AAAAHHHH!!!

WHAT A WEEK!!! Holy cow! I don't know how I survived it! We had TWO exchanges with our sisters, my last zone conference which included my departing testimony, girls camp (the stake leaders asked Sister Petersen and I to speak...SO FUN! :) ), stake conference (which I was asked to put together a missionary musical number 2 days before we had it...of course haha), AND it's been in the 100s, complete with humidity high enough to swim in! PHEW.....it was great haha. Seriously, this week was one of those testimony building weeks. President and Sister Shumway gave their departing testimonies as well. I'm SO grateful to see how they close this chapter of their life so that I can follow their example! For the past few well...months really I have been worried that I'd get to the end of my mission and not feel confident that the Lord was proud of my efforts. I was worried that I'd feel like I hadn't done enough. I tried my best every day and I keep trying my best every day to make the Lord proud and to follow his promptings but sometimes I just fell short and I was so worried about having regrets but literally as we were walking off the stage from saying our testimonies president Shumway looks right into my eyes and grabs my arm and sys "I am SO proud of you. You did it." And then because it was their last zone conference president gave himself and sister Shumway permission to hug everyone! It was the best. But once again, as I'm giving him a hug I go to turn and leave and he pulls me back and he says "Really Sister Moreno, I couldn't be more proud of you. I love you.".......:') It made me sob AGAIN! I was crying the rest of the day because I knew, and I KNOW now that truly the Lord has accepted my mission. He has taken my offering and it is good. I want you to know that I have loved my mission with all my heart. There's never been anything so challenging and uncomfortable and lonely in my life that I've ever had to go through, but as I said in my departing testimony, I'd do it all over again and I wouldn't change a thing. Never in a BILLION years did I think I'd have to do so many hard things. For 15 out of 18 months I have served in TINY branches in the middle of NOWHERE and I learned SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO much! These last two transfers have been so rewarding. I've seen how ALL wards and branches can be as members and missionaries unite their efforts. I've learned how I want to be and who I want to be like. I've taken note of the blessings that come into lives as they read the Book of Mormon and keep the commandments. There's been countless times I've felt and witnessed the spirit touch the hearts of God's children when they read and hear the truths their spirits are already familiar with, and most importantly I've learned how to keep going. I've learned that there's nothing that can stop the work of the Lord from progressing and we're either going to be a part of it, or we're going to get left behind. I'm SO thankful for the many times I've felt the Savior carry me through my trials, fill my mouth with the words needed, and strengthen my weak efforts as I attempted to be as he is. I have SO SOOOOOOOO much to learn. This is FAR from my stopping point, but I am confident in whom I've become and I know that if I were to stand before the Lord tomorrow I would be recognized as one who has accepted his atonement. He's the only way I've been able to do this work day in and day out for a year and a half. Now the key is to keep going again! May we all strive to make our Sabbaths more meaningful so as to strengthen our resolve to BE like the Savior every day, and to continue to progress and share the gospel with all those around us. I LOVE the Lord with all my heart. I know Heavenly Father is directing my path as he has my whole mission. There's not been one place he's accidently put me, and I know that will be the case with the rest of my life. Thank you for teaching me to pray Mom. :) You started all of this and I'm SO grateful to you. Your testimony was what I needed to find my own. I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH and I'll see you soon.

Love

Sister Moreno

 

6/1/15

I'm SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO glad Grandpa is ok. Tell him I LOVE HIM SO MUCH AND I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE HIM IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS!!! Keep me posted on his health. But hey this week has been incredible mom. I'm seriously seeing exactly what the Lord promised me over a year ago. This last transfer really is FULL of miracles. It's really making all difficult 16 months of my mission worth it. :) You see we received 4 new investigators this week!! One is a 16 year old girl who's best friend invited her to meet with us. Her name is Keke and she's incredible! We taught her the restoration and she just soaked it all up, and yesterday we had a review of the restoration and she accepted a date to be baptized! She's been reading and praying every day and she's even made personal goals for herself each week. This week she's setting aside 30 minutes every day for a reflection on her relationship with God and Jesus Christ. We encouraged her to read and pray during that time as well and she said she was already planning on it! :) It's just been so sweet to hear her testify of the love she feels at church and when she meets with us. She doesn't have those feelings at home so this has been HUGE for her. Then the other 3 new investigators came from the Orphins. They're the family that Burk Hansen was visiting and got into the accident at their house. Oh. My. Goodness. That lesson was incredible! It's been a long time coming. We were supposed to meet with them my first Saturday here but something came up and we haven't been able to meet with them since. However, we asked Bishop Hansen about them last week and he texted Sister Orphin to see when they'd be able to meet. Well, just as he's texting her she was mowing the lawn around the spot of the accident and praying for a way their family could have more peace and she answered back with a resolute YES! And last night was a fantastic experience. They soaked up the Plan of Salvation and we gave them each a Book of Mormon and they're so ready it's crazy. We now have a standing Sunday night lesson and dinner at the Hansen’s. :) Heavenly Father has been so good to me and I'm so grateful for the blessings I'm seeing. :) PLUS! We set another baptismal date with our investigator Cheryl. She was the one that just showed up at church one Sunday and said she wanted to know more. I'm blown away by her honest desire to know truth. She's incredible. She searches and studies so hard and all she wants to do is follow God's plan for her. All of these people are just amazing. I hope to be like them someday. Even though ALL of them have their own personal struggles, they've all trusted in God and gotten themselves to a point where they can learn and follow him fully with trust that He knows them and that he knows what's best. This morning I was reading in Alma 44 and gosh. Zarahemna totally had a chance to walk away from battle and save his biddies but his pride got in the way and they kept fighting until half way through he decides he doesn't like losing all of his friends and he doesn't want to die. Imagine! I couldn't help but ask myself if I do dumb things like that too, especially with all these mixed feelings about coming home. I really have to trust God and put away "my plan" aka my pride and follow his plan for me or else I'll regret it half way through and lose things that are important to me. I LOVE THE SCRIPTURES SOOOOOOOOOOO MUCH!!!!! Have a great week! OH! Also, I'm giving my departing testimony on Wednesday at my last zone conference...PUKE! Wish me luck.

 Love

Sister Moreno

ALSO! WE GOT TO GO TO THE TEMPLE WITH OUR RECENT CONVERT RICHARD AND HIS WIFE EMMA AND THEIR ADORABLE BABIES FREDA AND TONY!!! :)