WEEK 73:DIVA POSITIVA!

WARNING: THIS EMAIL WILL BE ALL OVER THE PLACE.

Survived bagyo #4 and a bad case of the Measles this week. What did you guys do??
"...Let us cheerfully do all things that lie in our power; and then may we stand still..." 

- D&C 123:17

[[PS shout out to my dad. He's my inspiration for the email heading.]]

Well this week was quite a unique one. It seems like the theme of the week was for sure POSITIVITY. Even if everything's not going the way it's planned. So since it's my last transfer, I decided to start writing down every day one important thing I learned. So we will go from there....

[[PSS S/O to the great Sister Gracie Platt for this awesome idea. She inspired me with her cool email of a list of things she's learned. That's soon to come. KEEP SERVING YOUR HEART OUT OVER THERE IN BAMA SISTER PLATT!!!!!]]

MONDAY: Went to the doctor. They took my blood and then said that measles wouldn't even show up in the blood test anyways. #COOL. Good thing I got to exercise my patience right off the bat. So with measles, it's super contagious so we were stuck in for the rest of the day. I learned: PATIENCE.

TUESDAY: So we weren't able to leave the house for. the. whole. day. Yeah thank you measles! But I got some good reading in. The Book of Mormon is just so powerful. I am grateful for my mission because I have really learned the power in the scriptures. The Book of Mormon has a special power inside. We can find answers to our questions of the soul in this book!!! So I read this day in Alma. Chapters 40-42 really stood out to me. The Plan of Salvation is just so amazing. I am so grateful to a Heavenly Father who is all knowing. He really knows everything! Today I learned the importance of the Great Plan that Heavenly Father has for us. If you are unfamiliar with His plan, read the Book of Mormon!!! It will answer all of your questions you didn't even know you had.

Wednesday: The measles are gone! Today we worked and worked like crazy...but everyone was gone or busy. But that's okay. We went to every house we could think of, we tracted and tracted and OYM'd, and we were able to teach a few people. We ended up teaching a less active in our area. For a while she hasn't come to church, and we weren't able to get down to her real concern. Well today, we were able to share with her the verse in Ether 12:27 which aka is one of my favorite verses EVER, it says: "And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them." OKAY. The Spirit was SO STRONG. She just broke down and told us her concern. I was so grateful to the Spirit, for us knowing what we needed to share with her in a time she needed it most. We were able to powerfully bear testimony of the Atonement and that He can heal us. I walked away from that lesson, grateful for the knowledge of my loving Savoir, and grateful for the chance I had to share that with someone that needed it SO badly. The Savior can really heal us. Do we realize that? He has felt what we have felt. He is there every step of the way! Today I learned that the Atonement is for everyone, and He is the ultimate Healer.

Thursday: So we walk and walk and walk and no one is available! But it's okay because....DIVA POSITIVA! We just stay positive no matter what and it makes the work fun even though it's a bit challenging at times. We have really tracted every house in our area...but are still somehow finding ways to meet more people. We are blessed to say the least! Today we taught a few lessons and felt the need to teach about the Holy Ghost. I am so grateful for the Holy Ghost! It is so powerful and it is the way to know all truth. We taught one of our most progressing investigator families, we tracted them a few weeks ago. Well last time we taught them the Book of Mormon. This week we followed up and found out that the father is reading the Book of Mormon to his whole family every night!!!!! TALK ABOUT GOLDEN. We totes didn't even commit them to read it as a family and bam he's totally doing it. He said, "I just feel that it's true when I read it." I learned today that the Holy Ghost is real!!!! SO REAL.

Friday: Missionary sisters sing as they walk and walk and walk,....and walk! Name that song. Hahaha thats us! But we tracted up a mountain, and found a really receptive family!!! The sister prayed right away. It was awesome and she said the coolest prayer. She said "Heavenly Father, thank you for sending your servants here to our house. We liked their message and hope they come back tomorrow." Hahahahaha awesome. Today I learned even more the importance of positivity. And smiling no matter what!

Saturday: Another typhoon came and went. We are #SURVIVORS. Haha it wasn't even bad here, just strong winds and RAIN like crazy. But all is good in the hood of Masbate. We worked the whole day and just laughed as we tracted and as everyone was laughing at us for coming to their house in the middle of the typhoon. We were able to teach lots of lessons though because everyone was at home since the storm was crazy! We had a curfew and came home early. I learned how studly the Strippling Warriors were and how important EXACT OBEDIENCE is. (Alma 57:21. read it.)

Sunday: We went to church. There weren't many people because of the storm still going on. We had a family home evening with some of our recent converts which was really awesome. One of the families has become a little less active because the father always has work. But he gave the closing prayer and totes made me cry. He is usually too shy to pray because of some weaknesses he is trying to overcome, but he prayed. And in his prayer he cried and he thanked Heavenly Father for sending us sisters to his house and for us never giving up on their family. Then, he went on for a few solid minutes praying for us and how grateful he was for the gospel in his life. he even mentioned that he was grateful for us (like for the third time) for coming to his house even though there was a bad storm. It was such a tender moment. Today I learned in a special way just how sacred and special my time is as a missionary. I love it.

Well everyone, I have SO much more I want to share with you all but no worries, I'LL SEE YOU ALL NEXT MONTH! 

Just know I love you all and you are always in my prayers.

Nagmamahal,

Sister Reategui