May 25, 2014
¡Buen Día!
¡Hoy ha sido increíble! En serio. We went to the temple
today and oh my goodness oh my goodness, I LOVE THE TEMPLE! I know with all my
heart that it is the House of the Lord. It was my very first time doing a
session in Spanish and it was beautiful. Ah, we just got back so I’m still reeling
about how amazing it was. It is absolutely incredible how much revelation we
can receive when we go to the temple with specific questions. I feel
like Heavenly Father just poured out His knowledge to me in the temple. After
sitting in the celestial room for a little while, Hna. Centeno came over to me
and we discussed our feelings and thoughts about our investigators. I couldn’t
believe how united we were in our thoughts. Heavenly Father literally blessed
us with the same thoughts and feelings about our investigators. It was
incredible. It was the most peaceful, incredible experience. I will bring up
the temple more throughout this email.
So last week I had my most spiritual lesson with an
investigator yet. Their names are Kathy y Jony. They are married (thank
heavens!!) and they have a little boy named Axel who is 8. The last transfer,
Hna. Centeno and her companion had contacted them and Jony seemed really
interested in the Gospel, but Kathy wasn’t interested at all. At one point when
the missionaries called her she told them that she didn’t need them, and that
whenever she wants to know more about God and whatnot she will call them. So there’s
more to the story, but it’s kinda long, however at one point last week we
taught her about the Restoration in her door (teaching in doorways is suuuper
typical). She invited us to come back and teach her and Jony on Friday. So we went back Friday and
taught them about the Plan of Salvation. The spirit was incredible!!! They didn’t
come to church unfortunately, and they haven’t been the greatest at keeping
their commitments, but they really do have a sincere desire to know the truth.
Before we showed up, Kathy said she prays every night to know which church is
true. That’s why it’s a bit frustrating that she doesn’t keep the commitments
we give her. But in the temple I was able to receive a lot of revelation about
them. I kept having the thought to be patient. But this time, not with myself.
I need to learn to have patience with my investigators as well. (Great, another
thing to be patient about jaja.) This is all so new to them. I also could see
Kathy and Jony in the baptismal font. I could see their progression in the
Church. I could see Kathy one day being the Primary President or the Young Women’s
President or something. Most importantly I could see them in the temple being
sealed one day. They are so ready to receive this gospel. I can see it. They
are the ones that can’t see how ready they are. I don’t know how Heavenly
Father is going to do it, but I know that they are going to be baptized. When?
I don’t know. With me? Again, I don’t know. But I do know they are ready. I am
so excited to think of everything that is in store for them!
To be honest my head is a little fuzzy right now. I’m super
tired because we had to get up super early yesterday and today for a meeting
and for the temple. So I don’t remember everything that happened last week.
Jajaj. Oh, here’s a story. The craziest thing happened last week. We were
contacting an old investigator that we just happened to pull her name off an
old progress report. A lot of the times they move or aren’t home, so to be
honest, I wasn’t expecting much. So we get to the apartment and call up to her
apartment. When we say it’s the missionaries she’s like Wow, I’ll be right
down! So she comes down with her Book of Mormon and pamphlets in hand. Hna.
Centeno and I look at each other and are like, Wow, she’s ready to be taught,
this is awesome! So then she tells us that the night before she had been
praying to the "universe" to send the missionaries to her house, and
then the next day we show up. I was like; there is no way this is happening.
This is the greatest thing ever. Well, it turns out she was praying because she
wanted to return everything to us because she doesn’t need it. *WHAT??* She
said that we needed to give it to someone else who would benefit more from it.
Apparently she decided she doesn’t need it in her life. She said that she was
at peace with the questions she has and that she doesn’t need any religion in
her life right now. To be honest, I don’t know everything that went down. I
just know that it was so frustrating because God answered her prayer, we came,
but to share the Gospel, but we had no idea how to change her mind. To help her
see why we really came. Honestly it was a weird experience. I don’t know what God’s
plan was/is, but there must be a bigger purpose to why we came after she
prayed, just to have her reject us and whatnot.
Well, folks, I sincerely apologize if this letter was a bit
weird or hard to understand. My mind is a jumbled mess after the lack of sleep
and the bus ride. (The buses here drive like maniacs and I get car sick from
them so...) I do know that whenever we need to feel peace, there is no greater
place than the temple. The temple is the closest we can be to God and His
presence in this world. That is something we should not take for granted.
Always try to go to the temple with at the very least one or two questions.
There is no better place to receive inspiration. I have a firm testimony of
that, and today it was strengthened so much more. Thanks for all your support.
I love you all so so much. Remember, when we love the way the Savior does,
miracles happen. And of course, Stay Anxiously Engaged! :)
xoxo,
Hermana Van
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