FELIZ 5 DE
MAIO GENTE. (Happy May 5th people)
I think it's
super funny because I've managed to celebrate this day almost EVERY YEAR with a
mexican buddy #SeriouslyLuckyIKnow - whether Delanie, my best bud from high
school or Sister Arámburo minha filha abençoada do Guanajuato (my blessed daughter/companion from Guanajuato, Mexico).
Oh my gosh did you know they celebrate because of a battle they won in
Mexico? Also did you know that there are
parts of Mexico that get snow?? #NowYouKnow
Sorry for
not sending out a letter last week, I spent all of my time skyping my fam and
catching up which I haven't been able to do in a while. #ManILoveThem
<3
-My
grandparents on the Staheli side were visiting my family and apparently haven’t
been able to hear from me in 5 months (aside from a few handwritten letters)
because of computer problems. But because I called home, I got to talk to them….
received a TON of counsel about drinking water and wearing pants and could wish
my grandpa a happy 90th birthday!!
BUT WOW.
What another week of tender mercies gente (people)!
More Rain.......
Teaching more women how to make cookies.....
So rapidinho (quickly), I wanted to tell
you about the miracle of Francione.
It
has been awhile that we have been teaching her, but she is the mom of a girl
who was baptized about 6-7 months ago. We had marked the date for her
baptism MANY times, but she always ended up changing her mind. We gave
her some space, but she would still bring her daughter Ana Clara every week for
church and would stay to listen. One day we decided to visit her and to
tell her, "We're not going to even say the word baptism. We just
want to focus on helping you strengthen your testimony and faith in
God." And for a few visits, we only talked about who we are and what
God's plan is for us here on earth. His promise of being able to live
with our family forever if we are obedient and trust in Him. Then
out of nowhere, she approaches us and says "When can I be
baptized?" :)
Watching
her faith and love of God strengthen and change her life, watching her embrace
the restored gospel, but most importantly, seeing her get up to bear her
testimony with a pure joy and one short phrase, "I know I can live with my
family for eternity." TOO MUCH TO BEAR, I LITERALLY CRIED FROM JOY
The
gospel is seriously such a blessing - who would not want the peace, the rest
and pure happiness that comes from it which isn't found anywhere else?
P.S.
Ana Clara, her daughter, has a boyfriend and the only thing Francione can say
is "Oh my goodness, they HAVE to be married for time and all eternity.
Ana Clara just likes him so much, they just have to. They have to have
their family forever and be married in the temple” (where people are married
for this life and the next life.)
So I had
been getting hard on myself about the language these past couple of weeks,
beating myself silly because I hadn’t been speaking perfectly and other
nonsense right? (I know silly mission
stuff), but which really plays a huge part in like everything we do every day. #WaitYouStopAndMeet&Teach25+PeopleEveryday? And I just kind of broke and was like WHY AM
I focusing so much on this and got down and prayed, confiding and venting my
frustrations to my Heavenly Father and asking Him to forgive my weakness. And asking and pleading that these people would
not be affected by any shortcoming on my part, and was really like “Ok, I’m
letting go now. I trust you.” What happened after that day and the next I think
was just the most unreal thing. I think
there was about 4 or 5 instances that after talking with someone on the street
or after a lesson they go….”Wait a second, how do you speak so well” or “Man
you are already fluent - how long have you lived here? You’re from the
US? I thought you were from here just
listening to you talk.” At first I was
like yeah no, they’re just being nice.
Ha-ha, let’s all make the Americana feel good right? But after the 3rd or 4th
time, I was like wow, ok, I get it. I
get it. Super easy to think – oh yeah I
deserve this. I’m just the best. But there is a scripture that’s found in
Mathew 5:16 that I have kind of set as my mantra:
“Let your
light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your
Father which is in heaven.”
God doesn’t
give us gifts/talents to feel good about ourselves, but to bless the lives of
other people. And when we receive
praise, imagine how happy He gets when His children say “Aah no, I wouldn’t be
anything if God had not given me my love of art, or passion for running etc.” As you recognize His essential part in your
talents, what does He do?....Bless us and makes us capable of so much
more. Feeling truly humbled by the
tender mercies of God. It’s real
folks. He loves us. He listens to our prayers. Trust Him and recognize His hand in your life
and He will bless you so much more.
Shoes have lost their soles. Bag is changing colors from getting wet daily and permanent tan lines .....
Life is good!
<3 Sister Staheli
 |
| Wearing pants grandpa Staheli :) |
