Week 63: Important People and Little Acts of Service

Elder Ochoa, one of the Seventy, came to visit the mission. Everyone put on their best behavior, best smiles, best skirts, best suit jackets (or... put on the suit jacket for the first time), best high-heels (ONLY high-heels), and opened our hearts to listen. He taught us an amazing lesson on FAITH. To have more faith. Trust that when we call down the powers of heaven, He will grant it, because it´s for His children.

Some of those miracles I`m seeing. We did a ¨Friendshipping Night¨ (it sounds a lot better in Spanish--Noche de Hermanamiento) with an investigator that the other sisters in the ward now teach. (From June-mid July, Hermana Orgill and I covered the whole ward, but then mid-July, we divided it to share with the Sister Training Leaders, who moved in with us. Then, when I got assigned as Sister Training Leader, I moved my goods from one table to the next, aquired a new area book, new investigators, new bedroom, but still same house, same ward.) The miracle to me occured on a p-day as we waited for the bus to go buy stuff at the store. At first in the mission, on p-days, I was out of this world and in a world of writing letters. But, not anymore. I chatted with him, and to my surprise he told me that 3 days prior he`d seen a movie about Joseph Smith. He described ¨The Resotaration,¨ and told that his daughter had sent it to him. You can imagine my surprise. We invited him to church, and passed by for him 2 weeks in a row for his family to tell us he was sleeping. Never could find him home during the week. We weren`t sure he was truly interested. Then one day he went to a ward activity, then church the next day, then received us, then went to a baptism, then church, then is preparing to be baptized. All because one person opened their mouth one day on a day that some missionaries consider their own. This time isn`t our time.

The week consisted of divisions. So, for 3 days I was in a new area, which by the end, felt like it should be my own. I am learning so incredibly much. How much Heavenly Father loves me. How much He loves His children. That this is His work. Like it says in 2 Nephi 27:20,21: ¨I am able to do my work.¨ Before, I thought this was His work, yeah, yeah, yeah, but really, we have to do the WORK here in our area. 

It`s nothing like that. This is HIS work, HIS glory.
We are little servants who ask for help, but He guides it. The decisions we make with investigators are not OUR decisions to make. It is FROM Him. I have never trusted in someone so much like I am now trusting in Him. I love to feel the difference in my heart. 

This week, Gibelli, an amazing girl I was teaching, was baptized. She was so proud, so happy to have her Young Women necklace. I see miracles daily. 

President Klein is the most INSPIRED person I personally know (note: I did not just overrule the prophet because I do not, indeed, personally know him). We had a great chat about trees, faith, hope, and charity. That we have faith, then hope is what helps us believe that He guides our life. We will never truly be happy, nor be able to be LIKE Him if we are not charitable. What is charity? Letting the roots grow and help others. If we never care about other people, be it our brothers, sisters, parents, neighbors, cousins... we will NEVER become like Him. We will NEVER have His image on our countenance. I am working to be more charitable, starting with those closest to me... my companion, my roommates (housemates).... :) 

I love serving as His servant. This gospel is true. The only true, perfect gospel in the world. I have a conviction that is true, and it came from Heavenly Father, through the Holy Ghost. Heavenly Father lives, as does His Son, Jesus Christ. I feel their love for me daily. I have never felt more peaceful than when I am on my knees. I love you all.

Sister Cecilly Francisco