"I'm sharing my soul in the words that I speak, with the love that has made me this way..." - March 24, 2014

Howdy Howdy Family and Friends!

 

Whew, was it just me or did this week fly by? Well, you know they same time flies when you are having fun!

 

I've been particularly grateful this week for the necessities in life that are duct tape and vacuums.... we've been having some major ant problems with the warm weather coming in, and we've been plugging some holes with duct tape, and sucking up a lot of ants with our vacuum... I'm also really grateful that I have an amazing companion who is very neat and tidy. :)

 

Aside from the ants, the theme of the week has definitely been love! :D The topic of missionary work has been pretty popular since the age change almost 18 months ago, and it's been something we, as missionaries are talking about a lot with the members. Since we all love object lessons that involve food, we likened the gospel to a plate of freshly baked cookies-- representing the goodness and blessings that come from living the gospel. :) And generally just anyone you are interacting with if they see you eating cookies, and even if you explain to them how delicious they are -- they aren't going to ask you if they can have one... unless they are really starving. But let's be honest, the greater percentage of individuals we interact with aren't starving, generally, we are all pretty well fed. But these gospel cookies are so good! So if we want other people to enjoy the goodness of the gospel that we enjoy, we need to invite them to learn more!

 

This can be kind of a scary thing... because sometimes people won't accept our offerings... and the gospel, when you're truly converted is more than just a cookie, it's like part of your soul. How much of that can you try and give and have people reject you? So there is a dilemma there...

 

So where does love come in?

2 Nephi 26:25 (this is Nephi quoting Isaiah): "Behold doth he cry unto any, saying: Depart from me? Behold, I say unto you, Nay; but he saith: Come unto me all ye ends of the earth, buy milk and honey, without money and without price."

 

We know that Christ is the living bread and the living water, John Chapter 6 has been one of my favorites lately describing that. He asks us to come unto Him, so that we may be filled, without money, without price. You see, He knows that that our worth is great-immeasurable even, and Christ knows how to love perfectly, as our Heavenly Father loves us perfectly, that is why He already trod the path for us... this is the reason why He came to earth, because of God's love for us.

 

The entire message of the restoration of the fullness of Christ's gospel on the earth starts with that simple truth, that God is our loving Heavenly Father. He knows each and every one of us perfectly, and He knows exactly what we need, and the gospel blesses individuals and families. In the very least the gospel can change one person's heart to love more profoundly, those around them... in it's fullness through the restored power of the priesthood, it can bind families together forever, never again to be separated by death or affliction...

 

This message has changed the lives of many, I know it's the reason I'm out here in dusty New Mexico, wearing a skirt every day, sharing my soul with strangers, with family, with friends... because I know that this work is all about His love. My life, your life, this life we endure here on earth is all about learning His love, having faith in His plan, and helping each other make it back to Him... Christ already provided the way, He gave His all in perfect measure, and asks us only to come to Him, have faith in Him, study the words of His prophets, pray to the Father in His name, diligently seek for truth so that we may know for ourselves that He is our Savior, and that we need to follow His perfect example---He'll help us through.

 

I've never been so excited to be a missionary, and my faith has never been tried so much on an hourly bases... I've never felt such painful heartbreak from people that ignore or deride us, from people not searching for truth or even from just a lack of understanding... or from those who aren't willing to make the sacrifices necessary to build their relationship with God, and help those around them to also... Nevertheless, I know I've never had so great a joy being able to be in the right place at the right time, or meeting people who are looking for truth, who do recognize the Lord's hand, and do all they can, without shame to stand a witness of Jesus Christ in the simple actions of their daily lives.

 

I'm sorry for the lack of flow this week, but I hope everyone who does have the opportunity to read this e-mail this week can take some time to remember the love that they have received, the second chances they've been given, and the power from Whom that has come from. I know you can find the time, and I know that God's love is endless, as we learn to feel His love for those around us, ours can slowly increase as well.

 

I love you all, and don't forget to smile! (It is the best ;P)

 

All my heart,

Sister Lagrosa

 

 

Pictures:

1- Another one of my best friends! My face looks almost as happy as missionary work feels :)

2&3- The Flawless Foursome :P

 

 

 

 

"I will always remember you." - March 17, 2014

Howdy family and friends!

 

It's so weird, I've just finished up my half-way mark! ...I only have half my mission left... time is flying faster now than it ever did in college!

 

But, life is wonderful, and you know how I do to try and switch things up/ keep things fun, sooo here's some fun facts for the week!

1- Being on your 8th 40oz jar of peanutbutter in your 7th transfer is not the best idea

2- If you move your "couch" into the kitchen, you can have your front room be a dance studio! (one of the perks of owning basically no furniture in a new missionary apartment) :D

3- Smiling is the best. Everyone should do it more!

4- If you want to make sure Elders eat salad, you need to make it for them. (see pictures below)

 

So it was basically an amazing week... I feel like I say this every week (because it's true), but, I don't know, something feels just totally different this week.... maybe it's my impending death from my missionary service, but I just feel really humble and joyful today... extra grateful that I'm a missionary!

 

We've been focusing a lot on the Atonement lately mission-wide... I mean it is the central part of our message we share as full-time servants of the Lord, but we've just really been trying to think about it simply... which many of you may know -between my ADD and anxious inclinations- isn't exactly my forte on the though front. However, it really, truly has been a wonderful experience really reflecting on that more this week, and as they usually do, things came together during the last hour of church on Sunday.

 

We were talking about the importance of taking the sacrament (the bread and the water) each week, and the necessity of receiving that ordinance, and remembering the promises that we make with God the Father and Jesus Christ, and the blessings that we are promised in return. The lesson was taken out of the "Teachings of the Prophets Joseph Felding Smith" manual, and This is a quote from it: (Italics added)

"I am sure if we could picture before us--as I have tried many times to do--the solemn occasion when the Savior met with his apostles; if we could see them there assembled, the Lord in his sadness, sorrowing for the sins of the world, sorrowing for one of his apostles who was to betray him, yet teaching these eleven men who loved him and making covenant with them, I am sure we would feel in our hearts that we would never forsake him. If we could see them there assembled and could realize the weight of the burden which was upon our Lord; and after their supper and the singing of an hymn, their going forth, the Lord to be betrayed, mocked and scorned, the disciples to forsake him in the deepest hour of his trial--if we could understand all this, feebly though it be, and feebly it must be, I am sure, my brethren and sisters, we would forever more want to walk in the light of truth. If we could see the Savior of men suffering in the garden and upon the cross and could fully realize all that it meant to us, we would desire to keep his commandments and we  would love the Lord our God with all our heart, with all our might, mind and strength, and in the name of Jesus Christ would serve Him."

 

She then our teacher shared a story of a man who fell while rock climbing--saved only feet from crashing into the ground--which made me feel the shallow depths of my mortality. As the teacher asked the question: What do you think this man said to his friend? I thought about an occasion in which I was able to embrace my friend after understanding how she had saved my life...

The words: "I will always remember you." pulled me from that memory, and sitting there in that room I felt a huge sense of love and introspection. It is truly amazing to think of that debt we owe to our Savior, and all He asks of us is to remember Him, and let that remembrance of His sacrifice show in our lives. I know with all of my heart that He saved us. He saved you. He saved me. The gospel is the good news that testifies of this simple truth, He loves each and every one of us perfectly, and He invites all to come unto Him and learn of Him. I'm blessed to be out here sharing the fullness of His restored gospel here on the earth today, and I know, that the gospel is the only source of eternal, lasting happiness through life on earth and in our time to come.

 

2 Nephi 26:33

 

I love you all! And I hope you have an amazing week!

 

All my heart,

Sister Heather Ann Lagrosa

 

Pictures!

1- Sister Muaina and I making lunch on Friday

2- One of the Spanish elders said he hadn't had a salad in 7 months... so when they picked up our elders who were  kind enough to drop off the car,we made them salads, and gave our elders burritos :) ...they're the best!

3- We love puppies. A lot. This is Zorro! <3

 

 

 

 

 

"I don't know much, but I do my best..." - March 10, 2014

Howdy howdy family and friends!

 

Oh, boy was it an exciting week... the classic ups and downs of missionary work were really humbling for me and Sister Muaina this week... but it wasn't without some excellent lessons learned. :)

 

Our home renovation/repair skills are being developed here... we found some ants this morning coming in through a crack in the baseboard in our bathroom, so we caulked it with some rubber cement... pretty innovative huh? :P Also, we've been blessed with opportunities to give service, and we have been/ will be helping with some awesome home renovations, and stuff! I'm pretty excited!

 

Being in a bike area has been pretty fun! We've now biked, and walked all around Hobbs! It kind of feels like our two companionships are like teenage kids sharing mom and dad's car, except we get along and are finding ways to make sure our sibling can use it. We had almost all of our planned appointments fall through this week, and we were dropped by our favorite investigator, nevertheless, God is good, we are continually humbled every day and we are seeing many miracles.

 

One miracle we saw on Sunday was about 4 months in the making! A member I met when I was serving in Monahans has a sister who hasn't been active for many years here in the Hobbs ward (mainly because she lives in a town almost an hour away!) Both of them drove to come to church on Sunday, and it was amazing to see these wonderful sisters together at church! :D

 

We have had many humbling experiences also: There was a point this week when we were at about mile 4, walking to the library to meet Justin, and he wasn't there when I thought to myself aw man! What can we do right today? But we had a great lesson with the member we brought with us to the lesson (who is getting his mission papers in right now!) and we walked another couple miles up to the Smokin' Gun (an awesome food truck, owned by some members in the ward), and when we sat down on the curb to eat for the first time since breakfast, I thought to myself wow, this is happiness right here. It was pretty great.

 

Since Sister Muaina and I have more time as we travel to appointments, we've been talking more about things that we are grateful for, and naturally we talk about our investigators, the members (active and less-active) that we work with, and just being missionaries... but we always seem to eventually stumble on to those less tangible, ideas/ concepts that we are grateful for. Truth and trust came up a lot this week... I think I talk about searching for truth a lot, but that was coupled with trusting in Heavenly Father's plan and timing this week. It seems like it's been a more difficult uphill battle than usual, lately, and it's really nice to find solace in faith. As I was reading in Mosiah 7 (verses 29-33) this morning it stood out to me that we truly do reap what we sow... as we sow spiritual seeds, we receive the fruits of the Spirit; on the other hand as we sow worldly things, and rely on ourselves instead of God, we receive the fruits of our own labors, which aren't eternally comforting, edifying and instructing as the fruits of the Spirit are.

 

I've actually been studying a lot of the first few chapters of Mosiah lately, which is a great discourse from King Benjamin (which totally gets me even more excited for general conference! :D), but it seems like everyday, no matter what book of scripture I'm in, it's been testified in similar language over and over again, that the only way back to the Father is through Jesus Christ. He is the WAY, the only way... this makes sense, because the role of the prophet is to testify of Christ, and help Heavenly Father's children prepare to return to Him.

 

The morning after we were dropped by our favorite investigator both Sister Muaina and I had similar questions going into our personal study. After I had prayed, I took my new quad (my scriptures with the Bible and Book of Mormon together), and I just flipped it open. I opened right up to 3 Nephi, when Christ is ministering to the Nephites in His resurrected form, and I took a deep breath and read. Nothing amazing stood out to me, but I was impressed simply, and quietly by the Spirit that this truly did happen, Christ came and ministered to some of his "other sheep" here in the American continent, after He was resurrected in Jerusalem. He walked with them, prayed with them, blessed their children, and His ministry was recorded so that we could learn from it, and so that it would stand as a second witness to the Holy Bible that He is the Christ, He is our Savior, and that it is only in and through Him that we can be saved in the Kingdom of God.

 

We are so blessed to have the scriptures in our lives, and I know with all of my heart that as we take the time to read them prayerfully we will be filled, and we will receive guidance that we are searching for. Our mission President, President Augustin says "This is THE self-help book!" as he points to his scriptures. It's so true, and we really get to learn just a little bit at a time, line upon line. :)

 

2Nephi 28:30 "For behold, thus saith the Lord God: I will give unto the children of men line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little; and blessed are those who hearken unto my precepts, and lend an ear unto my counsel, for they shall learn wisdom; for unto him that recieveth I will give more; and form them that shall say, We have enough, from them shall be taken away even that which they have."

 

As we keep searching to improve and progress, we will, I know that with all of my heart, and I know that as we first seek spiritually, the rest will be added unto us.

 

I love you all! I hope this letter finds you well, and I know that if you have questions and take them to the scriptures, searching for truth, you will find answers... maybe even answers to questions you didn't know you had. :)

 

All my love,

Sister Lagrosa

 

Pictures:

1- Eating some of the best food in town after walking all the way around Hobbs!

2- Awesome sign! :D

 

"Running from darkness, and running to light..." - March 3, 2014

Hello family and friends!!

 

I can't believe it's already been another week here in the land of enchantment! It has been quite an interesting week with transfers all around the mission, and my life staying pretty much the same, lol, but we were blessed with many new challenges this week, and as always, it fit right in to a theme that seemed to be very present: Faith and the Scriptures...

 

So the changes that did happen went more in with faith, and the prophets theme, was more for the people we were able to teach, but get excited, because it was all excellent, and Sister Muaina and I are breaking the Sister missionary mold down here in Hobbs, America!

 

That's right, weird thought that Sister Lagrosa of all sister missionaries would be breaking a mold huh? (we can disregard the hair-shaving ;) haha but you are now reading the blog/e-mails of the first sister missionary bike area here in the TLM! ...okay, well, we are half way there... We have the delightful opportunity to share a car with the Elders that we split the ward with! Luckily we get along great, so that's a plus, but due to some back injuries, our new Elder can't really bike, so they're walking around their 4 sq/mile area everyday. Lucky Sister Muaina and I get to bike around our 16 sp/mile area during the days! haha, but we're allowed to drive to the towns we cover that are 20miles outside of Hobbs, we're still banking on being pretty fit by the end of these next few weeks... if the Elders even take the car. I've been really surprised/flattered with the chivalry of the missionaries here (because even though we all have bike day on Thursdays, every sister missionary companionship has a car), and the Elders really do feel bad about using it when we could be.... but now we feel bad, because we want them to be healthy you know?Nevertheless, this little trial of faith will work out, and I know we're gonna see miracles down here! God is good to His servants, and we are faithfully working hard to declare the restored gospel to everyone we meet! :D

 

Speaking of which... even though we had a lot of appointments fall through, we did have some amazing lessons this week! The highlight was definitely with Alex, on Thursday night. We taught the Plan of Salvation -- which is truly amazing! And at the end of the lesson we asked him about his goals that he has in life. His immediate answer was: "I need an upgrade!" ... and he listed a few things from his relationships to his ride. Brother C asked him about his relationship with God, and he said "Oh man, I DEFINATELY need to upgrade that!" That was really cool to hear, I think we can all use some upgrading in that department lol. But this man was just so excited to come to church, and he's experienced the peaceful change already that's come into his life from doing the simple things like reading the Book of Mormon and praying each and every day. He knows that the restored priesthood power on the earth, is the only way he can "upgrade" in God's way, that will be permanent beyond this life, and he's so excited to be baptized! It's really amazing to see, from this missionary's point of view, the effect that the Holy Ghost really has on people as they listen to it, and really seek truth in their lives... there's a LOT of darkness in the world... it's not hard to find, but that light... that light of truth that comes from the Spirit, that is what changes us, and brings us closer to God. :)

 

We've been reading with quite a few people lately, because they haven't been able to make the time for it that they need to, but something that really has stuck out to me, as we've borne testimony of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon, is how important it is to find out for yourself if it's true. There are quite a few people down here that have already made up their mind without even attempting to read the Book for themselves, and that really breaks my heart more than some of the less-than kind things that they may say about us in ignorance.

 

Ephesians 2:20 states: "[we] are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone."

 

I know that in order to be built upon the proverbial rock of Jesus Christ, we need to be nurtured by His word... and the scriptures are a record of His prophets and apostles. His counsel throughout the scriptures is "by their fruits ye shall know them", and I know that the Book of Mormon is another testament of Jesus Christ, written by prophets who lived before, during, and after Christ's ministry here on this earth. I know that Joseph Smith translated that ancient record for us today, through the power of our loving God, so that we could know without a doubt that He has restored the fullness of His gospel to the earth again today.

 

I also know with all of my heart that the fruits of simple daily scripture study are exceedingly desirable, and if we each paused for a simple minute to read, and 4 more to ponder what it is that we've read, we WILL see blessings in our lives that cannot be duplicated by man. I've experienced these blessings in my own life, which is by no means without challenge, and I've seen these simple steps bless the lives of countless families around me. It's comforting to know also, that there are blessings to come in the future, and God cannot lie, He will always keep His promises.

 

It truly is the simple things in life that have the greatest effect on us... think about the last difficult day you had. Did a stranger smile at you? How would it have felt if one had? ...simple things have great effect. And reading the scriptures is something we only have to rely on ourselves to do. ;)

 

I love you all!!

 

Remember Romans 15:4 "For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.

 

It is such a blessing this opportunity we have to be fed by the Spirit as we read the words of the prophets. I know that we can always learn more, and that there is always more room for hope.

 

I love you all, and miss you greatly! I hope this finds you well, wherever you may be! Keep pressing forward, in faith and hope.

 

All my love,

Sister Lagrosa

 

Picture:

not many pictures this week! but we washed 7 puppies for service one day! :D It was a blast :P