Mosiah 2:21-24 & 41

And the roller coaster continues... I had a really good week this week. As usual I learned a ton. But I just found out I'm finally being transferred. I've been in Antipolo for 7 months. I love these people with my whole soul. And this area is all I know. I feel so unready, but I know Heavenly Father takes us out of our comfort zones (katulad ng sinabi ng guro ko sa e-mail niya :) to help us to stretch and grow and become more like Him and live up to our potential. Pero grabei. Mahirap. I don't even know what to expect. I feel like I'm starting the mission all over again. But I'll roll with the punches... In one of our lessons, wow. Heavenly Father helped me to think twice before I pass judgment. We were heading to this one less active, and I wasn't very excited about it because she hasn't really been interested and halos walang progression. As we taught I was thinking, does she even care? And then all of a sudden she started crying. She testified that life wasn't this hard when she was going to church every week. She knows the Church has blessed her life. It's hard to explain how. But Heavenly Father just pours out more blessings upon us as we obey His commandments. That's just how it works. He provides for us spiritually and temporally--He keeps His promises as we keep ours. The gospel of Jesus Christ is the only real thing that will help us now and in the eternities (not just now and not just in the eternities, but both)! At the end of last week we taught a lesson to someone in the midst of affliction. I thought how can words from the scriptures help? I had a lack of faith in the power of the word of God, but the next day in personal study, it was restored. I read about the wars among the Nephites and Lamanites and how part of the Nephite preparations were preparing themselves spiritually with the word of God, while the Lamanites prepared using fraud and deceit. (Alma 48:7, 61:21) And guess who won? Those who prepared spiritually. They had built up their faith that God would deliver them by giving them strength through the enabling power of the Atonement. The gospel of Jesus Christ works... for real problems. I know I'm not wasting 18 months by preaching to people. I know that what I'm sharing is true and real, and if we apply it we'll see the fruits of the gospel in our lives--peace, happiness, strength, the love of God. We can't just study the words we have to live them. Easier said than done, but thankfully Heavenly Father has infinite patience with us. Mahal ko kayo, Sister Cope Pictures of the Week: 1. Zone Conference at the mission home! 2. Kay Naog/Santana sunsets <3 3. Enjoying mango with Sister Contaoi, a returning member, and her neighbor and best friend, Sister Jessica. 4. I'm going to miss them. Malakas ang pananampalataya nila. Amazing examples to me of what God will bless us with if we put our trust in Him. 5. Family Home Evening with the Tidors. Lots of powder and a couple tears, but masaya... :) 6. Goodbye Antipolo Zone...