January 21, 2013

hola world.

just so you know. i`m turing into a real live latina with all of the sun i`ve been soaking up this past week. it`s very, very hot here. supposedly it`s the hottest city in our mission in these the summer months. we`re talking, 90-110 degrees hot. phew. but still, i`m loving being here in los angeles, especially becuase of the great people i`m meeting, and all the adventures hna lissandrello and i have found ourselves in!

for example, day 1:
we saved a dog. as we were making our way to an appointment, we saw a worried old man staring into a canal that runs between the two main streets, that has a good current to it. when we got closer, we realized that he was all stressed because there was a dog swimming back and forth from bank to bank, but who couldn`t get a good grip to be able to escape from the current. but don`t worry, sister missionaries to the rescue: i tore off my shoes so they wouldn`t get soaked, and ran a little bit further down the bank where it was shallower, and waited for him to float my way so i could grab hold of him before he got lost in the upcoming tunnel. hna lissandrello held my left arm so i wouldn`t fall in, and i grabbed the little guy under one of his legs and pulled him out to safety!!! it was really cool. but ironically enough,  when all was said and done, the old man was no where to be found. apparently he wasn`t all that worried about his dog after all...

day 4:
on the way home at the end of the day, we saw a couple of young men with a stalled car, pushing it along to try and start it. we offered our help and they actually accepted (normally their pride at letting 2 mormon girls help them gets in the way, but not this time!) we pushed the car along for a couple of blocks, then it started up no problem. he said, "if it wasn`t for you 2, we wouldn`t have made it home!" not sure how true that really is, but it was a fun experience overall!

so basically, the lesson i feel like the lord wants me to learn at this point in my mission is to SERVE others n every opportunity, and to ENJOY the experiences. i don`t want to look back on my mission and only say, "i worked hard, was obedient, and learned a lot." but that i truly LIVED every moment and had FUN! the mission is part of my life, and i want it to be filled with adventure! i want life after the mission to be the same. i don`t want to get so caught up in being diligent in my studies and my career that i forget to LAUGH, to LIFT ANOTHER, to SERVE, to BE JOYFUL, because that`s what living the gospel is all about.

2 nefi 2:25 Adam fell that men might be; and men care, that they might have joy.

alma 26:11 But Ammon said unto him: I do not boast in my own strength, nor in my own wisdom; but behold, my joy is full, yea, my heart is brim with joy, and I will rejoice in my God.
 12 Yea, I know that I am nothing; as to my strength I am weak; therefore I will not boast of myself, but I will boast of my God, for in his strength I can do all things; yea, behold, many mighty miracles we have wrought in this land, for which we will praise his name forever.
amo este evangelio. sè que es verdadero lo que estoy compartiendo todos los dìas. cristo vive, y espera que ayudemos a nuestros hermanos volver a vivir con el. les echa de menos.

this friday we will have 2 baptisms: yerly and job. yerly is a young woman who, despite opposition from her family and friends, has decided to be baptized because she knows this gospel is true, and it makes her happier. job is in his 40s, and has quit drinking and smoking to be able to be baptized and be part of christ`s church. they are two people truly prepared to receive and live the gospel. what a blessing to have met them and be part of their conversion process! being a missionary really is the best. think they`ll let me stay here another year and a half? ...

well family, that`s all i`ve got. love you mucho mucho, and hope you have a JOYFUL week, as you strive to live the principles of the gospel - the only way to truly be happy.

hermanita wright