January 13, 2014

Hello family! how are you all? i hope everyone had a great week.  this week for us was so good.  we were so busy but had so many great things happen this week-

 

Last pday my zone went to an amusment park/zoo! it was so fun! we did the bumber cars, some rides, looked at the animals, and just had a great time as a zone.  after today (transfers) we won't all be together anymore so it was fun so just hang out as a zone.  

 

This week we had the opportunity to give service twice as a zone.  the first one was wednesday when we painted the house of a lady in the area of the zone leaders.  and then friday was the best day ever! we had the opportunity to give service in the cerros (mountains).  the leaders told us that it was going to be really dirty but that they needed everyones help.  i was so excited.  This family lived at the top of one of the cerros and it was a pretty challenging hike to get up to their house.  we were all dripping sweat when we reached the house but they put us right to work digging a pathway from the house to the bathroom which was up the mountain a little ways.  we also found a scorpion and one of the elders cut off the stinger part and made us all hold it haha.  i can now say that i have held a scorpion!  this was one of the happiest days i have had in my entire mission.  i was filled with so much joy giving service.  it didn't matter that it was boiling hot and that i was covered head to toe with dirt and sweat.  i was so happy.  it really made me realize how important service is and how when you are in the service of someone else, you can forget about your own problems for a little while.  because these people literally had nothing.  and we gave only a little of our time but they were so grateful!  i encourage all of you to do one little act of service this week and notice the difference in your attitude.  i promise you will be happier.  

and then sunday we had 2 baptisms!! J and L.  we found both of these men in our first week.  i know that the lord was preparing them to hear us at this time.  and i feel like i was sent to this area to find them.  saturday we had a lesson with J and he said that he was questioning his decision to be baptised but not because of his faith, only because he was scared that his leg wouldnt hold him up in the baptismal font and that he would fall.  i happened to have a video with me called John Tanner and its about a man who wants to be baptized but has an infection in his leg and cant walk and says that he cant be baptized because of his leg.   we watched this video with J and it was exactly what he needed.  he said that he had enough faith to know that the lord would help him while he was in the font.  and then sunday we had the baptism and everything went smoothly and it was so great.  J started crying after and said that there were not words to describe his emotions.  he was so beyond happy.  he said that he knows without a doubt that he is a son of god and that he feel a warmth so strong in his chest.  he couldn't stop smiling the whole day.  he said that with every person he talks to he is going to teach them about the gospel because he wants everyone to feel the way he feels.  ah it was seriously so amazing.  i feel so blessed to have been able to know him but i know that his conversion was 100% the lord.  we were only instruments in the lords hands.  

next saturday we have the baptism of J scheduled.  im not sure if i will be here or not for it because this week we have cambios and i dont know if i will be staying or going but whatever happenes will be for the best.  

 

i love you all so much and hope you have a great week!! and im serious about the service thing.  try it out.  try giving service this week and see how you feel.  

 

love you all!!

XOXO hermana murdock