July 6, 2015

Hello my sweet fam!  How are you all doing?  Well, it´s been another week filled with adventures!

So I´m not going to lie, sometimes the mission is HARD.  But it´s good it´s hard!  This week, a lot of things kind of just bunched together and I felt so weak.  And I was just wondering why the mission is so hard for me sometimes!  On Thursday morning, I just prayed with all of my heart I would be able to find something in my personal studies to help me out.

Let me just say, God answers our prayers!  I just opened up the scriptures afterwards and found 3 Nephi chapter 17!  You guys should read this chapter because it is INCREDIBLE.  In this chapter, Jesus Christ is visiting all the people in America.  And these people are weak like me!  And they don´t understand everything either!  

This is what Christ says to them (and what He says to us as weak humans):

1  Behold, my time is at hand. 

2 I perceive that ye are weak, that ye cannot understand all my words which I am commanded of the Father to speak unto you at this time.

3 Therefore, go ye unto your homes, and ponder upon the things which I have said, and ask of the Father, in my name, that ye may understand, and prepare your minds for the morrow, and I come unto you again.

Oh my goodness, how great is it Christ understands we are weak!  How great is it He is so patient with us and just tells us to keep trying!  And if we don´t meet all of our goals TODAY, He lets us know we can always prepare ourselves and try again TOMORROW.

Here´s what happens next:

5 And it came to pass that when Jesus had thus spoken, he cast his eyes roundabout again on the multitude, and beheld they were in tears, and did look steadfastlyupon him as if    they would ask him to tarry a little longer with them.

6 And he said unto them: Behold, my bowels are filled with compassion towards you.

7 Have ye any that are sick among you? Bring them hither. Have ye any that are lame, or blind, or halt, or maimed, or leprous, or that are withered, or that are deaf, or that are afflicted in any manner? Bring them hither and I will heal them, for I have compassion upon you; my bowels are filled with mercy.

I love that when Jesus Christ saw their tears, he had COMPASSION for them.  And I love it when he says if we are "afflicted in any manner" He can help us out!  

I would just love to share a few ways Christ has shown his compassion on me this week and has healed his weak servant, Hermana Dixon!

• I know Uncle Tom knows the Bueno sisters.  They are two sweet women in their nineties and even though they´re weak with age, they light up everyone´s life!  Guess what???  This week, they were kind enough to give us lunch!  Their niece cooked for us!  She made us ravioli con tuco and an awesome dessert (it was kind of similar to dirt and worms).  I honestly cried a little bit during the lunch because I was in awe two ninety-year-old women sacrificed so much to give us a nice lunch.  The people in Uruguay are incredible.
• Another story about FOOD!  On Saturday night, Hermana Salvatierra and I had a bit of time after our lessons so we began looking for less-active members in our list.  We couldn´t find a house, so we stopped by a bakery to ask for directions.  We began talking with the owners, Angela and her husband, and it turns out they have some relatives who are members!  They also have a Book of Mormon.  We invited them to read some scriptures in the Book of Mormon, and then we let them know we´d love to return another day to buy some sweets from their bakery!  And they just began piling a bunch of baked goods and sandwiches in a paper sack and gave us all of that food free of charge.  I almost started crying again because the generosity of the Uruguayan people just awes me.  
• Yesterday was a super interesting day but it ended so great!!!  There is an investigator, Griselda, who we haven´t been able to visit for quite some time.  We were able to have a lesson with her last night, and we loved sharing the plan of salvation!  Hermana Salvatierra and I felt the Spirit strongly, and we invited her to be baptized.  God gave us such a grand miracle to end an interesting day.

So I guess what I´m trying to say is Jesus Christ is so COMPASSIONATE!  I invite you all to look for all the little miracles He puts in our paths daily.  I testify in the hardest of days, there are always so many blessings.  Christ and our Heavenly Father know us perfectly and LOVE US!

Keep up the great work, and I love the new house!  You guys are awesome!

Hermana Dixon