Prayers and Angels

Dear Family and Friends!

This week, I have a lot to share, and not enough time to share it all. I want to start out with an experience we had that changed my whole perspective of a lot of things….

SO we all ways hear about experiences where missionaries have been protected by angels. I know that is true… I have felt it many times in my mission. This week was no exception. After being sick, I still didn’t have a lot of energy to work. But I had the desires, I prayed with faith, and the Lord, each day, gave me the energy each day that I would need to finish the day. I got home whipped each night, barely filling the area book and writing a short bit in my journal before completely crashing. I was so exhausted each day. One day came this week, FULL of appointments of new investigators, people about to be baptized, and less active members. From 10 AM to 8:30 PM we had appointments. It was going to be a great day! And every single one of them fell through, even after confirming all of them the night before. We walked soooooo much. I was not prepared for the toll it would take on my worn out body, or my feet. I felt like my feet were breaking into a billion pieces. The roads in my area aren’t made out of asphalt. They are made out of rocks, that they mix cement with, and just pour out… my feet were in bad shape haha. About 7:30 came, and me and my companion, still new in the field and not used to walking so much, were almost completely without energy. I was so tempted to just sit down and rest. To just stop, take a small dinner break… or SOMETHING. I said a prayer, asking forgiveness for my great desire to rest a bit, and asked the Lord for strength just to go find a small park to sit down in. As I closed my prayer, and opened my mouth to suggest to my companion that we go take a break at the such-and-such plaza, I suddenly felt as if I was no longer walking on the street. Confused, I looked down, to see that my feet were still planted on the ground. I was still walking on Bolivian roads, but I didn´t feel anything. I felt as if I was being carried. In my shock and humbled moment, I failed to realize that my companion had started to cry. I looked at her, crying as well, and she just asked, “Did you feel that too?”

I have no doubt in my mind that angels were with us that day. That a power beyond earthly power lifted out feet, and eased the pain we felt.

Then, yesterday in church, a young returned missionary got up to share a missionary experience (our ward does that each Sunday, the last five minutes are dedicated to someone to share a missionary experience. We are doing this in hopes that our ward with catch the energy of missionary work.) As he shared, he said something that caught my attention, and had me thinking on it all day. He said “I don’t, and won’t ever, pray to change God. To change his plans or change his mind. I pray because I need to be changed.” How great is our need to be changed! To be perfected, even as He is perfect! That is why we should pray!

I also want to share my testimony of the reality of the eternity. I know that families are meant to be forever. I know! This week there has been an attack against families among the people here that I love. And it has been the most heartbreaking thing to see families being torn apart, hearing stories of already torn apart families, of divorce, or fatherless homes… I know that marriage is ordained of God between Man and Woman. I know that the children should be born into the bounds of marriage to loving parents… Satan is trying so hard to ruin families... And if we listened to last General Conference, we know it is because Satan will never have his own family. I know that the family is so important. I love my family

Also, I want to give a huge shout-out to the World’s Best Dad! I hope your father´s day passed wonderfully! Also a huge shout-out to the World´s Best Mom! Today is my mom´s birthday!! So everyone go wish her a happy birthday! J I am so blessed to have the family that I have. Thanks to all who have helped me become who I am, and most importantly to my Father in Heaven and His Son Jesus Christ, who made it possible to change and be better. I have an eternal debt to them. I love this gospel. I know it is true.

I hope you all feel the Love of your Savior this week.

Love, Hermana Arave