We Can Do Difficult Things!

Dear Family and Friends,

 I was just on lds.org and watched that video that talks about what distracts us most. Love it! I encourage all of you to go check it out. 

Some things that are building up for us in Huanchaco right now are giving me and Hermana Bronson fear and excitement. We have SO many things to do each week and so little time, truly. It has helped us to set a goal of being in the house for no more than 20 minutes--more work gets done and the work is more effective. We have also applied some things we learned from our interviews with President Marler, Sister Marler, and the office assistants. It has created a much more sincere desire in me to share the Book of Mormon with more people. They have challenged us to carry a copy of the BOM around with us ALL the time. The extra weight has made it so worth it though--you'd be surprised at how many people don't have one or how it could help someone so much!

This week I was reading the Book of Mormon as part of Sister Marler's challenge to us, and a verse from 2 Nephi 1 stuck out to me:

 27 And it must needs be that the power of God must be with him, even unto his commanding you that ye must obey. But behold, it was not he, but it was the Spirit of the Lord which was in him, which opened his mouth to utterance that he could not shut it.

This verse made me think about how often I try to speak up about the wrong that goes on around me, and within myself. Without a doubt, we SO underestimate the seriousness of sins of omission. Stealing money from a store seems to weigh more than cheating our finances with our debtors. I feel like Lehi understood what it was like to be an investigator. I can feel my companion or other members speak through the spirit and work as God's mouthpiece. It takes an immense amount of love and concern for others to allow the spirit speak that which God has to say to them. I invite you all to open your mouths this week about the wrong you may see in your lives or the lives of others, doing so with nothing but interest to glorify the kingdom of God and show your love for others.

Thanks everyone for all your support(: I told my first companion, Hermana Hawks, that I was scared I wouldn't be able to survive the mission without the support she had given me in my first six weeks. But I testify that the Lord delivers us from our weakest and most difficult moments--we CAN do difficult things and set our goals beyond the heavens because that is honestly where our #1 help is: our loving Celestial Father. Take care everyone! :)

Love,

Sister Furness