Talihina-week 14

So I'm gonna try to get it all in but I'm so lazy and I'm running outta time haha This week has been good. I'm still trying to not pull my hair out over feeling like I have no idea what to do here to help these people but luckily Sister Barrett is helping me out a ton! She's fantastic! I just ranted to her yesterday about how I feel like I don't know how to use the Atonement and how I don't have real faith in Christ and she just let me go on and on and it was great! I felt so much better after. :) It's true I feel like I'm seriously lacking faith, but! We had a wonderful Sister's conference this week! We had one a year ago so it was awesome to have another. There we were taught all about faith and how we should be allowing Christ to perform miracles with us and  AND then I got a letter in the mail from Sister Booms with a talk by Stephen E. Robinson (so SO good! Everyone needs to read it) and it really hit me that I have been lacking faith in what Christ says he can do. I know who Christ is and I believe he is the Son of God but I've been lacking confidence in his words, that he Truly can cleanse us from sin and really make us better. SO! That's my next project. :) But something that was really cool during my studies the other day: I was reading in Helaman which is officially my favorite book in the Book of Mormon. I was reading in chapter 3:7 and it's talking about how the Nephites had arrived and moved into a land that didn't have any trees so they couldn't make the houses they were used to, outta log. Well in verse seven it simply states that they became experts in cement....haha now this may seem like a random thing to feel inspired about BUT! Here I am in little ol’ Talihina, a "land without any trees" or any of the usual tools I'm familiar with like a branch mission leader who lives in our area, or things like that BUT! As the Lord did with these Nephites, he's going to make me an expert cement worker! They didn't forget how to work with wood! They just also became experts at working with cement and my cement is relying on the Lord through prayer, scripture study and faith. I will become an expert at those things because the Lord doesn't want any of us to be "homeless". Now this may not make any sense to anyone else but it helped me out haha. I'm just grateful for the gospel. I love the Book of Mormon and all of you. Thank you for your support. Also! I am so grateful for all of you organ and piano players that play in sacrament meeting. Sister Shaw was sick the other day and I ended up having to play in Sacrament, Relief Society AND primary! THANK YOU WONDERFUL PEOPLE FOR YOUR TALENTS!! :) Have a great week!

Love you forever

Sister Moreno

Talihina Week 13?

Ok I'm SO sorry I have neglected writing a big email to everybody for the past few weeks. Life has honestly been a little rough but I'm doing alright now :) So! To catch you up on everything. We had transfer calls last week and my dear Sister Gee got transferred to Pawhuska Oklahoma, replacing Sister Booms. Isn't that crazy?! :) Ya Pawhuska is just a little bigger than Talihina but according to Sister Gee things are going great there! They've got a bunch of investigators and life is sweet, yay for her! So my new companion is Sister Barrett (like parrot) and she's fantastic! :) She's 25 and from Highland Utah. Randomness again, she was the one that replaced me in Henryetta and was companions with Sister Fleck! The mission world is so very very small haha. Ya she is super bubbly and kind and I’m really glad to be her companion although I do miss Sister Gee and her ukulele jam sessions :) Did I ever tell you that she and I performed a song for President Ingle’s 10th Birthday party with the ukulele (she played I sang)? If not....we did haha. I think Sister Ingle has a small clip of it that she's gonna try to send you ma. ALSO! Before Sister Gee left we went and got her ears pierced! haha it was great. We now have matching companionship earrings :) As for the work here in Talihina. I'm not gonna lie, I stress out every single day of my life because I have no idea how to help these people get going. HOWEVER, I KNOW God sent me Sister Barrett to help me out. That girl reminds me of the mom of the squishy guy on Monster's University hahah I told her that and meant it in the best way. Sister Barrett also gives me really tight hugs and I told her to quit touching me hahahah this is why I have no friends. It made me think of all the times we'd be on trips and when America tried to lean on me to fall asleep I'd push her off haha oh goodness. I need to work on that. ANYWAY! :) The greens are doing really well. We had stake conference this past weekend and they all came! :) Bella's chemo is going well and they're going to do an intense round in a few weeks where she'll have to stay in Tulsa for two weeks but other than that things are going "ok". She keeps making me pictures and I love it :) The boys and Sister Green will be going to the temple with the rest of the youth next Saturday and guess who gets to go!!!!! YAY!!!! I'm SOOOOOOO excited!! My soul has missed the spirit of the temple. I'm praying that I'll be able to go in and do some initiators or endowments but even just being there will be the BEST!!! EVERYONE GO TO THE TEMPLE!!!! If you aren't making it a priority, make it a priority. There’s eternal truths and spiritual power there that you NEED to constantly renew. Also, THANK YOU SOOOOOOOOOOO MUCH FOR ALL THE VALENTINE'S DAY STUFF!!! I LOVED IT!!!! :) It was so good to see all the pics of Grandpa and everybody! It made me cry a little :) Also, the CDs you sent were awesome mom!! Thank you SOOOO much and thank you for not sending me chocolate! My poor companion got all of my helpings of chocolate gifts haha. I don't know, I'm just grateful to still be out here. We had one of the Elders that served here come back to visit last night with his mom and it was the weirdest thing. I have been realizing that time truly is winding down and I don't like it! Even though life sucks as a missionary sometimes haha it never really REALLY does. I love being able to feel the spirit constantly and to be always recognized as a servant and representative of the Lord. My name tag is my favorite part about my outfit in the mornings :) It's the one thing that still fits...tehe …just kidding :) But really. I'm so SO grateful for the gospel and the molding I feel God is doing to me. I love you all and Happy late Valentine's day!! :) Keep praying for missionary opportunities. Something that President Shumway asked us to do is to pray for hard things....and then to pray that members see us doing those hard things...I've been too chicken to do it yet haha but I’m GOING TO! :) You can do the same. Those experiences will only make you stronger and more equipped to serve the Lord.

Love you forever,

Sister Moreno

 

 

 

Sis. Gee with her Ukulele at Pres. Ingles Surprise Birthday Party 2/7/15