The Lord Is My Strength

Bolivia 101

Our ward is working on being more punctual at church and activities. On Sunday, I was surprised to hear they gave tickets to the first 30 people at church for some cake afterward. At the end of the meeting, they announced that we will start to sing a hymn after the Sacrament meeting to help us learn more hymns. Oh, how I love my Guaracal ward!

There are little miracles that a missionary sees when they are in the area 7 months. My companion and I had begun to teach some of the people who I contacted when I first got here. They weren’t interested back then but have since let us enter their homes and share a message with the whole family. Oh, it is beautiful. Sometimes we are planters, and sometimes we are sowers. It makes me think of what little things we do in our life that we think go unnoticed. They never go unnoticed. I love the scripture that is not coming to mind right now; that teaches us to let our good deeds go unnoticed by men; to not even let our right hand know what our left hand has done. When we leave our good deeds to ourselves and the Lord, He will always bless us.

Though I got to see many little miracles this week, it was not without its trials. I hesitate to share as it may be interpreted differently than I hope, but I have decided to share a little bit of my experience this week that has brought me closer to the Lord.

This week I had no strength. I was emotionally so weak that the only reason my feet kept moving, my heart kept pumping is because my lips couldn’t stop asking for Heavenly help and strength from Christ’s atonement. The Atonement of Jesus Christ became more real to me this week, and while it was so hard for me, it was just what I needed to be a better daughter of God—the person I strive to become one day—I am grateful for any growth that will take me there. I cannot express how painful and long this week was for me,  nor can I comprehend how helped I was during the hardest moments, but I know that the Savior loves and knows me, and is giving me the opportunity to know and love him more myself.

I know Christ is my savior. That sentence can be read or heard with such little comprehension. I can’t find words that can fully express what he has done for me this week (or my whole life.) I have learned where to put my trust, my thoughts and my wishes and prayers. I found that if I wasn’t putting my thoughts on Him, I began to think more of myself and pity myself. I found no strength in that. I fell to the temptation to see myself as a victim and forget the empowering aspect of His great Atonement. In doing so, my hope shattered, my strength drained, and my thoughts stayed centered on myself and not on my Savior. The moment I put trust in him and let myself forget about ME, I felt SO much strength and more of his love.

Another great strength I found were the hymns. I began to memorize hymns I don’t know and found that my awful thoughts stayed away from me, and were focused more on the Savior. A new hymn I found and love is on page 158 in the English hymn book (I think) I love all the verses, but I will type the second and the third:

Do thou, oh Lord, anoint mine eyes

“That I may see and win a prize

My heart is full; mine eyes are wet

Oh help me, Lord, lest I forget

So may my soul be filled with light

That I may see and win the fight

And then, at last, exalted be

In peace and rest, o Lord with thee.

 

“Look up, my soul; be not cast down,

Keep not thine eyes upon the grown.

Break off the shackles of the earth

Receive, my soul, the Spirit’s birth

and now as I go forth again

To mingle with my fellow men,

Stay thou nearby, my steps to guide

That I may in thy love abide.”

The only strength that lasts comes from the Lord, who descended below us all to be able to lift us up properly when we turn to him. I am so grateful I had this experience this week. The last seven days will mark a special time in my life that I was able to know my Savior and Redeemer more deeply, and it happened to be one of the most significant weeks in the history of man.

Sister Greenman

The Work Goes On

Elissa wrote some fun little notes to the family this week, but mostly she spent her internet time writing to the President and does not have a letter for this week. She is doing well and is so happy to be learning more than ever about life, love for her fellow man and happiness in this Gospel. Stay tuned for more next week.

Call Me Americamba

Bolivia 101

If someone is born in Santa Cruz, Bolivia, they are Cruzeña (or Cruzeño if they are male) but if their heart beats Santa Cruz; if their lungs breath Santa Cruz; if they love Santa Cruz; they are called “Camba.” Tomorrow I hit my 9-month mark of being in Santa Cruz. I think it’s safe to say that I am pretty “Camba.”

Guaracal Ward has had many challenges, and we have been worried about the members and hoping and praying that they would also help fellowship and show excitement on Sundays for our investigators. (We have had some tell us that our ward is not friendly and should be more like the evangelical church) Though the six months in Guaracal have flown by, the countless hours, fasting, prayers, activities and firesides have all taken much effort with seemingly little result. But I know something has happened. I know it was not done in vain.

This Sunday, we got to church late because we had to pick up our miracle family. We prayed that our other golden family would be fellowshipped and welcomed: they were. We got there late, but no worries; somebody escorted our family to the front row while sharing so many warm smiles toward them. A less active came to church for the first time in a long while, she has a gold mine of young men waiting to go on missions. Halfway through the meeting, another miracle happened. We found a less active on the street from Buenos Aires, who chased us down to tell us she would come to church this Sunday. She came and was also fellowshipped by the good members. I was walking on air, just thinking of all the Lord has done for this Ward and us. Many of the members even offered to sit in Gospel Principles Class, and someone offered to teach the class instead of relying on the missionaries. Our chapel was full; our hearts were full, and I saw a glimpse of it looks like to have hearts-knit-together-in-unity.

This week we went out with Luz de Vasquez, one of the first members of the church in Bolivia. She told us every story, and I had a strong feeling we could be best friends. She told us how she had a really great scholarship to a university in France, but didn’t have money for the passage and couldn’t take it. That didn’t stop her, though! Her love of proper education fueled her to do so many great things. She started a school here in Santa Cruz called Joseph Smith. The first hour was dedicated to religion where she took Primary books from the church and had her Catholic teachers teach the children from the Primary books. After several years, and many many converts, the government/Catholic church jumped in and had her change the name. With the name change and content of religion courses changed, she let go of her dream and pursued a new one. 

The whole time we taught, she boldly added to our testimony and taught all the lessons in one. She is so excited about the Gospel even at her advanced age. She walked more than she probably should have as she is over 80 years old, but it was such a treat to visit with her! I invite EVERY member of the church to see what thing you can do this week to help the missionary work move a little faster. It’s OUR responsibility, and they are our brothers and sisters.

Sister Greenman

Immediately, Without Hesitation

I had a week filled with new perspectives and changes in my heart. Sometimes I wish I could just type the changes and feelings I feel in my heart. Oh, how special they are to me! I cannot wait to see from the other side of the veil the great changes that have happened thus far on my mission. I don’t like that this transfer has passed so quickly—the time ticks faster and faster. It seems almost like time goes against our favor; making days and months pass by whether we want them to or not. But in the end, I am reminded that time does pass by in our favor, if we keep our minds and hearts centered on Christ. Time is precious.

Tears come to my eyes as I think of the many people who have less time appointed to do what the Lord has asked them to do than I have. It causes me to inquire, what am I doing with time, this precious gift I have? How am I using it to come closer to Christ and to get to know him more? Am I sharing the Gospel in the most efficient and effective way to make use of the time the Lord has appointed unto me? Oh, how I want to maximize the things I can do to help others during my short mortal mission! In the end, the only way to do this is to rely on the Atonement of Christ to help me make whole those things I insufficiently attempt to do.

In Mark 9:23-24 (I only have it in Spanish so… read it in your bible), the word that jumps out to me in v. 24 is “immediately.”  No hesitation; he immediately responds to the Savior, not doubting the faith he has, but recognizing it may not be enough. He then asks for help. To do that requires use of the Atonement. I want to write all the things I learned from that little verse, but to share with you today, I’ll just let you know that I plan to respond “immediately” to what the Lord asks me to do- not hesitating, but obediently pressing forward whether or not I think I have enough of whatever He requires of me at the moment. After which, I will keep my Baptismal Covenant of remembering him always by asking for his help and letting Him change me. This is what I’ll do this week to show gratitude for His time that He has given me.

A little update on Maria Justiniano. We teach her every day. She has no time, yet has read more of the Book of Mormon than many of our members. She comprehends it well! Though she has very (very) little to give us sisters, she gives us a little treat each time we come—so that’s about… every day. We taught the Word of Wisdom and gave her a pamphlet to read also.  The next time she had a plate of fruit. And each time after that she has offered us fruit.

Our other investigators are seeing miracles because of their obedience and acceptance of the Gospel. I wish I had the time to tell you all about them. But for now, I’ll keep witnessing the miracles and tell you one day 🙂

Sister Greenman

 

Miracles

Sorry for the lateness of my email. All of Santa Cruz Bolivia was without the internet for several hours. Then once it came on and we got to an internet cafe, we had about 10 minutes before the electricity went out for the whole area.

This week was full of miracles, changed perspectives, and new people. We meet many people each day, in fact, my missionary agenda (I have no idea how to say it in English) is filled with names of children of God that ALL need Him, but few who want Him in their lives. Our job as missionaries is not to judge and just act. Sometimes we think in our great wisdom that we know when somebody needs to hear, and when they don’t. This week I had an excellent reminder of that.

Maria told us on the street she never was interested in going to church. In fact, she confessed that she still likes going to parties on weekends. We scheduled a time to teach her the Restored Gospel, gave her a Pass-Along Card and went on our merry way. Tuesday night, we got held back a little with all the people who needed our visits and we thought, maybe we can just wait to visit Maria next Tuesday, but something pushed us to go out of our way to visit her.

We called her. She was expecting us. Entering her humble living quarters, we felt the spirit especially strong (that often exists in a home ahead of time to prepare the way for the missionaries). I felt ashamed for having thought that maybe she didn’t want to hear. After a very special lesson, we gave her the pamphlet of the restoration to read.

Wednesday, after another day of miracles, we saw her at the church for an activity. There she was, the first time in a church and ready for more knowledge. She told us she had read the whole pamphlet and loved it. Something in her countenance was different and upon asking, we discovered that she had a sincere desire to become clean, and wanted to do what it will take to get there.

Thursday, we taught her about the Book of Mormon and then invited her to pray and ask to know if the book is true. She said, “Oh, but I already know it´s true. My mom used to read out of a lovely book when we were younger—it had pictures of a man named Joseph Smith, and also pictures of Christ and other beautiful artwork.” Her mom had passed away, but Maria, remembered how she had felt while she listened to her mom.

Oh dear! I am out of time! Well, Sunday she came with her daughter and prayed so hard that her husband would come, as he, like her, had never been in a church before. At the commencement of the second hour, miraculously in came Charlie, her husband, who had been moved by some desire within, to go to church.

The power of prayer is incredible. Also, we can’t judge who is ready and who isn’t. There are so many people and other stories and miracles that I cannot tell you right now, as I have thirty seconds left. I know the Lord loves each of his children! Read 3 Nephi 18:24-25 and 18:32.

Sister Greenman