¡Viva México!

Happy Monday everyone!! I hope your week was spectacular! Mine sure was! It was full of fun filled and spiritual moments. The best type of moment’s haha. The Lord never fails to surprise me with new learning experiences. As you all know, this week I have been in the mission ONE YEAR! That's absolutely crazy. I feel like I've been here little time. Time….man;  it's crazy. But I absolutely LOVE the mission and all of the joy that it brings me and those I love.

I have learned a ton of things in this past year but it would be an incredibly long email if I wrote them all...plus I don’t have the time haha. So I'll just state a few things that have happened and something that touched my heart.

• This week was Mexico’s independence day but really nothing was super duper exciting there. I know it would seem like super crazy and dangerous but here in San Juan it's super chill. It was worse when it was San Juan Day haha.
• My companion got a little bit sick with the same thing I had a few weeks ago. We hung out in a member’s house for a little while she was going through the motions and then headed home. I have learned being in the house just kills. So much more fun going out and doing the Lord's work.
• Zone conference! That was incredible. President Kimball is so loving and brings such a special spirit. I really have learned more about being dedicated and understanding what it means to live in the "Culture of Christ"
• Another new baptism date!! Yep there is progress here in San Juan!! Our other baptism date fell and now he's not really interested but it's okay! Because that just means there are more people super ready to listen!

Okay so those are just a few bullet points of what happened. But what I really want to share is a scripture that has opened my mind and my heart.

Malachi 3:3

3 And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness.

The process of making silver is by putting it in a very hot oven. One person has to sit there, watching and watching until it is finished. In a story, a woman asked a refiner how he knows that the silver is finished. He said "That's easy. When I can see myself, I know it's ready."

Just like the refiner, God is watching us and has put us in this so called "oven." We are here to try to be perfected, even as he is perfect.(3 Ne 12:48) We will pass many difficulties and many other things but all is for our good. We must become even as our Father in Heaven. We have great worth and He only wants the best for us. He has the perfect touch and the final say. I know God lives. Jesus Christ is His son, and only through His name can we be perfected and saved. I love this work and I will give even more in these next 6 months. You can count on it!! LOVE YOU ALL!!

Hermana Cross

One year!  Time flies by!