Buenas Tardes!Hola Family and friends! Today I'm writing late due to transfers that now take place mondays...
This week was a week of miracles, and you want to know why? I found a penny right side up = good luck! I have no idea how I was able to find a penny here on a random street in Mexico - it really surprised me! But after, day after day, it was miracle after miracle. I want to start off today with the story of Idalia. Maybe you've been able to tell but these past months (March and April) Were really hard in Jardin. It seemed like nothing went our way and then the minute that it was - everything fell through. It was so hard! We didn't know what to do. The only good thing was that me and my companion, Hermana Citam grew closer every day and it was a blessing to see our companionship build. I'm pretty sure I commented but one week that was especially hard was the week before general conference. We worked really hard and all the investigators we had fell through. I told our district leader - "The miracles that come to the conference are for us!" And it actually happened! Idalia showed up with her boyfriend. She had started asisting church with him in a different branch (And those crazy zone leaders never sent us her reference!) But it ended up perfect because she said by herself "I think it's time to talk to the missionaries" And there we went walking by at that moment. From then on we started teaching her. And it was such an amazing experience teaching her! She askes the most perfect questions. And from the beginning was willing to do everything we asked her. When we talked about the Word of Wisdom she told us that her desire to recieve an answer was greater than her desire to drink coffee. Golden. :) But it was super difficult to find and teach her! She would work two hours away in the week and was only home on thursday and friday nights. But then... Somehow we found the way to teach her. Everytime we called or she called us we could verify and talk a little about other topics. And she loved talking to us on the phone because she said we were alway so excited to talk to her (¡ HERMANAAA !) Then thursday night we talked to her and she said that she was ready and wanted to get baptized but that she wanted to get a confirmacion that the Book of Mormon was true or just recieve the spiritual witness like it says in Moroni 10. She was worried because she was working to be baptized the 26th and she felt like it was too soon. I told her, Hermana I know that you will recieve an answer if you keep praying and asking because when we set a baptismal date we know that if the investigator does their part God will surely do His. And He did. Friday in the morning she called us with the good news that she recieved her answer. That she had prayed and felt the most powerful warm feeling in her heart, She felt the spirit and knew that it was true. With that, everything was easy and perfect. She was baptized Sunday at 10 and at 11 she was confirmed! She even invited 4 friends that came to support her. It was a day SO special. (Not without it's crazy moments..For example when all the baptismal clothing somehow disappeared and we ran around crazy looking for white clothing haha ) This was just such a witness to me that God loves each and every one of his children. He will bless us when we do our part, and it was something I could truely live as we worked our tails off and God blessed us with Idalia. The other part of my testimony that was strengthened was the law of the fast. Me and Hermana Citam did a special fast for her so that she could receive her answer. It was the HARDEST fast I have ever done. I have never been SO thirsty. Never. I was so tempted and it was difficult but I just kept thinking - "My desire for Idalia to recieve her answer is greater than my desire to break my fast" The only part that was terrible was I couldn't say goodbye! Just a fast telephone call! We didn't tell her about the possiblity of transfers because we didn't want her to think that was the purpose behind the baptism date we set and so that she could focus on recieving her answer and enjoying her baptism :) But I know that someday I'll see her again! That's the great thing about what I'm doing - the people I meet and the relationships we create are not just for 18 months - they're for eternity! It was also hard leaving Hermana Citam. She grew into a companion SO special for me. And not just because I was training her. I love her so much and I am so grateful that my Heavenly Father knows us so perfectly that he let me be her first companion :) And another bit of the good luck of this week? My new companion is Hermana Ledek!! ¿What? My companion from the MTC! I remember that in the MTC we always said - Someday we will be companions when we are ending our mission so that we know spanish and we know how to teach! And God let it happen. I am so excited for this transfer. And the other blessing? I'm in Cordova!! I always wanted to go to Cordova. (It's only about 40 minutes from Orizaba! And I know I will be going there for conferences this month!! WOO!) And since it's close to Orizaba it's a little bit cooler! Not as humid (And it's the humidity that kills me as a Southern Utah girl) And since I'm over here I heard a bit of news from Orizaba. Enoc is the President of the Young Men! And Jordy is the secretary! I feel really happy that these two converts are working to build and strength the youth and themselves at the same time. Especially because they didn't have the chance to be in YM but now they do :) Well, that's almost all I can write for this week! But I hope you all have a great week! I love you all! Remember always that if we do our best to serve the Lord He will bless us in ways we can't imagine...with blessings we never thought we could even deserve. Hermana Terry (Me and Hermana Ledek keeping cool under my freshly washed sheet) Hello!Buenas tardes!
Today I'm not going to write much - there wasn't too much that happened things week. It's crazy how fast time flies when you're in the work of the Lord! Before you know it it's monday again and you remember again all the amazing experiences that happened in the week. One of the best experiences that I had this week was when we found a family that has been inactive for more than 20 years. We met the Hermana contacting and she told us she felt it was time that she came back to church. We went and found her house that was a little out of town but after just two lessons her and her oldest son came to church. Something that has really struck me is when I read in a conference talk that whether it is someone who is new or someone who has wandered off - in the Lord's eyes and in our eyes it should be the same. I've found that my joy is just as great when we can help people find the iron rod again. Well - sorry that today's short! I'll try and write more next week! Have a great week! Hermana Terry :)Well.... I basically just lost all my internet time wrestling with the pictures! I have a million great pictures this week that I wanted to send but only one wanted to download - so here is one picture of a bunch! We had a great day - some members took us to Nanciyaga - I'm not even sure how to explain it but they show you a lot of awesome tradicional things of Mexico and it's almost like a spa. They gave us facials haha It was super fun! Maybe next week I'll be able to send more pictures.
This week was so great! We were able to a few new amazing investigators and we could see the great investigators we found last week progress! It's been kind of hard with everything right now for the vacations and everything that has been going on but now that everyone went back to school everything should get back to normal :) This week we had divisiones and it was great to go work in someone else's area and let my companion battle it out here in Jardin by herself. It was great because as we were walking we passed a house and I saw a girl on her computer. We kept walking and the spirit gave me a nudge that we had to go back so we went back and the girl was so receptive! We showed her the Gracias a Que El Vive (He Lives?) And IT was a supér great lesson. Then her husband showed up and we had a great talk with him too. Even though they aren't in my area and I probably won't ever teach them again I'm so grateful for these moments that have really taught be how to follow the spirit :) Another one of these experiences was when we ran to go to a lesson before lunch and the Elders called us and said the Hermana had forgotten about the food because nobody told her . . . And so we were without lunch! (Which is the big meal like dinner in the US) This was the first time that this has happened to me in my mission and it was really hard! I love eating with the ward members - we decided to go find something quick and then the spirit whispered to me that we should go to Winnie's a restaurant in the Centro (town center?) I kind of tried to brush it off but then I felt again that we should go there. Me and my companion had prayed that someone would give us food. And when we got to Winnie's we walked in and saw a couple that travel all the time and come to our branch every month or so. We went and started talking to them and somewhere in between the hermano paid for our food. It was just one of those moments where I saw that the Lord always provides for his servants. And that was a really great experience for me and Hermana Citam this week :) Well - my time is up. But hopefully this next week I can send more pictures! Love you all! Have a great week! Hermana Terry Buenas Tardes!This conference weekend was amazing! I have never enjoyed conference as much as I enjoyed this conference.It seemed like every talk either applied to me or was something perfect I needed to help my investigators and the members. One of my favorite conference experiences was Sunday after the morning session there were a lot of members who just stuck around because it's basically not possible for many to leave and come back. We were talking to David and Victor (Victor - 16 year old convert from December) And they decided that they were going to go buy Memelas (Amazingly delicious type quesadillas with meat and...I don't know how to explain them but you haven't lived if you've never eaten one haha) I started getting mad at them and telling them they shouldn't buy food on Sunday even if you're hungry and can't run home! But they went to buy them anyways... (An example of ALWAYS being an example for new converts!) And I said a prayer that someone would talk about the Sabbath day and keeping it holy because I feel like here in Mexico especially they need someone else telling them (besides the missionaries) That it's a holy day! And then God answered my prayer with a powerful talk by Elder Russell M Nelson! When I get home there are a lot of things I'm going to do differently on Sunday than I used to. I have learned in these few months that what Elder Nelson said is true - 1/7 days of the week are His! Before I thought I was obedient to the commandment but now I know it goes a lot farther than going to church and not working or buying things.
Conference was amazing - and even better because I got to watch all of it in English. Something is just different about hearing it in their own voices. (And that goes for when they talked in Spanish as well! The only time I listened to it in Spanish. I had SO many favorite talks. As always Elder Holland, Elder Uchtorf - and many many more. Wilford W. Anderson's talk as well I loved! "I can teach you to dance but you have to hear the music" Maybe that was just my love for music that came out with that talk haha But one of the other best experiences of conference was that a member brought his girlfriend to conference who isn't a member. She's gone to church about 4-5 times but in a different ward. And she wasn't super interested in listening to the missionaries. But after the sunday morning session she came up to us and told us she's ready to listen. I know the words of the prophets can get to hearts we never could. This week was super hard! It seems like everyone we were finding wasn't interested or just listened to us to be nice. Sometimes it's hard to accept that everyone has their agency and you can't force it on them. We can just invite! But after the conference - I had new excitement. A new motivation to just invite everyone! And last night we finally found someone who was truely receptive to our message. He's a single dad with two children. His wife left him for another man when his youngest son was 1 years old. Now his sons are 11 and 4 and he has felt really spiritually empty. He was praying that he could fill his spiritual void and we showed up. It always amazes me the way God works. We received a reference of an old investigator that I knew was not interested - but we felt like we needed to go anyways. We got there and he still wasn't interested! But walking away we saw Rodrigo's children playing in front of his house with a few cousins. Now, we almost never contact children but Hermana Citam looks at me and says - "We are going to contact these kids!" So we started talking to them and out walked Rodrigo. He listened to about 10 words of us presenting ourselves and our message and he invited us to share more. Sometimes we just have to have patience. And trust in the Lord :) I hope you all had a great week! Remember that HE LIVES! And that thanks to Him we all will live again. I have learned so much about the atonement, resurrection and the Plan of Salvation this week. I stand all amazed at the love Jesus has for us. The sacrifice He gave for us. And the blessings He has waiting for us. Love you all! Thanks for the thoughts and prayers! I also accept emails ;) Hermana Terry |
My name is McKenna Terry and I have been called to the Mexico Veracruz Mission. These are my stories. Hermana McKenna Terry
[email protected] Hermana McKenna Terry
Mexico Veracruz Mission Calle Altamirano #27 Entre 1 de Mayo y Carranza Col. Flores Magon Veracruz, Ver 91700 Mexico Archives
July 2015
Categories |