Just wanted to start today's entry with some more of the pictures Courtney has sent from Nicaragua. She sent a few more, but was very explicit in what could be posted here....Here are the ones she wanted us to share:
The "awesome" LDS Church building in Leon, Nicaragua
Nicaragua's beautiful sky....
Oh, yea! Frosted Flakes in Nicaragua!!
Another view of the awesome sky....
Anita (the older lady in white in the center), Courtney's first baptism that she and her companion taught from start to finish.
And now, in her words, the next installment:
Sooo.. this has been a week of firsts. I had my first sick day
confined to a bed. I had my first fast sunday. I was soaked almost
completely from head to toe (even with an umbrella!) for the first
time. I recognized areas and directions for the first time. I had my
first dream about teaching lessons. Someone asked for a pamphlet or
something to read before we had even talked about that, which is a
first for my comp too haha. For the first time, I also had to look up
a word on the spanish side because I couldn´t remember what it was in
English. And it was my first baptism for someone I´d taught from start
to finish. Her name is Anita and she is a classy lady and a wonderful
example for her children and grandchildren, who are also now
interested in the church when at first they rejected it flat out. The
Lord works in mysterious ways :) We moved the date for the beach to
the 18th, and I think right now we have dates for about 5 people to be
baptized that day, and 1 this saturday, but I´m not exactly sure.
After all, they do speak in Spanish here. Haha!
I want you to know you never know what the Lord has planned for you.
You never know what answers you´re going to get... some lessons cannot
be taught except by experience, some can´t be learned until a time of
reflection much further down the road, and others are thrown right in
your face. In times of difficulty and doubt, we must hold fast to our
faith and the testimonies we know we have, knowing that this is just
one of those trials.. and it will pass soon. We are told if we bear
with patience our afflictions we will be given success. And no trials
¨for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: Nevertheless
afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them
which are exercised (trained/disciplined) thereby¨ Heb 12:11.
The Lord only lets trials and hard things come by His children so that
we can be refined. And ¨he that refuseth instruction despiseth his own
soul¨ Prov 15:31-32. Trials never rob us of happiness and the light;
only the adversary does that, when we let him. We have the power to
crush his head. We are that we might have joy, and the Lord expects us
to have joy and happiness, even when things are dark. These things are
for our good and will give us experience. Patience is not just about
enduring; it´s about enduring well. It´s to see if we truly do love
and trust the Lord and His timinig... the active working of faith in
the process of perfection. Elder Uchtdorf said, ¨Patience means to
abide in faith, knowing that sometimes it is in the waiting rather
than in the receiving that we grow the most.¨
You can do better ALL the time. We are given weaknesses so we have
something to work on... and if we are not progressing, we are
digressing; there is no middle ground. Yes it´s a battle. Yes, it´s
hard. But it is worth it.. it is the plan of the Lord that we are
here, progressing, learning and preparing to return to Him. Not all of
life can be cake because if it was, we wouldn´t appreciate it. I think
the main reason a mission is said to be so hard is because we feel the
pressure. We know the vast importance of the work and what is
expected, however, we are human and therefore have personal
weaknesses, hurdles that we have to surpass to do it. I know that we
will never be able to be perfect here, but I also know that we can
try, and the Lord will reach our reaching.
Also if you ever get an opportunity to do something good, do it. Seek
it. What is your dream? There are so many that are denied the
opportunity and means to achieve theirs. You can. Either way you will
grow old. You might as well achieve your goals along the way. I also
promise that if what you seek is worthy and good, you exercise effort
and do your part, and you ask the Lord for help in achieving it, it
will happen. It is possible. Remember, as the song goes, ¨Fairytales
do come true, but you gotta make it happen - it all depends on you!¨
Also - shout out of FELIZ CUMPLEANOS to Cousins Alex & Izzy and to
Grandpa B! I hope you had a MAGICAL day!
Well.. nos vemos!
Hna ´Rishin´
