shoot off an email! So here we go...
Story of the week: Aura. Again.
After the 2nd hour we crossed paths in the hall and she was beaming. She
ran to us and began to bear her testimony of Heavenly Father's love and
awareness of her. She explained to us why she felt so strongly and began to
recount the story of the past 24 hours.
The story went a little like this:
She had to cancel her appointment with us on Saturday because she was going
to pick up her dad who would be visiting from Guatemala. Saturday night
they had a conversation...long story short: he was not happy that she was
going to church (the "Mormon" church) and was very colorfully letting her
know how he felt.
Aura's response amazed me and really, for me, was a sign of her growth and
progression. Where a few months ago she might have shied away or given up,
she stood her ground and said, "I respect your decisions, I want you to
respect mine."
He was furious. And thus ended the night.
She woke up on Sunday morning and was laying in bed thinking about the
conversation from the night before. She didn't want to go to church. But
then, she said, all of a sudden an overwhelming feeling came over me and
said "you need to go." So she got right up, got ready, and came to church.
[Yay for following promptings and not giving into temptation.]
But it gets better.
She got to church and at the end of Sacrament meeting, President Waite
asked her to give the closing prayer. She was astounded-she had never given
a public prayer before. She took this as the reason why Heavenly Father
needed her to come to church-to give the closing prayer.
But it gets even better.
After the meeting, the Relief Society President came over and sat with her
and explained to her a little about the Visiting Teaching program. Aura
knew nothing about it. She has been a member for a little over 20 years and
had never received a visit from a Visiting Teacher nor had an assignment.
She was elated! I have never seen someone so excited. She also found out,
from the same sister, about Patriarchal Blessings and how to use the Gospel
Library App. Oh she was beaming! She took these experiences as yet other
reasons why she needed to come to church.
Right at this moment, Hermana Richey and I pull out a picture of the
Guatemala temple that we printed for her. She was speechless. Again, she
said, "another reason why God needed me at church today. I needed this
picture."
At this point we are all just filled with excitement and the Spirit...and
it got BETTER.
President Waite came around the corner and told Aura that he wanted to talk
to her about a calling. Aura just about toppled over. She excused herself
and we parted ways.
Fast-forward to after church.
We walk out of Relief Society and we see Aura bounding down the hall toward
the room where we were, asking everyone, "Where is Hermana Chinchay? Where
is she? I need to find her!!!" She was searching for the Primary President.
She had got a calling in Primary and couldn't wait to get more instruction.
Another reason she needed to be at church that day.
We need to be at church every Sunday and there's the normal reasons why we
go, but there is always a specific reason we need to be there each Sunday
and it changes every time.
Challenge: Go into church this Sunday and figure out why you needed to be
there that day.
As we do so, we will have a more enriching church experience and we will
have greater desires to attend faithfully!:) I know it!!
Fun facts of the week:
We played soccer for the 4th of July and now we are super sore.
Our new mission president came in.
We cut 5 inches off my hair.
Have a great week!
Hermana Clark