Kendall Michelle: { Jacob the Wise } #42

Hello all!! :)

This week was quite a week! So first of all I wanted to start off by sharing some of my favorite scriptures from Jacob. I loved reading from Jacob in the Book of Mormon this week. I learned a ton! I'm glad to see that lots took on the challenge too :) First of all… I admire the knowledge of Jacob a lot! He as so much spiritual knowledge and was able to help a ton of people, including Sherem.

Jacob 5: 41 and 47… I thought about all of the areas that I have been in. Especially La Plata right now. Is there anything more that I can do here? Also, is there anything more that you can do to serve one another?

Jacob 4:13- the spirit speaks the truth and it never lies

Jacob 4 It was so difficult to write on the brass plates but they still did it because they knew that it would be of good use for us!

Jacob 3: 1-2 All that are pure in heart

Jacob 1:18- This is our responsibility!

Jacob 1:7- We should work hard so that all can come unto Christ and partake of the goodness of God

Jacob 6:12 O be wise; What can I say more?

I loved the contrast between Jacobs’s hard work and Sherem’s hard work. One was for destruction and the other was to strengthen.

Jacob 1:7 and Jacob 7:13

Anybody looking for a sign like Sherem, don't wait for the slap in the face answer that you already know that Christ exists! And if you don't know it, read the scriptures :)

Something that I am sure I have shared before but that I love is about being grateful "in" any circumstances. Gratitude is a huge act on faith.

D&C 78:19 (2014 Gratitude Talk by Uchtdorf- look it up on LDS.org)

In 1st Kings I was studying about one of my favorite stories. So Elijah preforms so many miracles. First he seals up the heavens so that a famine would come across the land, then he is commanded to go to Zarephth where a woman widow would be to help him get food. She had absolutely NOTHING. Some oil and some meal and then he tells her, make me some bread with what you have and then you will see that you will have enough supplies to make food for you and your son until the Lord sends rain again. She did it. Although I am sure that it was so hard, she had faith. She was surprised to see a miracle when there actually was enough to supply her all of the time. Then her faith is tried again when her son dies. Elijah performs another miracle and brings him back to life. The woman knows that he is a man of God and all he says to her is “Fear not, all is well.” I am always so amazed at the faith this woman has and yet sometimes I don't even have faith in the littlest things! I know that Heavenly Father tries our faith and that we have difficulties because without them, there would be no happiness! I know that Satan tries to pull us down because he knows that we are powerful and able to do great things. It's the daily struggle against Satan but it is possible with gratitude and an immense amount of faith.

This week we had lunch with Marcelo for the first time! He set his table all nice and bought really fancy empanadas and cool looking ice cream ball things filled with Dulce de Leche. (YUM) Fatima (a member) came with us and we had so much fun chatting! This week Marcelo is in Brazil meeting his online friend that introduced him to the church! We'll see how it all went! (She works in the Sao Paulo Temple…Score! He's in good hands :))

We finally had a lesson with Daniel and Florencia! We are getting excited for their wedding coming up and we were finally able to get him to commit to being baptized the day after their wedding! It's just amazing this work I tell you :)

So Hermana Simmons is improving every day and we have made some good goals for this next transfer. Sometimes I get myself down because I don't feel like I'm doing enough but really, I was never trained to train! I just have to rely a lot on prayer and it's trial and error since she learns different me, but I love learning from her! We are working on focusing on specific things for her to say every day in lessons. We are having a lot of success here and really, I just love this area and I have loved this transfer. Although, I find myself thinking that I think I need to learn more, and I need to do this and that, I just tell myself Hermana Barrett, it's not possible to learn EVERYTHING right now so stop it!

So Soledad is a new investigator that lives in an area a little far away but we have been visiting her in these last weeks and yesterday she came to church with her three little kids! It was a blast! We got up and headed in a bus to their house super early to pick them up! The kids were so excited and they had a great time in Primary. We have been talking to them about marriage and they are in the middle of making a decision so please keep them in your prayers :)

Daniel and Jhenny are getting baptized this weekend!!! They can only do it late at night but we got permission to be there :) Jhenny is a member but sadly something happened with her records so she is being baptized again and her 8 year old son has been listening to the lessons so it will be a great family night. They are so special for me. We had a family home evening with them the other night too and Daniel just loves going to church. What a great thing! :)

This weekend our bishopric changed. The 1st counselor has been really sick and it's not looking too good... at all. We have been sad but they rearranged the bishopric just to call a new counselor and he is amazing. Hermano Frazer! Little by little the leaders are stepping up and we are working hard to help in any way that we can :)

On Thursday we had a zone lunch to say goodbye to all of the people being transferred! It's so hard to see people go but I also love meeting and learning from the new missionaries.

Today we went all over the town with Cristian and Camila and they were our tour guides! We took Hermana Simmons to go see the Cathedral and then we went to Pasaje Dardo Rocha. We walked by the zoo (which everyone says it is a dud but it’s pretty!) and then we went to El Museo de Cs. Natural! It was so cool! I love museums and it was a great time with them too :)

The other day returned missionaries played a joke on us... so we're just walking down the street and this girls shouts out“ Hermanas, Hermanas! My friend here wants to get baptized!” So we started talking to him and stuff and then they started laughing and they were like “Chiste! We're returned missionaries!!!!!!!!” Good one. -_-

I know that I have another 6 weeks here and I want to give it my all but my main goal is just to help Hermana Simmons with her every need! I love this opportunity to serve and I am loving being here :)

I hope you all have a great week! Hasta pronto!

<3 Hermana Barrett