Marcela is really awesome. She still comes and helps me in my sector every once in a while. She lives roughly 1 &1/2 hours from my sector but still makes it down with us when there are holidays and doesn't have to work. I almost forgot that this week was thanksgiving. I knew it was coming up but here it is so different because it's hot and doesn't feel anything like Thanksgiving or Christmas. Tell Ariel and Jordan congrats on the baby. I didn't know she was having a girl. Maybe she didn't either? I like the name too. If you can you should send me some pictures. Thanks for the letter form Keely it made me feel really good and I haven't seen these pictures of us in a long time. I miss that girl too. How is Mel and Brookie doing with the wedding planning. Still coming along?

How are grandma and grandpa doing today? I hope that everyone is feeling good and getting ready for the holiday season. We are too here because we have lots of devotionals coming up...not like we have a famous missionary or something. The 1st of December we are going to have a devotional in San Fernando with Elder Archuleta and another Elder that plays the piano really well. We have special invitations to hand out and we always tell them that a famous person from the states is going to sing. Sometimes I feel bad telling them because I know that Elder Archuleta wants to be a normal missionary...but then I think...if we can get them in the church because they know he is famous....WHY NOT?! We tell everyone to look him up on youtube and then they get excited and really want to come, and I think...OH YA!!! Come to the church, there we can hit ya with the Spirit, teach you about who Christ really is and how you can find the eternal happiness that comes from the restored gospel. Really at this point I don't care what it is that I have to do to get people to come to church...I just want them there.

Retention in South America is a huge problem and we have to work lots with less actives in every sector, but in our sector right now our chapel is being redone, so we go to the stake building. It is kind of far away and so some of the members have inactivated. My companion and I had a little meeting with our Branch President this Sunday and it was another Sunday with some frustration since none of our investigators came, and none of the less actives came, that told us they would come. Well President tried to give us some words of encouragement and told us, "You know what when we go back to our chapel it will be easier because it is closer"......the first thing that came to my mind is...it shouldn't be easier, we shouldn't pick and choose when it is more convenient for us to live the gospel. Joseph Smith said this about sacrifices (sorry its in Spanish, your going to have to google translate..don't have my scriptures in English):

 

 "Una religiòn que no requiere el sacrificio de todas las cosas, nunca tiene el poder suficiente con el cual producir la fe necesaria para llevarnos a vida y salnaciòn´...Bible dictionary...`vièndolo desde una perspectiva eterna, las bendiciones que se obtienen por medio del sacrificion son mucho màs grandes que cualquier cosa a la que se renuncie.   

"A religion that does not require the sacrifice of all things never has power sufficient to produce the faith necessary to bring us life and salvation"...Bible dictionary..."Looking at it from an eternal perspective, the blessings obtained through sacrifice are much more bigger than any thing else."

 

As members of the restored gospel of Christ, we should be willing to make whatever sacrifice that Heavenly Father wants us to make. If we truly understood the incredible blessing and saving powers of the Atonement, sacrifices wouldn't be quite as hard to make for the Lord. 

Even though Mom life is crazy, I know that Heavenly Father is blessing and watching over you. He is seeing the sacrifices that you and Dad are making and for this reason you are receiving so many more blessings. But the best part about this is...is that your reliance and confidence in the Lord is growing. You have to completely depend on Him in these moments because it is so obvious that you cannot do it yourself. I know I have said this and maybe I will regret it one day, but I truly am grateful for the challenges and difficulties that the Lord gives me. I know that only when it is difficult that I change and grow the most, I come to know my Savior more personally and I talk with my Heavenly Father as if I didn't have anyone else to talk to. I love this work because I can help people come to know their Savior. Who He truly is, and what the Atonement means personally for every single one of them. 

Keep reading your scriptures and praying daily. In the smallest things the greatest things come to pass and when we are constantly guided and directed by the Spirit we truly can do the Lords will. 

I love you family. I can't believe how blessed I am to have an amazing family. 

con mucho amor y todo de mi corazòn

Hermana Thacker