Hermana Gardner: 11/20/23

 Feliz Dia del Pavo!

Hello everyone! 

Another week FLEW by! This week we had lots of opportunities to teach and testify of Christ. One of the best parts about being a missionary is when those you are teaching truly understand a principle of the gospel and you can just see it click in their countenance. This week that happened with our friend Sonia. She currently has a date to be baptized and little by little has been learning more about the gospel. We asked her about how she is feeling about her baptism and she said she is nervous because she doesn't know if she is going to have the strength to stay strong even after baptism and do everything God asks her to do. The spirit directed us to share some scriptures in Mosiah 24 that talk about the STRENGTH we can find through Jesus Christ as we make and keep covenants:

"And it came to pass that the voice of the Lord came to them in their afflictions, saying: Lift up your heads and be of good comfort, for I know of the covenant which ye have made unto me; and I will covenant with my people and deliver them out of bondage.

And I will also ease the burdens which are put upon your shoulders, that even you cannot feel them upon your backs, even while you are in bondage; and this will I do that ye may stand as witnesses for me hereafter, and that ye may know of a surety that I, the Lord God, do visit my people in their afflictions." 

After reading the scriptures we asked her what she learned and she beautifully shared with us the joy and strength that comes as we make covenants with God. WE WERE OVERJOYED. The spirit was so strong and I am so grateful for Sonia and her faith. 

🔆Some other highlights from this week were:🔆

- a bunch of opportunities to share what I have learned as a missionary! We had zone conference this week and because this is my last transfer, I bore my testimony and got to play the hymns! It was definitely a bittersweet moment. I started out a bit sad, but ended on top of the world! The other STL's in my zone and I got to do a training on following-up as well. It is so fun to teach those trainings because I learn so much from other missionaries and from the Spirit! 

- Sister Esplin and I also got to speak this Sunday on whatever we wanted! The gift of tongues is real because it's Sister Esplin's third week speaking Spanish here in Portland and she killed it! 

- FHE and soccer night! SO many people showed up and some members invited their friends so we were able to talk to them more about the gospel! 

- exchanges with sister dallimore! She just got here from the Nauvoo site so it's been very cool to hear her perspective on missionary work. 

- spirit-lead saturday! We had a meeting with our new-missionary mentor and set the goal to be led by the spirit in all things! Two days later we had a day jam-packed with lessons, but as the day went on, a lot started canceling. Even so, the Lord had a better plan and we drove from person to person and found so many new friends! We got there at the exact moment in the exact right time. God is definitely in the details. 

One last thought on gratitude. Our wonderful district leader Elder Behunin shared a thought on gratitude and I really loved it. He spoke of the 10 lepers and really what the one leper gained as he returned to thank the Savior. He said he realized that the leper gained an experience where he came to know Jesus Christ personally. He fell at His feet with tears in his eyes and truly understood not only that Jesus healed him, but WHY Jesus healed him.

Please, this week thank your Heavenly Father. Truly and genuinely take some time to get to know Him. Everything He does for us and reveals to us is so that we can better come to know Him and His perfect love. 

con mucho amor y cariño, hermana Gardner 🩷🩷