Friday, February 24, 2012

New Calling!

Well I've received a new calling, Primary Secretary.

I have to admit that being the very imperfect person that I am I was kind of upset when the bishop told me last minute that I would be released from my 2nd Counselor in the Y.W. calling. I didn't understand why, it seemed so soon, like we were barely getting the grove of things.

Then the next week he told me what my new calling would be. I was pretty surprised. Wasn't expecting that. But I have to say that I now truly do believe that H.F. works in mysterious ways. Many people think that working with the primary is a lesser calling, and especially being secretary. In my own life I've come to learn that this is far from the truth. The primary is super important, it's the place that helps our little ones to learn to love the gospel.

I'm so excited because I'm going to be able to help out in every aspect of the primary. I've been a primary teacher before, for the 5 & 6 year olds and it was a wonderful experience. But now I'll be able to help in whatever I'm needed, not just to take attendance.

I have truly learned to take and love every calling I've received. It really is an opportunity to share and grow your talents and to serve others and the Lord. Yes, it may be hard at times. I've had my share of hardships and low moments in my callings, but I've refused to give in to the adversary and I have come out shining on the other side. I can't wait to get started! I know that callings bring tons of blessings to others and especially for us and our families if we strive to give it our all.

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

David's Sunday Talk

This past Sunday was a very wonderful day. David gave a talk on tithing in sacrament. It had been a loooong time since he had a chance to give a talk in church and it was his first one since reactivating himself in church.

He hadn't seemed to happy the Sunday before last when he received a tiny paper with his topic. So I was a little worried. I told him he would be fine and told him I would help him in anything he needed. The week started off and Monday came, Tuesday, Wednesday went by and he couldn't find time to get the talk started. I started to worry. Then Thursday he started to do research on the topic but wasn't able to get much done. Saturday night he finally sat down to get it done. Shouldn't be surprised, he's more of a last minute type of person! I was surprised at how hard he was working at it. He doesn't like to read, yet he made sure to read plenty of talks and searched the scriptures. Then he got to typing, he would ask me for help to interpret things from english to spanish (we go to a spanish speaking ward) and to proof read. It was actually coming along very well. When he was done, he was very worried because it didn't seem long enough. It had to be about 10 minutes long but I assured him he would be fine and gave him some ideas on how he could lenghten it.

The next morning we woke up early and got ready for church. He looked very handsome! We got to church a couple of minutes early so we had time to settle in. We each went to our respective classes for the next hour and then met up for the second hour class. He looked a little nervous as the time approached for sacrament meeting. Then it was time, we walked to the sacrament room and choose our bench to sit in and settled in. He then turned to me and said he was very worried because the bishop told him he actually had more like 20 minutes to talk and he didn't know how he was going to do it. But since he was suppose to be the last speaker I told him he would be fine since usually the first speakers take up all the time. But to our surprise he was announced as going first and he was really the only speaker aside from two of our youth who were asked to give their testimonies. But I assured him he would be fine and that the spirit would guide his words to be able to talk the right amount of time.

He walked up to the pulpit and started to talk very nervously. At first he was stumbling with his words and you couldn't quite understand him. He started off explaining what tithing was. At that point Jaimito started to have a tantrum and I had to pick him up and take him to the back of the chapel. I was trying to calm Jaime down at the same time I was trying to listen to David. He then started to talk about his own experience.

Before I continue, let me tell you a little background. We have always struggle with paying our tithing, especially David. And we hadn't payed it for quite awhile, we had started too last year but not with a sincere heart, as a result we stopped again. Yet our money never seemed to be enough and we were never at peace. But this year has been such a year of growth and building our testimony through God's little miracles in our life. It's barely been about 3 weeks since David all by himself decided to pay our tithing and wonderful things have happened that testify to us the wonderful love that our Heavenly Father has for us and the reason for the law of tithing. We haven't won the lottery, and we haven't magically solved our money problems. But it's much more than that, it's greater blessings that can't compare to all the riches in the world. So you can imagine why this topic was dear to our hearts and how it was such a blessing that he received this topic for his talk.

Okay, back to his talk. As he started to share our experience as a couple with tithing his eyes started to get watery. Now I rarely seem him cry, actually I can count them on my hands the times he's cried. Yet he's a big cry baby, that's why he tries to stay away from anything that will make him cry. He then continued to share how we never really payed it and how we had then decided for me to stay home with the kids even if that meant being tight at home. He then started to share his experience of how he now decided to start paying his tithing. How he did a small sincer prayer to God and put all his trust in him. Then something wonderful happened. He started to cry, a deep uncontrollable cry. The chapel was silent (which usually doesn't happen to often, but even the babies where quite) a strong feeling was felt through out. As he tried to continue through his tears he bared his testimony of how he has learned to put his trust in God, he shared that he has had great experiences lately that testify to him the truth of the gospel. Of how he now has peace and faith in our future and knows that H.F. will help us provide for our families and our necesities as we obey his commandments and do our part. How the riches and luxuries of the world aren't as important as he use to think. His tears kept coming and a strong feeling of the spirit surrounded us all who listened to his testimony. As he finished his talk and walked off the stage the chapel continued to be silent and reverant. I could see people's faces and saw how they too had felt the spirit. As the bishop approached the pulpit he paused before he proceeded, it was just such a peaceful moment. David was still crying as he sat with me and his kids and hugged us. I knew they were tears of joy, tears that came from the knowledge that he knew this church was true and that his Heavenly Father loved him and blessed him.

He hadn't talked for the full 20 minutes but it didn't matter, his words had been enough. Afterwards so many members came up to him to thank him for his talk or to express how they too had experience similar things. They hugged him, shook his hand, and shared tears with him. I hope he realized how many people he had touched with his sincere words. Now I understand what truly talking with the spirit means. What it means to allow the spirit to guide your words.

I sat there full of emotions. I never thought I would see this day. David as the faithful priesthood holder that I knew he was capable of being. I'm amazed at the transformation that only can be possible through the atonement of Jesus Christ and the love that our Heavenly Father has for us. The power that the Holy Ghost has in testifying to each one of us the truth of all things. I'm so very grateful to Heavenly Father for touching David's spirit and allowing him to learn and grow spiritually everyday. I'm so very happy and excited to help nurture and grow our testimony as a couple and eternal family that we are. So that we can become an even stronger and faithful family. We have a lot to change and grow still but that's why we're here on earth. To grow and perfect ourselves to one day be with our eternal families in the presence of our Heavenly Father.

Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Las Bendiciones de hacer nuestras visitas.

Tenia que escribir la gran esperiencia que tuve anoche.

Ya tenia hecha una cita para hacer una de mis visitas de maestras visitantes. La tenia a las 6. Tambien hoy David tenia que hablar a Sallie Mae para tratar de arreglar lo de sus prestamos que nos estan afectando el credito y por resultado nos afecta las posibilidades de comprar la casa que queremos. Teniamos fe de que todo saldria bien.

Cuando bajo las escaleras no traia con si buenas noticias. No nos podia ayudar. Asi que las posibilidades de comprar nuestra casa se mirarian muy lejanas. Despues de discutir un poco mas las opciones que tal ves tendriamos para resolver esto, y despues de que David me tratara de explicar la llamad una y otra ves me invadio un sentimiento de enojo y tristesa a la misma ves. Me sentia a un mas molesta con mi misma porque yo le havia pedido a Dios que me ayudara a aceptar su voluntad, sin embargo ahora que los resultados no eran buenos realmente no estaba aceptando su voluntad. Como podria ir a hacer esta visita a la hermana si yo me sentia tan mal?

Decidi ir de todos modos. Me subi al carro y lo prendi, le baje al radio y empese mi oracion. Las lagrimas empesaron a derramarse de mis ojos. Me halle haciendo unas de las oraciones mas sinceras de mi vida, habriendole mi corazon a mi Padre Celestial y diciendole lo que sentia aunque mis sentimientos no fueran buenos. Fui honesta con el, y al escuchar yo misma mis palabras me sorprendi al sentir como me desahogaba. Pero le pedi que me ayudara a consentrarme en la visita que hiva hacer. Que no pensara mas en mi problema sino que me enfocara el la hermana que hiva a ver. Llegue a mi destino. Era una hermana a la cual solo conocia de vista y no sabia como me hiva a ir. Pero cual fue mi sorpresa que desde que nos sentamos en su sofa empesamos a platicar como si nos conocieramos de siempre. Me empeso a compartir su experiencia que tuve al tener que salir del pais por motivo de arreglar su estatus migratorio. Mi corazon brinco al empesar a escuchar sus palabras. Eran como si ella supiera que yo necesitaba consuelo en ese momento. Sus experiencias y consejos me alibiavan el corazon. Me levantaron mi espiritu, y fue como si la nuve negra se despejara de mi mente y me hiciera ver las muchas posibilidades que tenia en frente de mi. Me recordaron que son estas experiencias y pruebas las que nos enseñan y nos dan la oportunidad de creeser y aumentar nuestro testimonio de Dios y su infinito amor. Segun yo era la que le hiva a dar servicio y aliento a ella, cuando fue ella la que me dio el servicio y aliento a mi.

Le comparti el mensaje del mes y tambien le comparti lo que acababa de hacer por mi. Mis lagrimas otra ves brotaron pero esta ves eran de alegria. Eran de gratitud por el amor que Mi Padre Celestial me tiene y me bendice y que por medio de otros nos consuela tambien. Mi testimonio del evangelio crecio un poco mas esa noche. Mi testimonio de la Sociedad de Socorro crecio, supe en ese momento mas que nunca, que Dios inspira los programas de la iglesia como el de Maestras Visitantes, para nuestro bien. Porque el lo sabe todo, y sabe que si obedecemos y llevamos acabo lo que el nos manda, podremos tener momentos espirituales como el que tuve esa noche. Cuando uno mas lo necesita, cuando uno siente que se derrumban nuestros sueños y planes, el esta alli para levantarnos y recordarnos el proposito de esta vida. Se que si huviera dejado que esos sentimientos malos me derrotaran, si huviera sido egoista y huviera escojido quedarme en casa y sentirme mal y enforcarme en mi dolor no huviera hecho mi visita, no huviera podido recibir la gran bendicion de fortaleza y hermanamiento que Dios me dio por medio de esta hermana. Cuando nos abrimos a los pesares de los demas, y nos enfocamos en hacer ligeras las cargas de los demas por consecuencia nuestras cargas se hacen ligeras. Se que Dios vive, que nos ama y que nos conoce personalmente a cada uno de nosotros. Sabe nuestros pesares, dolores, y necesidades. Se que mientra me esfuerze a vivir el evangelio no devo temer de nada. Ninguna prueba me derrotara y se que siempre habra una salida a todo mediante le fe y confianza que deposite en Mi Padre Celestial y Jesucristo. No importa si viva en una mansion o en un humilde cuartito, si tengo a Dios en mi vida sere feliz y tendre la fuerza para salir adelante! Lo comparto en el nombre de Jesucristo Amen.

Cleaning = Peace

This past Saturday we finally had a free day with nothing to do or any places to be and without planning it we ended up cleaning our living space. As many of you know at the moment we are still living with my parents. So our "home" is one room where we somehow stuff all our belongings needed to survive. Now I clean or better yet pickup everyday but what we did this time was deep clean.

Day after day I would live with some amount of stress or anxiousness of seeing how our room seemed to get smaller and smaller as more things made it into our room. Even though I would "clean it" I knew that I wasn't really "CLEANING IT". And looking at the growing amount of clutter made me not want to even try too. It also came to my mind that the Holy Ghost "can't dwell in unholy places". That includes our homes. We must keep them clean and orderly so that the spirit can dwell in our homes and bless them with peace.

So this particular Saturday morning I thought to myself, "Why not finally tackle this? We have nothing better to do today than put our room in order." And that's exactly what we did. Funny side fact, as a coincidence my parents were deep cleaning their room too! Too funny.

We were able to take out so many un-needed things that we donated and also had plenty of things we weren't using and weren't going to be needed for awhile so we took them to storage. We deeply organized our clothes, movies, things, ect and dusted every inch. The end result was wonderful. I stood by the door starring at our newly cleaned and organized room and felt (the cliche) like a ton had been lifted off my shoulders. BUT really that's how it felt. It felt so peaceful to sit in the room, it looked brighter and bigger. I felt the anxiousness and stress dissapear! That night I slept like a baby!

I'm happy to report that so far we have been able to keep it up. Cleaning has been a breeze. So much easier and faster to pick up, and when I'm done it actually looks cleaned and picked up. But most importantly I know that it is worthy of having the spirit dwell in it.