September 15, 2014




I have been studying a lot about faith. I have learned a lot about the relationship between faith and obedience. It says in the scripture guide that faith is to have confidence in Jesus Christ. We can´t just say we have faith in Jesus Christ; it has to be shown through actions. It´s interesting here, because Uruguayans love to say how much faith they have, although faith without actions is dead.

We show faith in our Savior, Jesus Christ when we obey his commandments. When we´re obedient it´s saying that we trust in him and when we´re disobedient it´s saying we trust more in ourselves. If he is able to see our loyalty through obedience he blesses us with miracles in our lives. The brother of Jared was obedient and when he prayed to his Heavenly Father he expressed his trust in him, saying:

´´4 And I know, O Lord, that thou hast all power, and can do whatsoever thou wilt for the benefit of man; therefore touch these stones, O Lord, with thy finger, and prepare them that they may shine forth in darkness; and they shall shine forth unto us in the vessels which we have prepared, that we may have light while we shall cross the sea.

5 Behold, O Lord, thou canst do this. We know that thou art able to show forth great power, which looks small unto the understanding of men.´´

He expressed fully his trust in the Lord and he was also obedient to every commandment given to him. After, expressing his faith he saw a miracle. The Lord showed his finger and touched two rocks that would help him fulfill the commandments the Lord gave him. He didn´t have faith because he saw a miracle, but he saw a miracle because of his faith. When we are faithful we can expect miracles. ( Ether 12:18)

I have not seen the finger of the Lord, but I have seen the hand of Lord as I work. I know it´s because of my obedience to and willingness to obey the mission rules or commandments. As I express my confidence in the Lord and I pour out my desires in prayers day and night and show my willingness to serve him through obedience I have seen miracles.

I have a strong desire to find more people to teach and this week we have seen miracles. One day we went to go contact a reference. The reference wasn´t home, but the mom let us in to teach. She started telling us in tears how just that morning she had passed for a trial and was looking for comfort. She knew that we could help because she had listened to the message before. When we should up at her door, it was perfect timing.

Then, as we started teaching her she expressed how she knew Joseph Smith was a prophet and she has continued reading in her Book of Mormon since the missionaries taught her years ago. We then taught her about the Doctrine of Christ and invited her to be baptized. It was a miracle and the Lords hand was with us the whole time.

Yesterday we even went to go teach a family of 6 who are preparing for baptism. They are incredible and have such strong testimonies of Joseph Smith. We entered and the parents and sisters of the wife were visiting. We taught a powerful lesson and our investigators were able to testify of Joseph Smith. The whole family is willing to go to church and be baptized. It´s incredible.

I know this is the Lords work and through me he teaching his children. I am so grateful I have the opportunity to know and work with all of these people. For the miracles the Lord shows me every day and that I can grow with them. I know my Heavenly Father loves them and me and that he sent his son Jesus Christ to lead us back to him.




Love,

Hermana Baca

September 9, 2014

My ´´hija´´ IS THE BEST COMPANION EVER! We are working so hard together. We have a companionship that is centered around the spirit and I love it! At the end of the week we can both see in the numbers that we have worked hard, but we don`t feel like we worked so hard. Time is just flying by! I love Hermana B.

After having 3 baptisms last week we knew that we needed to find new investigators. We set goals to find new investigators and to have more than 30 lessons for the week. We both prayed for what we desired and work hard together to accomplish it. We have had miracles this week with our lessons and finding new investigators. What surprised me most is how the Lord put those who are prepared to listen to this message in our way. I feel like he literally SENT people to us.

One of the investigator we found this week is G. He is the brother of a investigator M, who got baptized last week. He recently moved in with his mom and when we went and visited we got to know him and taught him the first lesson. He told us how he attended church and listened to the message before. At the end of the lesson I asked him how he felt about Joseph Smith. He told me that he knew it was true and always has known. GOLDEN. After, we felt inspired to extend a baptism date and he accepted. I know he had been prepared to listen to this message.

Later, we were walking down the street when an 8 year old girls ran up to us with her arms opened ready to give us kisses. She started to say ¨Can you visit in my house?¨ Over and over. We went to the window of her house and started to talk to her mom. It had only been seconds when she said ¨Come in and sit down!¨. We had and excellent lesson with her and she later asked us what she had to do to be baptized. All this time she was looking for a way to get baptized in whatever church and her daughter brought us to her.

Then, we found V and M. Really it`s more like we found them again. I had taught them a while ago and they had moved to a different part of my area. One day we were hiking to our area, or in other words going up the steep hill we take to get to our area, and we passed their new house and only waived to them. After, reaching the top of the hill we felt like we should go back down and talk to them and so we did.

We ended up walking with V to her house and she started telling us about all the problems they have had since we stopped teaching.  She told us that she felt confidence to tell us everything that was going on and knew we could help.  We ended up having a lesson with her that was very powerful. Later, we taught the whole family and they are coming to church and getting ready to get baptized together.

I know that when we communicate with our Heavenly Father to ask for our righteous desires he helps us. I know he sees and knows we have the desires to work and so he blesses us. I know when we show him through actions he is willing to not only give, but pour out what we ask him for. I am so grateful for the confidence he has in Hermana B and I to work with such great people who are willing to listen. I know this gospel is true. 

Love,

Hermana Baca

September 1, 2014



As a mission we are working on teaching with more clarity the doctrine of Christ to help those we teach understand and progress. As president Smith says ´´ We have a belief that when people understand the doctrine of Christ they return to church or get baptized and never turn back.´´ The work we are doing changes lives. I testify that when someone understands the doctrine of Christ they repent and come unto Christ. I am able to see this more and more in my mission as I work to understand the doctrine of Christ and teach better. The doctrine of Christ has changed me.
Alma taught is son Corianton the doctrine of Christ. (Alma 39-42) He taught him clearly so that his rebellious son would change his heart and repent. He understood that if he could understand the importance of returning to his Heavenly Father through repentance, he would change. Corianton needed to learn the Doctrine of Christ and his father was a great missionary who took the time to teach him.
When we are rebellious and seek to do our own will we are choosing to be like Corianton. WE CANNOT BE LIKE CORIANTON BECAUSE WE CANNOT RETURN TO OUR HEAVENLY FATHER IN AN UNWORTHY STATE. The consequence of justice takes it´s place making it impossible to return to our Heavenly Father. Although our Heavenly Father is merciful so that we can repent and not face the consequences of the demands of justice.
It´s completely possible through the Atonement to erase of the consequences of Justice. Like Alma says in Alma 42: 23 ´´But God ceases not to be God, and mercy claimeth the penitent, and mercy cometh because of the atonement; and the atonement bringeth to pass the resurrection of the dead; and the resurrection of the dead bringeth back men into the presence of God; and thus they are restored into his presence, to be judged according to their works, according to the law and justice.´´ Our Heavenly Father is so merciful.
I have studied about the Mercy of our Heavenly Father in and out this week. I was surprised to find how many times the Book of Mormon says ´´Misericordia´´ or in English ´´mercy´´. All the prophets in the Book of Mormon have repeated to say so many times that our Heavenly Father is merciful. They pounded that into the scriptures so many times so that we would understand.
It´s like when my mom keeps telling me to clean my room. She repeats it over and over again at times. It´s not that I didn´t understand or hear her though, but she keeps repeating it until I show her that I understood and heard her through my actions. Our Heavenly Father repeats saying the same thing so that we understand and put into action that we understand by repenting.
Through prophets he teaches clearly and repeats what he wants his children to know so that we return. So that we don´t have to face the consequences of justice, because he loves us. As I come to understand the Doctrine of Christ I understand how important I am to my Heavenly Father. Alma wanted to teach Corianton about his importance and then when he finished teaching him he sent his son to declare the doctrine of Christ to others ( Alma 42:31).
I UNDERSTAND the doctrine of Christ better and I feel so very obligated to declare what I know to help others understand. I feel what Alma felt as he taught his son every time I walk into a house. After Alma taught these these he couldn´t even rest and went and taught right along side his sons. Alma 43:1 ´´And now it came to pass that the sons of Alma did go forth among the people, to declare the word unto them. And Alma, also, himself, could not rest, and he also went forth.´´
I don´t want to rest. I know understand why Alma was such a great missionary. I know understand why he didn´t rest. More importantly, I understand why Jesus Christ never rested to teach his doctrine. I understand why he suffered so much for us. I understand the importance of the name I carry and my badge and the sacred calling I have to preach his gospel.
I love my Heavenly Father and savior Jesus Christ. I know they both live and love us. I know that this is the true church that has the fullness of the doctrine that Christ taught. I know the Book of Mormon is true and I know that through the atonement I can return to live with my Heavenly Father again.


Love,
Hermana Baca

August 25, 2014




It`s always good being companions with a new missionary because they always have so much energy and excitement to work. My `` hija`` is helping me be a better missionary every week. One of the things she told me last week is that we should get better with the schedule and try teaching more. She had a a good goal and desire. We decided that we would try to have shorter lessons and put a goal every day on how many lessons we wanted every day.


This helped me a lot because one piece of advice my brother gave me after his mission is that we should have short lessons. Short and powerful lessons are the best. The holy ghost can`t be in the same place for a lot of time so if we have 20 minute lessons it allows the spirit to be with us the whole time. We really strive this week to have short lessons.


We prayed a lot to do this with the lessons. Then, during the week we really did meet our goal every day for the amount of lessons. We felt the spirit more during every lesson and we taught more. I felt good as we had success this week with our goal.


Saturday came and we had a lesson with a new investigator who Evangelical. We spent a little time getting to know her and then we were able to adapt the lesson to teach her based on what we knew. The lesson was quick and very guided In the end we invited her to pray. She said she didn`t feel comfortable praying in front of us because she hadn`t prayed in a long time and needed to ask for forgiveness from God in a personal prayer first.


In that moment I felt the spirit guide me so that she would pray. I shared with her an experience. One time a teenager, like all teenagers, I had a quarrel with my mom. We had been ignoring each other and not talking until I cut my finger while cleaning. It had been a deep enough cut that it needed mothers care. I thought `` I need my mom, but she`s mad at me``. In the end I ended up asking her for help. Instead of continuing being mad she helped me.


I explained to G that her Heavenly Father wants to help her. At times we feel unworthy of his help, but no matter what we do wrong. After that she said `` Ok, I`ll pray.`` She said a BEAUTIFUL prayer. I felt the spirit as she began speaking with her Heavenly Father for her needs and to know if the message we had shared was true. The spirit filled the room and she received her answer. In the end she asked us if she could have time to think, because she had no idea what had happened to Joseph Smith. It was amazing.


I really do know that as we look for the guidance of our Heavenly Father when we have righteous desires he guides us and helps us through our prayers. We prayed everyday as a companionship for his help to reach our goal every day, G prayed for what she desired to know in our lesson, and each prayer was answered. I know that the power of our prayers is strong and we should kneel before our Heavenly Father every day for what we need and desire.


Love, Sister Baca

Feliz cumple a mí compañera!

Feliz Navidad in JULY

A lunch that changed my life

A family from my last ward knew I was going to be at the temple so they came to see me. IT WAS AWESOME!

Familia Laguna

We put our garbage in the trees so dogs don´t eat it, but we came home to a horse eating it. _ç-__- 

You know I´m really sick when I´m willing to take pills. ( first time in years)

How I woke up this morning.

July 14th




We had interviews this week with president and I loved it! He is incredible. Everything he said was absolutely inspired. Everything he said was exactly what we needed, it was exactly what Uruguay needed. It´s what Uruguayans need to wake up.

Satan has a way of putting us into a trap of sleeping where we don´t even realize what we are doing is going to destroy us. President explained it very clear to us and as I was studying in Alma I read about a similar trap Moroni used.

Moroni was fighting for the liberty of his people in a war with the guidance of the Lord. He decided that to trick Laminite guards he would send a trusted lamanite servant of King Malikiah to trick his fellow lamanite guards with wine.

The servant told the guards that all the prisoners of Moroni had escaped and that he had wine for them to enjoy AFTER the war. The guards, being overjoyed with what seemed to be ¨victory¨fell into their unrighteous desires and drank the wine in that momento ( Alma 55:8-13). This was exactly what Moroni wanted when he sent the fellow lamanite prisoner with wine. Then, having fallen into the trap of Moroni they fell drunk, into a profound sleep ( Alma 55:15-16)As they followed sleeping Moroni carried out his plan. He went past the guards and saved his people. Just because the Lamanites trusted a friend who said ¨ Goa head and drink, everything ok.¨

The adversary Works the same. He will send ¨friends¨who will tempt us and say ¨it´s ok!¨ It´s ok to skip church, take a drink, not say your prayers, not read your scriptures, ect. ALL OF WHICH ARE UNRIGHTEOUS DESIRES, AND A TRICK. We get into a routine of not doing these things and just like that, we´re sleeping.

The good thing is that because of the atonement we have the opportunity to STOP sleeping. We can wake up unto God and receive repentance after we fall into Satan's trap. ( ALMA 5:7) That´s what he wants. The Atonement is endless.

I am grateful for the Atonement and the guidance of the scriptures I have to lead me out of the daily traps the adversary puts in front of me. I am grateful for the atonement and the power that´s in it to receive mercy that´s in it. I know that I have a Savior that paid for my sins to give me the opportunity to learn and repent. To fall asleep and wake up.

July 21

To start off Hermana C, who is the wife of the ex-bishop that I wrote about in my letter on June 9th. CAME TO CHURCH YESTERDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!! Not only did she come, but she brought her inactive aunt!!!!!!!!!!!! SHE CAME TO CHURCH! HOY ES EL DIA!!!!! The promise in Doctrine in Covenants 18:15 is true. Yesterday was one of the happiest moments in my life!

 

I had a dream the other night that I was on a bus home with a bunch of other missionaries who were ending the mission. I started contacting people who were sitting on the bus as I looked out the window I suddenly realized that I was close to home. Upon my realization I immediately burst into tears.

I got off the bus at my house with my whole family waiting outside for me. I stood in front of my house, still crying, with my mom saying “ I don’t want to be here, I don’t want to be here. “ ( but in Spanish) “Yo no quiero estar aquí, yo no quiero estar aquí“. I don’t think I have ever been so heart broken in a dream. Haha I woke up so heartbroken that I wasn't in Uruguay, but luckily for me IM HERE!!!

The joy I find from this work is indescribable. Its hard, but those days that I have like yesterday when I saw Hermana C walk in pay it all off. I know that’s how Jesus Christ feels when someone makes the decision to apply the atonement in their life. All the suffering he went through pays off.

I work in an area where there isn't even one firm member of the church. It was a miracle yesterday when 20 people from my area where sitting in church. 6 of them were investigators and they all came with a less active member from my area. That’s the power of working with members. AHORA ES EL MOMENTO – President Monson. 2013 I am grateful that I can share this joy with these members from Cerro. We are seeing miracles together.

Cerro is waking up! Teaching them using Alma 5:7 and the doctrine of Christ has really made the difference. As a companionship we have had AMAZING lessons filled with the spirit.

One day we went to visit an inactive member that hasn't gone to church in years. I felt the impression to ask him “Hermano, when was the last time you felt the spirit in your life? “ Her then responded saying “ Hermana, Its been a long time“ .We then read Alma 5:7 and explained that he was sleeping and couldn't feel the spirit, but if he wakes up he can have this light in his life again.

 I could feel the spirit so strong as I testified to him. Right in the middle of me speaking he interrupted and said “When you speak you use all your heart. I don’t know what it is about the way you speak, but it’s different. “ I then told him that it wasn't me that made him feel this. I’m just an instrument in the hands of the Lord and what he felt was HIS Heavenly Father giving him the message he needed.

WOW! The spirit was so strong. We ended the lesson with inviting him to make the gospel apart of his life more through prayer, scripture study, and church to feel more of this spirit. When he went to say the closing prayer he couldn't even end, because he was crying so much.

I know my Heavenly Father has so much love for these people. He wants his children to WAKE UP. Their salvation is at risk. He sent his son to save them. I know the atonement is real and we can wake up and never sleep again if we use it. HOY ES EL DIA! 

July 29

Nothing new. Only my companion who I will be TRAINING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

August 4

I am officially a mom AKA trainer in the misión. When I went to look for mi ¨hija¨ my travel plans were so crazy. It all started the night before we left. The secretaries who do all the travel plans didn´t buy the bus tickets in time so there was no space for us to go to Montevideo.  There were 4 sisters who were ending the misión and me. In the end the secretaries found a prívate owned van who makes trips to Montevideo.

 It was super tiny and there were 6 missionaries, 5 with a year and a half worth of stuff, and one mini  van = NO BUENO. It was interesting 10 hour ride and to make it even more interesting the driver was half asleep the whole time. Our zone leader who was sitting next to him didn´t sleep the whole time in fear of his life.

 

We finally got to Montevideo and I was excited to find mi ¨hija¨. Every time the new missionaries meet their trainers for the first time they put stand all the new missionaries in a line with their eyes shut. After that the trainers come behind them and sing ¨Called to Serve¨. At the end of the song they turn around to see their trainers, but due to the delays in travels I wasn´t there. We turned the corner to the temple and they were all taking pictures. I felt like a mom who missed the first day of kindergarten and started to cry. Haha My poor zone leader who was in the car with me was like ¨No Hermana Baca don´t cry we´ll run so you can meet her!¨ We jumped out of the van ( like an action movie) and I met my ¨hija¨ crying and everything.

 

In the momento it was super frustrating, but in 10 years its not going to matter HOW I met her whats important is THAT I met her. Really it´s exactly what I wanted. Everyone kept asking me before ¨Do you think she will be latina or gringa?¨and my response was always ¨She has to be Latina from Guatemala because my ¨parents¨in the misión are both from Guatemala. I guessed it! Hermana Barrios from Guatemala.

I couldn´t have asked for a better daughter. We have already seen so many miracles. I know she learned a lot in the MTC because she has applied everything she has learned during the lessons. She extends baptism dates, follows the spirit, and applies everything I try and teach her.

I remember not being able to teach well in the beginning of my misión. I felt like I didn´t have the lessons memorized well enough to teach. That doesn't bother Hermana Barrios, because she is able to follow the spirit in every lesson. Shes great.

HOY ES EL DIA!

Love,

Hermana Baca

I remember not being able to teach well in the begi

August 11

I feel so blessed to be in my area and to have so much time to see the changes that have happened in the last few months. I love Artigas, because not only have I been able to see changes in the people, but I have changed a lot here as a missionary. I feel like I´m closer to becoming in the missionary I want to be every day.

We recently started working with an ex-investigator again named Alfredo who is really golden.  He always has questions and I feel like he is more than ready for baptism. One day he started telling us that he sees how the young boys who are always on a street corner whistle at us and bother us. We always tell them ´´hi´´, but never stop to talk. He told us one day that we should stop and help them instead of continuing walking. They were all under the age of 18 and most of them smoke and just sit on the same corner all day.

Man, did I feel bad. My investigator was telling me to do something I should have done a long time ago to be more Christ like. We left his house and it just happened to be that there were about 8 young men on the street corner. Me and my companion both stopped and went to talk to them. We taught them the first lesson right in the street. I am so grateful for the lessons even my investigators teach me every day.

I feel like the more I learn from them the more I am able to learn and serve like Christ. It´s amazing to be able to serve and see miracles like Christ did. I know he really loves and cares about every one of these people. He really is looking for his sheep I see it every day whether it´s young people on the street or references.

We received a reference for the same lady 2 times this week. One from and investigator and one from a member. We went to find the reference and it turned out that she was an inactive member. She has 3 young children with one on the way and recently separated from her husband.

When we entered the house and started teaching I felt like I had been studying for her the whole week. We talked about the purpose of Christ in her like. How he came to save all mankind and complete the will of his father using 3 Nephi 27:13. We read how ´´there was no other way a man could be saved, but only by the atoning blood of Jesucristo. Remember, he came to redeem the world.´´

We explained that we really know her Heavenly Father loves her and wants her to return. Not only did he send his son to help her return, but 2 friends of her gave us her name. Her Savior is really looking for her. Just like the Savior looked for the one lost sheep out of a 100. The will of the father was to save every sheep and we read in Mathew 18 where it says that ¨it´s not the will of the father that one sheep should perish¨.

It was a special visit. I really know that the Lord is searching for every sheep. I feel it and my testimony grows every day that HOY ES EL DIA that the Lord is hastening his work. I know he died and suffered for us and that he loves us.

Love,

Hermana Baca

August 18

I have been sick with a cold these last couple of weeks because the weather just can´t seem to make up its mind. One day it will be sunny and warm then the next day it will be a crisp cold with wind. Uruguay weather really tears up an immune system. Even though I have an immune system that doesn´t have the motivation to work, I have the motivation to work.

I feel so much love and concern for the people we have been working with. It´s a lot easier to work unwearyingly when you do it out of love. It´s like a mother who never stops taking care of her children even though she´s sick. This love is the same love the Savior has for his children and how I feel as a representative of Christ working in his place.

Nefi was a great example of this love to help the children of God. He worked unwearyingly to convert the rebellious Nephites. Even though they had treated him badly he still felt worried for the salvation of them. It was because he understood the will of our Heavenly Father that every one of his children returns to live with him.

´´ Blessed art thou, Nephi, for those things which thou hast done; for I have beheld how thou hast with unwearyingness declared the word, which I have given unto thee, unto this people. And thou hast not feared them, and hast not sought thine own life, but hast sought my will, and to keep my commandments.´´ Helaman 10:4

The will of our Heavenly Father is to help his children return. I am here to do the will of my Heavenly Father, because I love him. I worry every Sunday when someone doesn´t come to church, I am sad when I see that someone’s not applying the invitation to read or pray, and at times I even feel stressed for the salvation of my brothers.

Heavenly Father loved us so much that he sent his only son to teach and do HIS will.

´´ And behold, I am the light and the life of the world; and I have drunk out of that bitter cup which the Father hath given me, and have glorified the Father in taking upon me the sins of the world, in the which I have suffered the will of the Father in all things from the beginning.´´ 3 Nephi 11:11

He suffered the price so that all the less actives and investigators in my area could receive salvation. I only have to teach and guide them to help them receive the saving ordinances they need.

I feel my Heavenly Fathers love as I work with them every day. I know he loves each and every one of us that he sends missionaries like Nephi to work unwearyingly to help everyone return. I know I have a redeemer who paid the price of his father to help me. I feel my saviors strength every day as I work. 

Love, 

Hermana Baca

President gave us permission to see watch the futbol games when Uruguay plays because no one lets us teach when there´s a game....

VAMOS URUGUAY!!!!!

Hermana Petein wants to jump too!

 Favorite district ever! 

                                                                          Correlation

 GANAMOS!!!
    Thumbs up for Uruguay!