Dearest family and friends!
Good news! --The Gospel!
Also, I get a whole six weeks more in the beautiful land of Hobbs, America-- with my awesome brown companion Sister Muaina! It's so weird to think that I've not spent this much time sleeping in the same bed/apartment every night since I was in high school! The Good Lord really knows how to teach His children, and I'm very much looking forward to another blessed six-week chapter here in Hobbs. I feel like I've always spent a lot of time moving around, sleeping in random places, traveling, adventuring, and here I am as a missionary learning just a little bit more how home feels like. I'm not the best at answering the question that people always ask: "Where is home?" ... I usually think to myself, well, it's with Heavenly Father! ...oh wait, you mean where I lived before my mission? Or where do my parents live? Or where did I grow up? Or where did I leave for my mission from? ...oh wow, this isn't supposed to be an essay question. okay... I generally just answer with an: "I grew up in Virginia..." and feel weird when the response is "Wow! This is a big change!"
But, even though my life has been rather short, and as Brother Tippett's said when I gave my 'farewell talk' in Provo, 7 weeks before I left to come out here: I'm kind of a woman without a country... It's odd to be here and have Hobbs growing on me so much, that it deeply saddens me to even think about leaving. The only thing constant in life, and especially in missionary life is change, and I feel like ever since I've truly learned how to love, I've not been anywhere, or with anyone long enough to be SUPER attached to them, you know? And here I am, formerly the traveling missionary, on my 3rd chapter here in Hobbs, AND I get to have my awesome companion with me again! I know for sure this next six weeks, I'll be learning even more how to strengthen my ability to love, and I feel very blessed to have this opportunity to live each day even fuller, to love deeper, and not be afraid of changes that will happen. Life is truly amazing, on an individual level, and the larger perspective.
Wow, yes! So, I'm excited, you should be too! ;)
As always there seemed to be a theme of the week! And this week, it had two parts: The Word of Wisdom, and Faith, pretty nifty huh?
Wow, so we for some reason had about 5 or 6 occasions this week where we were able to talk with our investigators, less-active members, and new members about the word of wisdom, and the blessings that come from living the Lord's health code. It was such a blessing to be able to bear sincere testimony that living this commandment truly does bring more joy and a greater measure of the Spirit into your life--and naturally into the lives of those whom you come into contact with. It's simple, but true, and it has to be a personal decision to live it and try it for yourself to experience the blessings.
It was interesting to me, as we were talking with a member about how she can help her friend (who is struggling with addiction right now), that she, the member, was surprised when I shared a little of my conversion story with her... I'm still getting used to people being more surprised about my testimony coming from my 'exciting/learning by sorrow experiences' than the 'reserved/learning by faith and the scriptures' testimony that we usually share as missionaries... Nevertheless, we were talking more about how we can help others, who are going through experiences that we have not yet/ever gone through. This was interesting because as missionaries, we run into this a lot speaking with individuals who may have even more than twice our life experience, and it's difficult to feel like we have any authority to speak sometimes... but I know that the principle of love is the common denominator for helping others as we are each on our walk home to Heavenly Father.
In this conversation we spoke of faith, and even though no one can perfectly understand another's experience(s) in life, we can have compassion and love and be a strength to others through their trials. We need to have faith to know that even though we do not know exactly what another is going through, we can still be of help to them. Loving an imperfect person is a huge act of faith, and it goes with trusting in the Lord- that 1) you can be an instrument in His hands to help another one of His children, and 2) that you can be strong even if that love is not reciprocated in a way that you can understand.
I thought about this as I was reading my favorite book in the Book of Mormon: Enos.
Verse 8 states: "...because of thy faith in Christ, who thou hast never before heard nor seen. And many years pass away before he shall manifest himself in the flesh; wherefore, go to, thy faith hath made thee whole."
Something struck me without faith we are missing something... faith completes us in a way. We read about miracles throughout the scriptures where those words are used: "thy faith hath made thee whole", but never before had I thought that without faith we are incomplete... it makes sense, that spiritually (even if we do not recognize it physically/consciously), we are seeking to be made whole. As we are filled and completed spiritually (which is being built a little at a time and is long lasting), that feeling of wholeness keeps us from wanting after the physical or temporal "fillers" that are immediately gratifying, but short-term. So there's a formula for sustained happiness right? Seek good, seek truth, and seek to recognize how you can be filled spiritually.
I'll end with one more scripture in 2Nephi 33:4-7
"(4) And I know that the Lord God will consecrate my prayers for the gain of my people. And the words which I have written in weakness will be made strong unto them; for it persuadeth them to do good; it maketh known unto them of their fathers; and it speaketh of Jesus, and persuadeth them to believe in him, and endure to the end, which is life eternal. (5) And it speaketh harshly against sin, according to the plainness of truth; wherefore, no man will be angry at the words which I have written save he shall be of the spirit of the devil. (6) I glory in plainness; I glory in truth; I glory in my Jesus, for he hath redeemed my soul from hell. (7) I have charity for my people and great faith in Christ that I shall meet many souls spotless at his judgment-seat.
In this chapter Nephi is writing his last testimony, and is speaking of the record he kept. Verse 6 really stood out to me, because Christ is at the center of EVERYTHING, and we can be persuaded every day to recognize that a little bit more, or we can be persuaded to get caught up in the complexity of life. I know each and every one of us has much to learn, and do while we are here, but we are made PERFECT only in and through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and we can have hope to stand spotless before Him at that judgment day. I know this because I'm learning it every day, I've seen, and plan to continue to see His hand abundantly in my life and the lives of those around me, and I know without a doubt that He leads us today. We have testimony of Him in the scriptures from prophets of old, and there are modern prophets that have been called in these last days to prepare us for Christ's coming again. They bear witness of His perfect example, and raise their voices to give us hope in this chaotic world, warn us of consequences that come from disobedience, and continually testify that our God's standard will help us to keep our highest level of happiness as we navigate our course back to Him.
I am so blessed to be here, serving as His missionary here in Hobbs, and I know without a doubt that this church contains the fullness of truth, even if the people in it are still imperfect. And I know with all of my heart that God loves each and every one of us perfectly, as we strive to continually be grateful for His love, we are able to have faith and hope, which anchor our proverbial souls in the rough storms we all weather.
I love you all, and leave my words written in weakness, with hope in the name of Jesus Christ that they may be made strong unto you.
Keep searching for His Hand, I gaurentee that you will find it!
All my heart,
Sister Heather Ann Lagrosa
Pictures:
1- We had studies at a member's house yesterday because we were traveling home from a meeting, and I got to cuddle with her cutesicle puppy named Honey! :D
2- I beat Sister Hall arm wrestling lefty during exchanges NBD. :)
3- our goofy district!
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