valor para conquistar.

"Todo lo puedo en Cristo que me fortalece."
-Filipenses 4:13

Tengo una secreta. Esta vida es difícil.
Pero, mas importante, es que la vida es feliz.
Por que?
Porque tememos nuestro hermano mayor, Jesucristo, y Su ejemplo, Su expiacion, y esperanza que por medio El, podemos volver a nuestro Padre Celestial.

Me he pasado toda mi vida, tener miedo de, bueno, todo tipo de cosas realmente. La gente que me conoce va a pensar que estoy mintiendo. O simplemente ser bastante ridículo. Pero si acabas de conocer, probablemente estara de acuerdo conmigo, porque he sido probablemente demasiado miedo para hablar con usted...Un poco irónico para un misionero?

Pero hoy he descubierto esta maravillosa perla de conocimiento [o, mejor dicho, re-descubierto lo que ya sabía.] De nuestro amado profeta Presidente Thomas S. Monson:

"Vamos a tener el coraje de desafiar el consenso, el valor de defender los principios. El coraje no, el compromiso, trae la sonrisa de aprobación de Dios. El coraje se convierte en una vida y una virtud atractiva cuando es considerada no sólo como una voluntad de morir con valentía, pero también como la determinación de vivir decentemente. Un cobarde moral es aquel que tiene miedo de hacer lo que él cree que es correcto porque otros desaprueban o se ríe. Recuerde que todos los hombres tienen sus temores, pero los que se enfrentan sus temores con dignidad tienen valor también. " 

No importa lo que los miedos que podamos tener, que se puede conquistar con valentía, porque Cristo ha vencido a todos.

courage to conquer.

"I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me."
-Philippians 4:13

I've got a secret. Life is hard.
But much more importantly, is that life is happy.
Why?
Because we have our older brother, Jesus Christ, and His example, His atonement and hope that through Him, we can return to live with our Heavenly Father.

I've spent my whole life being afraid of, well, all sorts of things really. People who really know me will think that I'm lying. Or just being pretty ridiculous. But if we've just met, you'll probably agree with me because I've probably been too afraid to really talk to you... A little ironic for a missionary right?

But today I discovered this wonderful nugget of knowledge [or rather, re-discovered what I already knew] from our beloved prophet, President Thomas S. Monson:

“Let us have the courage to defy the consensus, the courage to stand for principle. Courage, not compromise, brings the smile of God’s approval. Courage becomes a living and an attractive virtue when it is regarded not only as a willingness to die manfully, but also as a determination to live decently. A moral coward is one who is afraid to do what he thinks is right because others will disapprove or laugh. Remember that all men have their fears, but those who face their fears with dignity have courage as well.”

No matter what fears we may have, they can be conquered with courage, because Christ conquered all.

expections.

Today Hermana Dodge and I were talking about the expectations we've had over the last few months from the time we sent in mission my papers until now.

I was thinking about how I so thought I knew what I was doing. But at the same time, I had no idea. But I was comforted in the fact that I wasn't only putting in mission papers, I was also putting all of my trust in the Lord.

Thinking about all of this made me think of this pre-mission post:

"i can't even adequately express how excited i am for this. i am so incredibly amazed that heavenly father knows me so well. and he knows the people who live in the tennessee nashville mission and he trusts me enough to go and share his gospel with them. it's overwhelming. not going to lie. but i am so ready. well, maybe not completely. but as ready as i'm going to get by myself. i know that with the lord's help and with a worthy heart and willing hands i can help spread the gospel to my brothers and sisters who are ready to hear it. i'm so stoked. and that's not even a good enough word.
the gospel brings me so much joy. so much more than i ever thought possible. it never ceases to amaze me. and i am so excited to help others come to know our savior and experience the joy that this gospel brings into the lives of those who come to know it's truths.
bring on the next eighteen months."

I wrote this the day after I got my call.

When Hermana Dodge and I were talking this morning, I had already forgotten what I had gained a testimony of. Even if it was only six months ago. I had forgotten to keep all of my trust in the only two people who know me better than I know me--my Heavenly Father and my Savior, Jesus Christ. I just remembered that this truly is Their work. That the expectations that They have for me and for the people here in Tennessee who need Them in their lives is far greater than anything I could ever begin to imagine.

Expectations are an interesting thing. And I know that there are a whole lot of things that lay in store that I haven't ever thought about before. But it's a good thing to know that if I put my whole heart in His work, and my whole life in His hands, and all my trust in His wisdom that is far greater than mine, I'll be good. We all will. But even more than that, so will the people we meet.

It's amazing how our Heavely Father knows each of us. Individually.

He knows what we need. He knows how to get us there. And He's going to put us in the places and put people in our paths that will give us the best possible shot at godhood.

So I'll end this in the same way I did the last one:

Bring on the next 13 months.

lluvia de tennessee.

Ayer, llovió bastante.

En mas de un sentido.

Salimos nuestra cita a las 5 pm y estaba lloviendo bien duro. Como cubos de agua que caen del cielo.

Habia agua todos lados; En la calle y caendo desde la autopista.

Estamos muy bendicidas que tenemos un carro para manejar. Pero todavia paso mucho tiempo en la lluvia porque teniamos que caminar de nuestro carro a las puertas de nuestras citas. Y no dejara de llover!

Y a las 7pm, estabamos bien mojados.

[deje que se vierta!]

[Reconozca sus bendiciones que llover sobre usted, y los disfrute con gracias. (Vea DyC 105:12)]

Pero aunque estaba lloviendo muchisimo y estabamos bien mojados, reconocimos nuestras bendiciones.

-el carro que manejamos.

-nuestros mochilas.

-las personas que ensenamos.

-las citas que teniamos.

-los porches para estar de pie.

-las puertas para tocar.

-los charcos para saltar por encima.

-tennessee.

-los arboles verdes.

-la lluvia.

-el Evengelio de Jesucristo.

-El Libro de Mormon.

-la Iglesia de Jesucristo de los Santos de los Ultimos Dias.

-ser misioneras.

tennessee rain.

Yesterday, it poured.

In more way than one.

We came out of our dinner appointment and it was raining so hard. Like buckets falling from the sky.

There was standing water everywhere and when we drove under the freeway, water was just cascading from the overpass.

We're so blessed to have a car to drive. But we still spent a lot of time in the rain yesterday getting to doorsteps and back to our car and the rain just would not let up.

And by 7:00, we were soaking wet.

But even though it was raining and we were drenched all the way through, we remembered our blessings.

-the car we drive.

-our backpacks.

-the people we teach.

-the appointments we had.

-porches to stand on.

-doors to knock.

-puddles to jump over.

-Tennessee.

-green trees.

-the rain.

-the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

-The Book of Mormon.

-The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

-being missionaries.

solo un recordatorio.

Soy una hija de Dios.
El es mi Padre Celesital.
El me ama.
El me conoce por mi nombre.
El sabe mis faltas y debilidades.
El sabe como me ayude a superarles.
El envio a Su Hijo a morir para mi.
El quiere que yo regrese a El.

Soy una hijo de Dios.
y adivina que?
usted es uno tambien.

just a reminder.

I am a child of God.
He's my Heavenly Father.
He loves me.
He knows me by name.
He knows my faults and weaknesses.
He knows how to help me overcome them.
He sent His Son to die for me.
He wants me to return to him.

I am a child of God.
And guess what?
So are you.

oh dulce, grata oración.

Oh dulce, grata oración, que calmas toda aflicción, al Padre puedes acudir y ante El, por mí pedir.
En las tristezas y pesar mi alma pudo descansar, y se libró de tentación en dulce, grata oración; y se libró de tentación en dulce, grata oración.

Oh dulce, grata oración, tu llevarás mi petición.
Al Rey eterno llegarás; sus bendiciones pedirás.
Al invitarme mi Senor a fiar en El y Su amor, le abriré mi corazon en dulce, grata oración; le abriré mi corazón en dulce, grata oración.

Oh dulce, grata oración, anhelo tu consolación; al ver la muerte acercar, el miedo puedes alejar.
cuando la vida deje ya, iré al Padre Celestial, buscando a Sus pies perdón en dulce, grata oración, buscando a sus pies perdón en dulce, grata oración.

[Oh dulce, grata oración--Himnos #78]

Me encanta esta canción.
Tambien, me encanta la oración.
Porque la oración en un gran bendición de nuestro Padre Celestial.

Por medio la oración podemos:

sentir el amor de Dios.

sentir el Espititu Santo.

recibir guia por nuestras vidas.

saber que Dios existe y que El nos escucha.

sentir la paz y la tranquilidad.

"conocer la verdad de todas las cosas."

[Moroni 10:5 (3-5)]

recibir respuestas a nuestras preguntas.

fortalecer las relaciones.

saber que no estamos solos.

recibir las bendiciones de guardar los mandamientos.

Hay muchisimos bendiciones de la oración.

sweet hour of prayer.

Sweet hour of prayer! Sweet hour of prayer!
That calls me from a world of care and bids me at my Father’s throne, make all my wants and wishes known.
In seasons of distress and grief, my soul has often found relief and oft escaped the tempter’s snare by thy return, sweet hour of prayer!
And oft escaped the tempter’s snare by thy return, sweet hour of prayer!

Sweet hour of prayer! Sweet hour of prayer!
Thy wings shall my petition bear to him whose truth and faithfulness engage the waiting soul to bless.
And since he bids me seek his face, believe his word, and trust his grace, I’ll cast on him my ev’ry care and wait for thee, sweet hour of prayer!
I’ll cast on him my ev’ry care and wait for thee, sweet hour of prayer!

[Sweet hour of Prayer--Hymns #142]

I love this song.

Also, I love prayer.

Because prayer is a huge blessing from our Heavenly Father.

Through prayer we can:

feel the love of God.

feel the Holy Ghost.

receive guidance for our lives.

know that God exists and that He hears us.

feel peace and calmness.

"know the truth of all things."

[Moroni 10:5 (3-5)]

receive answers to our questions.

strengthen our relationships.

know that we're not alone.

receive blessings from keeping the commandments.

There are so many blessings of prayer.