Change.

Today was the first real day of the schedule change.  It was so weird.  So p-day was 2 hours longer.  Like from 8-6.  We were done with everything we needed to do so early!  And I was even able to write 3 letters today: to Adele, Janica, and Garrett.  They wrote me in November/December and I felt sooo bad for not having written them back.  And I had like, 10 letters that I had to respond to.  So it felt so good to get those written.  The whole day I felt like i should be stressed and worried about getting everything done.  But at the same time it was so relaxing. 

This transfer, Hermana Macfarlane and I are really working hard to build a better relationship with the members here and earn their trust more.  We found a couple of new ways to serve them this week!  Our Relief Society president, Hermana Roper, works so hard full time as well as goes to school and trying to do her calling.  So this week we brought her some pizza to where she works for lunch to surprise her and that was so good!!

I think I have the best companion there is.  I don't know why I was ever nervous to be her companion.  She really has shown me how to work harder and be better at everything we do.  Something I've really admired about her is her desire to give out copies of the Book of Mormon.  One of her goals is to give out a copy every day before she goes home.  I noticed that maybe I talk about the restoration pamphlet too much and focus on that when we first meet someone, and not the Book of Mormon.  Because she has had that goal, we have been able to tell people about the Book of Mormon more and testify more.
We invited one of our neighbors to church yesterday and she came!  She just came to sacrament meeting, but I think she really felt the spirit.  After, she told us that she had wanted to bear her testimony, but was too nervous, or maybe she wasn't sure if she was allowed to... I can't remember for sure.  But she and the Relief Society president have gotten to be friends a little bit and our neighbor asked if she could tell her testimony to the Relief Society president.  I love them so much and I am so grateful that the Relief Society president is a great friend to our neighbor!   I am 1000% grateful to Hermana Roper for the awesome fellowshipping job she does. 

This week, I had a study that was focused on two less active young women, who we are trying to work on personal progress with.  I was studying about integrity and reading the story of Queen Esther.  I was reminded of how much I love her story.  I especially like in chapter 4, verse 14 when it says, "and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?"  And I think I want to help these two girls realize that they too have something that they are meant to do, just like Queen Esther.  And that with God, they can be prepared to do that.  

President Wakolo suggested I read Alma 34, Alma 36, and Psalms 38 to learn more about the Atonement.  I thought I learned a lot preparing for Elder Andersen to come, but I'm realizing more and more how much I don't know, and how much I have to learn about the Atonement.  I have a long way to go.  I liked in Alma 34 how prayer was mentioned a couple of times.  And in verse 17 how we need to exercise faith and repentance and call on His name for help.  I think I am realizing how much help I need in this life.  I am so far from perfect and I make a lot of mistakes.  But thanks to Jesus Christ, it will all be okay.  I like that it says every jot and tittle in verse 13.  I love how he Savior's sacrifice covers everything.  Every stupid little mistake I make and the big ones too.  All of them are covered... every jot and tittle.  I also liked in verse 32 that this life is the time to prepare to meet God.  I think that implies that we have work to do to get to the point where we will meet God, but that we get the opportunity to prepare and be better every day.  When I read verse 38, I felt like I need to be better at humbling myself and accepting the atonement of Jesus Christ.  I want to be better!  The "do not procrastinate" in verse 33 stood out to me too.  In Alma 36, I liked in verse 21 when Alma talks about the feelings of exquisiteness, sweet, joy, and praising God.  I love that when we repent, we feel so great after.  And I want that for myself.  I like in verse 28 when Alma says, he will raise me up in the last day.  I love that Alma's testimony of repentance is so strong.  And that he knows that because of Christ's atonement, he can be raised up in the last day, even though he has made some mistakes.  It makes me feel better to know that I have that potential as well.  And that I am covered by Christ's atonement too.  I am so grateful for that.  In Psalms 38, I liked verse 17.  David says, "I am ready to halt, I will declare mine iniquity, I will be sorry for my sin."  I think sometimes the hardest part of repentance is the decision to change... making the choice that I want to be different and be better and align my will with God's.  That's what I want right now.  I really just want to do what God wants me to do.  I want to be better and change.  I also like verses 20 and 21 when David says, "Forsake me not, O Lord: O my God, be not far from me.  Make haste to help me, O Lord my salvation."  I love that David is wanting to be helped and seeking for it, and that he's calling on the Lord for that.  I really liked reading these 3 chapters, I learned a lot.  I really want to be a better person and change to always have my will aligned with God's.

We also taught the Guerreros this week.  I really want them to be able to go to the temple soon and get sealed  I was a little straight up savage with them.  I was like:  "Hermana, there are 3 things you need to do to be blessed 1) study the scriptures every day (personally and as a family) 2) pray (personally and as a family) and 3) go to church every week.  How can we help you?  So now we're texting them reminders to read every day.  :)  It's going to be great!

Hermana Guerrero and Ayari
I love them so much!

Spanish Zone Skype Zone Conference!

 

I got this message from President Wakolo today...

Love you!

Hermana Keller