I am feeling burnt! We spent our Pday today at Paijan beach and it was such a blast!! President took us and the Casa Grande Zone to the beach for softball, soccer, frisbee, and castle constructing. It was such a blessing to hear and see the waves crash and have the sand inbetween my toes (:
This week we have been working to help Patty's husband, Jorge, learn more about the gospel. He is full of questions and has a sincere desire to learn the truth; the best news ever--him and ALL of the family came to church this week!! And they stayed for all 3 hours which is like a miracle and a half from God because they take care of Patty's grandma who can barely feed herself. They all enjoyed the meetings and we are burning with desire to set a baptism date with Jorge, and possibly help him and Patty be baptized together. Part of the goal in the mission, now, is to set temple dates with the investigators as well. So hopefully, we can set a temple date for the two of them a year from now. What a blessing to have a temple close by!! (: I am dying to get inside.
My studies this week have been on this and that, but I have been reading the Isaiah chapters in 2 Nephi and also reading the BOM in English as part of the challenge President and Sister Marler have invited us to do. I came upon 2 verses from these different studies that I liked:
From 2 Nephi studies:
14 And he shall be for a sanctuary; but for a stone of stumbling, and for a rock of offense to both the houses of Israel, for a gin and a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
And from the BOM challenge in 1 Nephi:
7 For the time cometh, saith the Lamb of God, that I will work a great and a marvelous work among the children of men; a work which shall be everlasting, either on the one hand or on the other—either to the convincing of them unto peace and life eternal, or unto the deliverance of them to the hardness of their hearts and the blindness of their minds unto their being brought down into captivity, and also into destruction, both temporally and spiritually, according to the captivity of the devil, of which I have spoken.
Both of these talk about Christ being 2 different things: 1) a sanctuary or the means of convincing us to peace and eternal life and 2) a "stumbling block" and deliverance of the hard hearts and blind minds to captivity and destruction. BOTH of them are everlasting. It also reminded me, when it talks about this "great and marvelous work," of the "great and terrible day" of the coming of the Lord. As every missionary can testify of those who refuse our message, we have cause as well to testify of those who have found Christ and have used Him as a means of rising up and not tripping down. It made me consider my personal dedication and obedience to the work and to the commandments in general. Do I view the commandments as a hurdle to overpass in order to reach the prize awaiting me at the finish line? Or rather, are the commandments my energy source that I seek to avoid the pitfalls of sin? After reading about charity last week and realizing the necessity to think charitably and not just act charitably, I have to confess that I have had to pray to love the commandments and to have a deeper desire to obey or work hard. I invite all of you to pray for a love to obey and follow the counsel of the prophets and apostles. It is so much easier to obey if we love doing it! (:
Have a great week all! Thanks so much for the letters that you write and the support it brings to me. May the Lord bring His miracles to your lives this week! (:
Love,
Sister Furness
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