This week has been good and challenging! The north of Spain is not easy that´s for sure! But, I know that the Lord is helping us and blessing us. I´ve also learned that we can´t see the evidence of his love if we are caught up in the negative.
This week I was reading a talk by Elder Eyring called, "Rise to your Call" from the October 2002 General Conference. It was exactly what I needed to hear this week. He talks about how we can rise to any call we are given in the church, but as a missionary, I especially needed to hear what He counseled this past week. Learning a language is so humbling, and hard, but so incredible. Even though there have been many times where I´ve wondered if anything I am saying is helping anyone....I know it is. We can´t under-estimate the influence that we can be with others even in the small things we say and do. That is something the Lord is teaching me so much here, even if I feel limited in what I can say. I also know that there is great power in simplicity. The Savior himself bore simple, but powerful testimony of the truths of the Gospel. And I know that the Spirit will ALWAYS back us up if are hearts and minds are in the right place and if we are living worthy of the constant companionship of the Spirit. The Spirit is the true teacher. I want to share a part of Elder Eyring´s talk with you here, because it meant alot to me and really blessed me this week.
"The Lord will magnify what you say and what you do in the eyes of the people you serve. He will send the Holy Ghost to manifest to them that what you spoke was true. What you say and do will carry hope and give direction to people far beyond your natural abilities and your own understanding. That miracle has been a mark of the Lord’s Church in every dispensation. It is so much a part of your call that you may begin to take it for granted.
There is yet another way the Lord will magnify you in your call to His service. You will feel at some time, perhaps at many times, that you cannot do all you feel you must. The heavy weight of your responsibilities will seem too great. You will worry that you can’t spend more time with your family. You will wonder how you can find the time and the energy to meet your responsibilities beyond your family and your calling. You may feel discouragement and even guilt after you have done all you could to meet all your obligations. I have had such days and such nights. Let me tell you what I have learned.
It is this: If I only think of my own performance, my sadness deepens. But when I remember that the Lord promised that His power would go with me, I begin to look for evidence of what He has done in the lives of the people I am to serve. I pray to see with spiritual eyes the effects of His power."
Man I love that! When we are so focused on our "performance" in this case....me with my Spanish....that´s all we can focus on and we get easily discouraged. As much as I thought I understood that, I sure needed to be reminded of that! But, when we remember that the Lord has promised us that His power is with us in our callings, we begin to see the evidence of what he has done in the lives of the people we are serving. I know that, because I have seen that here. I also know that one of the greatest blessings we can receive as full-time missionaries and member missionaries, just like Ammon said (Alma 26:2-3) is to be MADE an instrument in the hands of the Lord. That really is one of the greatest blessings that I have seen so far as a missionary. We aren´t just instruments in His hands, we are MADE instruments in His hands as we serve with all of our heart, might, mind and strength. He endows us with power, and we can see the evidence of his power and, just like Elder Eyring said, "I pray to see with spiritual eyes the effects of His power."
I love the Gospel, I love the Savior, and I love being a missionary. I know we can only see the blessings and miracles that God gives us when we have the faith to see them. Tenga FE!
Hope you guys have a great week :) I love you!
Hermana Carroll
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