Kendall Michelle: { P.U.S.H. } #35

Hola todos!!

Happy Early Father's Day to the best Dad out there! :)

So here's what went down this week.... MARCELO WENT TO CHURCH! We walked in and he was already sitting with some of the members! That's the greatness of just having super great members that came with us to all the lessons. He is such a great investigator and because this week was Stake Conference, President Thurgood came and spoke so Marcelo got to meet him along with a lot of other people as well. He was just happily running around with us and meeting everyone in our sight… he seemed to enjoy it too! haha The conference was so inspired! The speakers talked about just about every doubt that has been running through Marcelo's head this week. He has lots of questions but he's learning everything little by little! So that was super exciting.

This week I got to do exchanges with Hermana Tolman from Utah and we had a blast... I don't think I have ever eaten so much food though. Every house we went to they were like, “ Hey! You just made it for dinner, or snack time or 2nd lunch and we'd just look at each other and laugh... haha seriously It actually wasn't really a laughing matter… It was painful. I just remember Monty Python when that guy tries to eat just a little bit more and blows up.. yeah.. almost happened... but it's all good... I just don't think I'll be able to eat for a while! haha. Maybe it was a “had to be there” moment... who knows?? But yeah… It was wonderful to spend time with Hna Tolman and we could learn from each other. I learned a lot from her humility and we were able to teach some great lessons with some great spiritual power. I have learned a lot about the power of a testimony.

When someone can just go rambling about tons that is happening in their life and no way to solutionize (great word!) it and we're just sitting there like ummm…. what do we do?... we aren't doctors or psychiatrists... but we can bear testimony of what we know. I am so happy for the opportunity to help people through the simplness of the gospel and a simple testimony of the truth. Something that can really change lives :)

So we did this trial of faith thing with the Family Barrionuevo! They pretended to smash an egg on our heads but it was just water…haha another had to be there moment... but… We have been teaching all of the families about the Proclamation on the Family and we play this fun game where they have to memorize all these random things in a bag separately for 15 seconds and then the second round they do it all together and it's so much easier as a family with unity!

It's always so cool to see in the New Testament when Jesus Christ says to "Follow me" and how quickly his disciples get up to follow him. There should be no delay :)

I have gained a great testimony of prayer. Sometimes it can get frustrating when people don't listen or when investigators don't progress but if it's more than a few minutes, I don't let it get me down. If I ever have a question or if an investigator needs an answer, we can receive personal help from above. I love how in Nephi Chapter 15, Nephi is explaining everything to his older brothers. They have no idea what their dad Lehi is saying in all of his visions so Nephi just gives a short little… " Have you inquired of the Lord?" It's simple! " If ye will not harden your hearts, and ask me in faith, believing that ye shall receive, with diligence in keeping my commandments, surely these things shall be made known unto you." Trust, and…

PRAY UNTIL SOMETHING HAPPENS!!

Little story for you….

A man was sleeping one night in his cabin when suddenly his room filled with light and God appeared.

The Lord told the man that he had work for him to do, and showed him a large rock in front of the cabin.

The Lord explained that the man was to push against the rock with all his might.

So, this the man did, day after day. For many years he toiled from sun-up to sundown, his shoulders set squarely against the cold, massive surface of the unmoving rock, pushing with all of his might.

Each night the man returned to his cabin sore and worn out, feeling that his whole day had been spent in vain.

Since the man was showing discouragement, the adversary decided to enter the picture by placing thoughts into the man's weary mind.

"You have been pushing against that rock for a long time and it hasn't moved." Thus, he gave the man the impression that the task was impossible and that he was a failure.

These thoughts discouraged and disheartened the man.

Satan said, "Why kill yourself over this? Just put in your time, giving just the minimum effort, and that will be good enough."

That's what the weary man planned to do, but decided to make it a matter of prayer and to take his troubled thoughts to the Lord.

Lord", he said, "I have labored long and hard in Your service, putting all my strength to do that which you have asked.

Yet after all this time, I have not even budged that rock by half a millimeter. What is wrong? Why am I failing?”

The Lord responded compassionately, "My friend, when I asked you to serve Me and you accepted, I told you that your task was to push against the rock with all of your strength… Which you have done. Never once did I mention to you that I expected you to move it. Your task was to push.

And now you come to Me with your strength spent, thinking that you have failed. But, is that really so? Look at yourself.

Your arms are strong and muscled, your back shiny and brown. Your hands are callused from constant pressure, your legs have become massive and hard. Through opposition you have grown much and your abilities now surpass that which you used to have. True, you haven't moved the rock.

But your calling was to be obedient and to push and to exercise your faith and trust in My wisdom.

That you have done. Now I, my friend, will move the rock."

At times when we hear a word from God we tend to use our own intellect to decipher what He wants, when actually what God wants is just simple obedience and faith in Him.

By all means, exercise the faith that moves mountains, but know that it is still God Who moves the mountains.

When everything seems to go wrong................PUSH

When the job gets you down...........................PUSH

When people don't do as you think they should.......PUSH

When your money is gone and bills are due............PUSH

When people just don't understand you.....................PUSH

Or when you're just super happy and grateful......PUSH

P=Pray

U=Until

S=Something

H=Happens

I love my mission. I love this gospel. I love the happiness that I have. I love my family. I love my friends. Love the scriptures, love the pastry shops, I love who I am and I know that more than anything I was called to be obedient and just do my job with all of my strength. Maybe I can't speak Spanish perfectly and I'm not perfect in any other way! But, I know that each and every day I am becoming a little bit more of the person that Christ wants me to be. And in the end... I'll be happy to be that person :)

Hope you all have a great week!!!!! Enjoy this super great picture of La Plata. and food with Hna Jhenny!!

Love you all!

Hna Barrett <3