A Labor of Love: Even As I Am...

HOLA!

Well transfers are this week.

That means I just finished my first transfer in the mission.

I can´t believe it! Time is flying!

Anyways this week was a good one; lots of work to do and lots of crazy climate changes! Literally one day its like arctic storm freezing, and then the next all of a sudden the snow disappears from the mountains and I´m sweatin buckets again... good thing I am used to Utah weather eh?

This week we visited our Elderly friend Nali who is 81... precious thing. Anyways we asked her if she remembered anything from our last lesson and she said no. So we reviewed with her the Restoration and talked a little bit about the Book of Mormon, we asked her if she would like to learn more about this sacred book... she said... "No.. I don´t like los "mormones"... no." haha. It was our 3rd lesson with her and she hadn´t even realized we were the Mormons. She said she doesn´t like that the Mormons don´t go to the doctor. Bless her heart. Haha. Don´t know where she got that. Oh the joys.

This week we worked with some less actives. I have realized the importance of strengthening the members and less actives that we already have! What a blessing it is to help them realize that they already have testimonies and just need to act on them. We visited a less active that lost her son and daughter within one year of each other, one to Leukemia, and the other to an infection. They both had 3 or 4 young kids. I used to think I had faith, but wow, the faith I have seen in some of the people here is incredible! We talked about the Plan of Salvation and reinforced her already strong testimony, and invited her to act on it.

Also this week we made some progress. Juan, the Uncle of the Chavez family, has come to church probably 10 times and has a sincere desire. I love seeing the change in people! Also, Roxana who was an ALB (ALB means open the mouth... in otherwords, knocking doors or talking to people in the streets) and we taught her the Restoration this week and she said she felt like Joseph Smith because she doesn´t know where to go either. That's some good preparation thinking, ya feel? And when we asked her if she would pray... she said "Obvio" haha. I´m glad she has the desire to pray hahaha :)

This week I have been studying the Christlike attributes in Preach My Gospel (If you haven´t studied this chapter... STUDY IT) and I read the scripture in 3 Nephi 27:27 that says:

"What manner of men ought ye be... even as I am."

Truly that is our ultimate goal. To become like him. And I was thinking about how EVERY single day I put on my name tag and wear His name as a representative of Christ. But how can I be a representative of Christ or a member of His church without having His attributes in our countenance. I love Alma 5:14.

"Have ye been spiritually born of God? Have ye received his image in your countenances?"

I know it is so important to radiate the attributes of Christ (Faith, Hope, Charity, Love, Virtue, Knowledge, Patience, Humility, Diligence and Obedience) in our countenances, because if not there is no way I will be recognized as a true representative of Christ. What a blessing and privilege I have to be a representative of Christ and the opportunity we all have to be his followers and develop his attributes. I love this work. I love improving every day!

Con Amor, Hermana Matheson