Change Up

Monday, December 7, 2015

This week has improved IMMENSELY from the last one. I had been struggling with my personal prayers lately and I felt that I have been not only improving my efforts in the prayers, but seeing the miracles from doing so. I have seen so many prayers being answered and I feel the assurance of a more healthy relationship between me and Heavenly Father. I invite you all to evaluate your personal prayers and make the effort to improve!! :)

The BEST miracle that happened this week was the 2nd confirmation I received from the Holy Ghost that Huanchaco is improving. Lots of the problems lie in the relief society and the gossip circle that has existed for years. Yesterday, however, one of the hermanas who has had problems with many families in the ward taught an excellent lesson and bore her testimony at the end. It was so heartfelt and many other women who are normally involved in this circle gave sincere comments. My favorite testimony was that of our new pensionista, who is also a recent convert, named Lizeth. She bore one of the strongest testimonies I've yet to hear that it brought me to tears. She just bore her testimony on the beauty of the church and the organization and how she can't believe that there are actually people that care about her problems and want to know how she is doing. She is a fantastic person and is a true blue convert.

I don't have any photos to send this week, but I'd like to share a scripture I liked this week:

In doctrine and covenants 59, we read the well known verses about the Sabbath day. I loved what each one of these particular verses say:

 8 Thou shalt offer a sacrifice unto the Lord thy God inrighteousness, even that of a broken heart and a contrite spirit.

 9 And that thou mayest more fully keep thyself unspottedfrom the world, thou shalt go to the house of prayer and offer up thy sacraments upon my holy day;

 10 For verily this is a day appointed unto you to rest from your labors, and to pay thy devotions unto the Most High;

 11 Nevertheless thy vows shall be offered up in righteousness on all days and at all times;

 12 But remember that on this, the Lord’s day, thou shalt offer thine oblations and thy sacraments unto the Most High, confessing thy sins unto thy brethren, and before the Lord.

but verses 8 and 11 catch my eye more than anything. I view the sacrament as 2 things: the first being a way for us to give thanks to God (offering the Lamb as a sign of gratitude) and second as a weekly covenant that requires a sacrifice (offering up a broken heart and contrite spirit). I think that it is so beautiful that our sacrifices are from within--I remember hearing that as opposed to offering an animal, we offer "the animal within us," referring to our the natural man side. As important as a Sabbath Day sacrifice can be though, verse 11 contains the key to what makes our sacrifice one with value. We are to VOW and OFFER on all days and at all times in righteousness. I hope that this week, we can work to remain more pure and clean by obeying the spirit's guidance and living the principles of the gospel, to further help us prepare a more excellent sacrifice in the coming Sunday. 

Love,

Hermana Furness