Dear Future Me

Hello hello lovely friends and family of mine!!

I will start out real quickly with the not so spiritual experience and then get into the good, heart touching stuff haha ;)

For these past 2.5 weeks, we were heating up water on the stove and showering like that because our boiler was broken. Well, we were okay with that. No problem. But the problems began to start when on Tuesday, I couldn't turn off my shower. It was stuck! It was just a little dribble but then BAM it starting running on full blast. We tried finding the off switch for all water and failed. We ran to find a giant garbage bin but even that filled up. The owners "people" were going to show up but at 4pm! It was nuts. But finally, after a ton of effort, we turned off the shower. But man talk about stress. SO I had a giant bucket  and little buckets of water in my bathroom for the entire week but the good thing is that the shower now runs perfectly and our boiler is a-okay!

Alright. Now onto the good stuff :)

Wow. Guys the mission is beautiful. Maybe this week was full of crazy small things, but it gives me the chance to look back on the small spiritual moments that God has allowed me to experience. 

1. First of all, sometimes the Lord tests our patience. We had our intercambios and well...we contacted for a loooonnnngggg time. And with a tiny area it felt like we contacted the majority of it. People do answer but then reply with no. And it repeats. Its easy to get discouraged, but the Lord knows there is more that we need to learn. Maybe I still don't know 100% what is was or is, but I know I will. All is in the time of the Lord.
2. Spiritual experiences can happen always with my companion. The spirit works in harmony with us. We fasted separately on Sunday. And this morning we talked about what we fasted for. Turns out we fast for the same thing and we received the same answer. THAT is how you know it is the spirit. That is how you know that your desires are pure. I thank God for always helping us to improve...together.
   
3. We taught a man who we met in the beginning of this cycle about 3 weeks ago. When we returned, his older parents we there JUST TO LISTEN. Guys. He shared the gospel and he isn't a member! Can we not do the same?! We must be as Alma when he heard the prophet Abinadi. In Mosiah 18:1 it reads  
   "And now, it came to pass that Alma, who had fled from the servants of king Noah, repented of his sins and iniquities, and went about privately among the people, and began to teach the words of Abinadi—"  It was an amazing lesson and man was the spirit there. And I know that the gospel has the answers to their soul deep questions.
4. Lastly, in my training, I wrote a letter to myself. I wasn't going to open this letter until I was on the plane ride home. But while talking with Hna P about what we have accomplished I felt the need to read my letter NOW and with my companion. As I took out the letter I hadn't touched for 13 months, I felt a feeling in my heart I can not describe. I began to read this letter and tears filled my eyes. As I read, I felt the spirit testify to me that I am a changed person. I am not the same, nor am I finished changing. I have accomplished my expectations I had for myself and I will continue to work on them. I know the Lord wanted me to know I have been doing His work well. I cried for the love I felt for my Savior and Heavenly Father.

I can tell you, with certainty, that the mission has not changed me, but Christ our Savior has changed me. I know this work is glorious and eternal. Thanks be  to God  for this restored gospel and to all of you for your love and support!

LOTS OF LOVE!

Hna C

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