April 16, 2012

HELLO FAVORITE PEOPLE OF MY LIFE! :)

 

ME!!! I AM STAYING IN DES MOINES WITH DARING HERMANA DRANEY!!!!!

 

How was every one's week?! Is the weather beautiful in AZ?! The weather is gorgeous here! And, as you can see, the trees are blossoming and MAN! it is GORGEOUS and GREEN here. There was a tornado warning this past weekend... I am not as paranoid as I was... 2 weeks ago. Hahaha! As long as I am close to a building, I am not going to worry about it.

 

OK, so spanish. I have my days still when I feel like I dont know any at all and I feel really overwhelmed, but I am seeing improvement! It is really exciting for me. This past week, Hermana Draney and her amazing-ness, told me that I would be taking role of 'Senior Companion' and leading out in lessons and stuff. It was really shakey at first, but as the week went on it got better. On Thursday night we were over at a members home and giving a lesson and I started out and explained the scripture we were going to be sharing. AND... I only needed help on 2 words! That was IT! And what was really cool was that Hermana Rials was there with us. She went home on FRIDAY and we got to spend the day with her. It was so fun! I dont know if I have mentioned this or not, but Hermana Draney and Hermana Rials were companions in the MTC. So, we all really had fun being together. By the way, Heather Rials is a returned missionary and is going to be at BYU-I and she is single for anyone who would like to FB friend her or anything like that.... :) (she may or may not like me for saying that, HAHA! <3)

 

I always love new weeks. It is such a great fresh new being to your life! (that is how I look at it at least). I am making it a new goal this week to not look back. To just learn from the past and keep moving forward. Today I read a talk by Elder Holland about this very topic. He talks about Lots wife and how she turned back and then she turned into a pillar of salt.... He goes on to talk about how it was just that she looked back literally, but what her heart looked back. She wanted to return. Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, I think, says this better than I would: "So a more theological way to talk about Lot’s wife is to say that she did not have faith. She doubted the Lord’s ability to give her something better than she already had. Apparently, she thought that nothing that lay ahead could possibly be as good as what she was leaving behind." There is something in many of us that particularly fails to forgive and forget earlier mistakes in life—either our mistakes or the mistakes of others. It is not good. It is not Christian. It stands in terrible opposition to the grandeur and majesty of the Atonement of Christ. To be tied to earlier mistakes is the worst kind of wallowing in the past from which we are called to cease and desist.I think  we naturally, as human beings, look back to days of yesterday and we remember those things that we did that wasnt good or that someone else did to hurt our feelings and we didnt truely forgive. Elder Holland goes on to say:  "There is something in many of us that particularly fails to forgive and forget earlier mistakes in life—either our mistakes or the mistakes of others. It is not good. It is not Christian. It stands in terrible opposition to the grandeur and majesty of the Atonement of Christ. To be tied to earlier mistakes is the worst kind of wallowing in the past from which we are called to cease and desist." This week, apply more the Atonement of Jesus Christ in your life, we need to let go of the past and forget ourselves and others and forget. Keep moving forward! 

 

I know that the Atonement of Jesus Christ really is for all of our pain, heartbreak, sin... everything! I have a favorite scripture (well, right now, read it when you have the chance- Alma 7:11) I know that Jesus Christ lives!

 

I LOVE YOU ALL TO PIECES! Have a great week!

 

XOXOXOXOXOXOXO

 

Love,

Hermana Wadsworth