Running Away to Uruguay

Friday, May 8, 2015

Saying Good Bye

Uruguay

May 9, 2015

Monday, May 4, 2015

May 4, 2015

Well I`m in the last DAYS of my mission. I can`t put into words how grateful I am for been given the opportunity to serve in Uruguay. I have grate fullness for the many things I have learned in this time and I know this is a `` time to repent and serve God.`` ( Alma 42:4). This has been a time to for me to let Heavenly Father carve me into an instrument in his hands. Although, it hasn`t been easy, it`s been so rewarding.

When I started the mission I was confident and quick to think that it wasn`t too hard to do. I felt like I wasn`t here to repent, I was already strong, and I was just thinking of the second part of Alma`s words that it was a time to `` serve God.`` I was very prideful and stubborn in thinking I knew what I was doing. Something interesting changed, the more I came unto Christ spiritually, the more I recognized my weaknesses and need to repent.

I know the words of Moroni are true when he said: ``And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them.`` (Ether 12:27). As I came unto Christ he started carving me, humbling me, and strengthen the many weaknesses I have.

Hermana Dow told me a story, that I loved, of a piano that wanted to be played by God`s hands. He could only imagine how beautiful the music would be if God were only to play a few notes. The only thing was, is that he was not yet a piano. He was only a wooden block. He asked God to make him an instrument in his hands. God then took out his tools to carve him¨; chainsaws, hammers, nails, ect. I could only imagine the look on the blocks face at the sight of the tools God would use to carve him. Although it would hurt, it would be necessary to become an instrument.

I was that block of wood. Ready to be the instrument and serve, but not willing to go through the grinding of repentance. As I served, I finally began to accept the grinding. I was not only coming unto Christ, but I was allowing him to heal me and help me through each grind and pull. With each step in the process to become an instrument in the Lord`s hands I learned that `` That the fullness of my gospel might be proclaimed by the weak and the simple unto the ends of the world..`` (Doctrine and Covenants 1:23). I was called to serve with all my weaknesses so he could build me into his instrument.

As I was humbled he built me. I began serving AND repenting. I had the spirit more in my life to teach me. I felt spiritual growth within me and I was given gifts of the spirit (Doctrine and Covenants 46:11) to help me be and instrument in his hands. `` …for there are many gifts, and to every man is given a gift by the Spirit of God. To some is given one, and to some is given another, that all may be profited thereby.`` (Doctrine and Covenants 46:11-12) I was given the gift of the spirit, I was given the gift of tongues and interpretations to speak and understand Spanish, I was given the gift of knowledge that all may be taught through my studies, but the most important gift of all that grew within me is knowing that Jesus is the Christ, the Savior and Redeemer of the world.

Having pure faith and love for Christ carried me. Every time a nail was hammered into my block of wood, Christ was right there with me saying `` I know what it feel likes to have that nail driven in``. Through his atonement he could carry me in those moments of physical and emotional pain. I know that Christ walks next to every one of his disciples and missionaries. He paid the price so that I could repent and be carved. Thanks to Christ I could progress into and instrument.

I`m still not a piano. I still have a lot of carving to do. What I don know now, is that this is a time to `` repent and Serve God`` (Alma 42:4). I know that``Yea, I would that ye would come forth and harden not your hearts any longer; for behold, now is the time and the day ( Hoy es el dìa) of your salvation; and therefore, if ye will repent and harden not your hearts, immediately shall the great plan of redemption be brought about unto you.For behold, this life is the time for men to prepare to meet God; yea, behold the day of this life is the day for men to perform their labors.`` (Alma 34:31-32) Now is the time to prepare to meet our creator. I have to keep repenting and serving the Lord my whole life so that one day I can play as he does.

I`m going to miss Uruguay. It`s where I grew spiritually and where I became closer to my Heavenly Father and Savior. I know that they live and that Christ was sent to atone for our sins. I know that through Christ we can overcome whatever trial comes our way, our sins, and death. I know that he is coming again soon and that he is hasting his work.

Love,

Hermana Baca

Wednesday, April 29, 2015

April 27, 2015

Not a ton of exciting stuff happened this week.

Elder Oaks came to the mission so we had an entire mission conference with him.I shook his hand and since then I haven`t washed my hand. ( haha no, just kidding) It was really good. The first thing he spoke about was marriage and when he started talking about it everyone's eyes went to me, because everyone knows I end soon. Que bolaso.

Well that`s about all for this week. See you all in algunos dìas.

Love,

Hermana Baca

April 20, 2015

One of the things I value most about my mission is the opportunity I have had to learn to become a teacher of the gospel principals. I love teaching, it`s one of my favorite things to do and although I teach I know that the real teacher is always the holy ghost. Through my studies I have been able to enlarge my understanding of the gospel principals and teach them with power. ``…. first seek to obtain my word, and then shall your tongue be loosed; then, if you desire, you shall have my Spirit and my word, yea, the power of God unto the convincing of men. `` Doctrine and Covenants 11:21. I know that this promise is truly given to us. As a companionship we obtain the word during our personal and companionship studies to be able to teach with power in the afternoon.

These past few weeks I have been reading in Mosiah. I am learning how to teach just as the great missionary Alma taught. I have learned the importance of teaching the first two principals of the doctrine of Christ, faith and repentance. I have learned that we can`t effectively guide those we teach to participate in covenants like baptism and the sacrament without clearly helping them obtain an understanding of faith and repentance.

When Alma obtained his own testimony of faith and repentance he left and taught these two principals to his people. (Mosiah 18:1) After receiving his own testimony he went out and taught others and it says ``… And he did teach them, and did preach unto them repentance, and redemption, and faith on the Lord. `` (Mosiah 18:7). He taught them what he knew through his own experience, knowledge, and testimony.

He was successful in his ways of teaching because it says that after that the people not only desired to be baptized, but ``they clapped their hands for joy, and exclaimed: This is the desire of our hearts. `` (Mosiah 18:11) I know that when we obtain personal testimonies and understanding of what we teach we are able to teach it clearly to help others make and keep sacred covenants. Just as he had gained a testimony he then sent the people those newly converted members to teach the same principals saying ``Yea, even he commanded them that they should preach nothing save it were repentance and faith on the Lord, who had redeemed his people. `` (Mosiah 18:20)

When Alma later went to teach Limhi and his pueblo he taught the same principals ``preaching unto the people repentance and faith on the Lord. `` (Mosiah 25:15) and after teaching the same principals it says ``king Limhi was desirous that he might be baptized; and all his people were desirous that they might be baptized also. `` (Mosiah 25:17) I know that Alma was able to teach clearly to help others have righteous desires.

Our desires root from the understanding we have. We can`t change others desires, but if we can teach clearly we can help others come to a better understanding and their desires will naturally change. It`s important to teach the doctrine clearly so that others can conform their desires to God`s desires and plan.

We have and investigator, Tomàs, who has been listening to the missionaries for many years now. As we have been teaching him I have realized that after many years of teaching he still quite doesn`t understand the atonement and Jesus Christ. Knowing this, just as Alma taught, we decided to go back to teaching these two simple principles of the gospel to him using the church`s new video `` GRACIAS A QUE ÈL VIVE``.http://www.mormon.org/easter - hero

After watching the video and taking about Christ role in his life we went to the scriptures and taught about how only through Christ we could be saved using 2 Nephi 9:41 and Mosiah 3:17 . Once he was able to understand the role of Christ in his life we were able to teach the doctrine of Christ. I wasn`t prepared to teach it and had been guided to scripture I had read in my studies, but never taught. I was using what I had learned from my studies and my ``tongue was being loosed``.

Everything was so simple, clear, and as I taught I could feel my chest burning with the spirit like and overheated computer. We all felt the spirit so strong. The best part was that Tomàs understood. I bet that was how Alma felt and taught when he taught the first principles of the doctrine of Christ.

It was an amazing lesson guided by the spirit. We were able to use what we learned in our studies and teach by the spirit. I have a theorem that I believe goes with every lesson. DOCTRINE+SPIRT=LESSONS. We obtain the doctrine by studying it out and as we are obedient we will have the spirit so that when we enter a lesson we are able to teach clearly to ``have the power of God unto the convincing of men. `` Just as Alma did. We taught what we learned by studying Mosiah and were able to have a spiritual experience.

I know that we have to have the spirit to teach. I know that through obedience and understanding we can be given the Holy Ghost to change hearts and desires. I know that teaching can strengthen our own conversion to the principles we teach. I know that Christ is our redeemer and that he lives.

Love,

Hermana Baca