Bolivia Bound

GOD IS GOOD!!!

November 24, 2014

Wow, this week was one of the most special weeks in my whole mission. Just like last week, it was so special because of all the things I could learn and how close I’m starting to feel to my Heavenly Father. I especially feel like I’ve been learning exactly what you talked about in your letter this week - gratitude.

All this week was great, but Sunday was a VERY special day for many reasons. It was the conferencia de barrio, so obviously we have been working hard as a ward to make the conferencia something really special and have a good turnout. Hermana Paz and I had somewhere around 20 people, between investigators and menos activos, committed to go to church this Sunday and we decided to fast for the miracle that our investigators and menos activos, along with those of the elders, would come to church. We started our fast Saturday after lunch and then got to work as hard as we could, but Sunday morning, all the people we called to remind about church either didn’t answer or said they wouldn’t be able to come. The temptation came to be disappointed, but I felt like I couldn’t be disappointed, I just had to be grateful that I had the opportunity to work hard and fast.

And then we went to lunch, but the Hermana that was supposed to make us lunch wasn’t in her house; she totally forgot. Well, once again it was tempting to get irritated, but we made the choice to laugh and be grateful that we were close to the Relief Society president’s house, where we went and she, panicked, made us some eggs really fast. That wasn’t exactly the lunch I had hoped for after fasting, but the Lord blessed us with another small miracle - after eating a much smaller lunch than usual, I was really full and didn’t get hungry for the rest of the day.

Then we had another miracle - a menos activa who hasn’t come to church for years answered her phone and said she wanted to come, so we picked her up, and then on the way to church with her we were going to have to pay for a taxi but a church member picked us up, and then at church several less active members showed up, but none of our investigators. I was sad, but during the sacrament I just reflected on how good God has been to me in this time; He took away my frustration with our investigators and filled my heart with love. And that’s when one of our investigators showed up! It was Sylvana, our investigator preparing for baptism in a few weeks, and she came with her boyfriend who, up til now, has never wanted to talk to us or anything. Another miracle.

And finally, I had the sweet chance to share my testimony with the ward (the bishop got confused and thought it was my last week, ha.) I cried as I got to share with everyone how much God’s love has changed me in these past two transfers in Las Misiones. All this and much more happened this past week and especially yesterday. I feel so grateful to my Heavenly Father. Especially I feel grateful that He is helping me recognize His hand in all the little things that before I might have taken for granted - for reminding me that I had left the phone in a member’s car, for giving me the strength to ask forgiveness of a less active member I, with a misunderstanding, accidentally offended, for softening that less active member’s heart so we could cry together and hug at the end of the conversation, for helping me stay cheerful even when things don’t go my way... I could go on and on. The only thing I can say is that God is good. 

Love you all! Have a wonderful week!

Love,

Hermana Chelsie Faulk

AND FINALLY...A COUPLE OF PICTURES TO FINISH OFF THE MISSION:

An activity we had with the sister missionaries of the stake. We went to the botanical gardens of Santa Cruz.