Tuesday, July 3, 2012

Our Kenny Chesney Song



Subject: Our Kenny Chesney Song

FAMILY! FRIENDS!!! IS IT REALLY JULY ALREADY!?

Literally? (abby ;) ) Where did time go! I hope everyone is pumped for this wednesday because it's 4th of July! Guess what we get to do!...MISSIONARY WORK!! ;) Plus, it's transfers sooo I may or may not be with Hermana Cole still. Even though she IS my trainer...we have 2 new spanish speaking sisters coming in, 4 new all together coming to the VC and two who are going home because they are ending their missions. Which means....at least 2-3 sisters will be going full field this coming up transfer so that means they won't be in the VC for 6 weeks. I hope we stay together though because good things are starting to happen and we want to both be here for them!

Okay...the kenny chesney song. There is this CD that Elder Vance mailed me when I was at the MTC and I have never listened it until last week. I thought it was going to be super lame (hahahahaha no offense ;) ) because of the title of the CD but....WE LOVE IT! It's all about missionary work (duh) and it's upbeat and fun! There is this song that literally sounds like a legit country song and it's my favorite one. The other day we were driving and listening to it and I forgot that we were listening to the CD and thought the radio was on so I FREAKED OUT and turned off the volume and told Hermana Cole that we couldn't listen to it! Then...it hit me. No Hermana Baeza...it just sounds like him, no biggie. We both laughed about how we are slowly becoming more awkward and awkward...like yesterady, at the YSA ward, we were talking to this guy because he was all alone and he said he served his mission in Brazil. Cool right? Right. But THEN, all of a sudden Hermana Cole quotes the "Moroni, capitulo diez , versiculos cuatro y cinco" part on one of our exhibits in the funny accent they say it and then doesn't say anything afterward....SO AWKWARD! Like, I even felt awkward and couldn't even back her up hahaha oh man, life is good!

Thank you for the letters I got this week!: Madz (wanna email Elder Vance and say happy belated birthday for me and i'm so bummed that i missed it but his christmas package will be the BEST!), Chrissy Guymon (YOU'RE ENGAGED!!! BAHHH!!!!), and the wonderful letters from Brother and Sister Mitchell, Kaija, Tori, Toni, and Troy! I loved those letters you sent Sister Mitchell! I cried like a baby reading them this morning haha it was great :) Thank you for having them all write me little notes, I really did love them. Oh and I saw the Jorgensen's the other day! I guess they came in and left me a note and I was sooo bummed! Then, I went on my tour and we took them around the temple grounds and then I saw them! I freaked out but then realized I was on a tour haha sooo sorry if I looked really uncomfortable or awkward lol I couldn't really stay and chat as much as I wanted to. It was so nice to see some familiar faces and feel a little bit of home that day. Oh yeah and Paul, I'm planning on writing you back today so I hope I get to it! If not, for sure next p-day!

Well, this week was great! Our appointments kind of worked out this week so it was better :) WE SET A BAPTISMAL DATE WITH ZACH FOR JULY 28TH! YEAHHH!!!!! It was seriously such a miracle lesson because before we had it, we have been thinking of Zach non-stop and thinking of ways to relate the gospel to his problems so he can find peace and joy through it. The lesson before he said how he doesn't like to say "Heavenly Father" when he prays and wants to say God - which is okay! We just explained how we say it to be more respectful and what not but either way was fine. He also told us how he doesn't really keep commitments so overall we were just worrying about this lesson with him but knew we HAD to invite him to be baptized because we didn't want him to think this was just a bible study group or what not.  So, we start the lesson and we ask him if he has been praying and he says that he has been doing it twice a day! WHAT! I don't think I've ever smiled so big haha I was SO happy! That was miracle number one. Then we asked him if he read his assignment and he did! That was miracle number two. THEN we get to the end of the lesson and Hermana Cole is pre-setting the baptism question really well...until she then decides to give him the commitment for the next lesson. Then, she looks at me and I pause for literally 20 seconds thinking, "wait...are we not asking him to be baptized anymore? Should I still extend the commitment?" So then, I share my experience of my baptism and how I truly felt like a clean, new person when I came up from the water and how I know that he can experience that same feeling too. I was crying as I was telling him it and the spirit was so strong! Then, I extended the invitation and he said yes. THAT was miracle number 3! We asked him to give the closing prayer and he started it by saying, "Our Heavenly Father..." :) PRECIOUS! Miracle number four :) Oh man...that was just such an amazing lesson. We had a "District 1" moment (this movie that missionaries watch) when we were walking to the back room to get him something and I said, "...wait, what just happend?" Ohhh Sister Payne ;) Then he came to church yesterday and had a better experience with the YSA ward. He even signed up for the YSA regional conference that's going on in a few weeks! Oh and cool quick story - yesterday while we were waiting for Zach to show up I told Hermana Cole, "wouldn't it be awesome if he just showed up in like...slacks and a white shirt?" Then...he should up with the suit jacket and jeans! Soooo not completely what I had thought but he clearly noticed how we all dressed to church and wanted to try and fit the part! He definitely upgraded some the shorts and sandals :) I just hope that he is able to make it July 28th!!

Earlier this week during personal study I read this quote from Preach My Gospel that says, "Remember, however, that your confidence and faith should be in Christ, not in yourself." (PMG 97) That is something that I've been struggling the most on my mission. I don't think I've ever REALLY put my full trust in Christ during a hard trial. I'm sure I gave him half of my trust but because I am a very independent person and I like to fix other peoples problems before my own...I'm learning now that I don't really know how to give him my full trust. So this week, I've really tried to give it all to the Lord. I've really tried to be more sincere in my prayers and really sincerely asking for his help and BELIEVING that I can receive it. I was talking to Sister Olsen a few days ago about this and since she is leaving in 2 days to go home, I figured she would give me some advice. I told her that I feel like I'm going to find myself more then other people while I'm on my mission and it makes me feel so guilty because this isn't about me! She then turned to me and said, "Sister Baeza, don't feel guilty. You are here to learn and grow as well. The Lord wants you to serve others but you can't do that if you're not progressing in the gospel and in your faith as well. Do not feel guilty because the Lord will still put people in your path as you are finding yourself through this experience." It really helped me to know that yes, it's okay to take care of myself and make sure I'm spiritually, physically, and mentally prepared for every soul I get to teach the next day. When I was in Sacrament meeting during the YSA ward, this thought came to me, "He (Heavenly Father) wants us all to come home. He sent people to find me. Now, he has sent me to find others." I then opened my eyes and looked at Zach right next to me. The spirit hit me so strong and made me so grateful to be where I am right now. It's hard trying to find yourself through this experience and realize the flaws you do have and the things you need to work on but there is a reason why Heavenly Father wanted me to go on a mission RIGHT NOW! Clearly, there are people that only I can reach out to and touch and I have felt that with Zach. Whether Zach gets baptized or not (which I hope he does!), I feel like that I had to be one of the sister missionaries to teach him. I have opened up and shared experiences with them that I didn't even plan on sharing when Hermana Cole and I have prepared for our lessons and one in particular helped him make that decision to accept baptism. These are REAL people. These are REAL children of God. These are REAL people who want to feel our Savior's love and want to use the atonement in their lives and my companion and I get to be representatives of Jesus Christ and teach these principles to them. When I get to put on my badge every morning, it reminds me how of lucky I am to be trusted of the Lord to go out and proclaim His gospel. I am so grateful that a fourteen year old boy went to a sacred grove of trees and asked the right question. He didn't ask, "how do I form a church?"...he asked, "which of these churches are true? which one should I join?" The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is so true. And if you don't believe it now...I know you will some day because all WILL know of its truth at some point. I love my Savior and my Heavenly Father and I hope to continue strengthening my relationships with them every day. I hope everyone has a safe fourth of july and go out and do a random act of kindness for someone! RAOK :) I love you all!

Love,
Hermana Baeza

1. our district!
2. we have the same skirt ;)
3. the sign i see every morning...



NOTICE: This email message is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential and privileged information. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply email and destroy all copies of the original message.

No comments:

Post a Comment

 

Template by Suck My Lolly - Background Image by TotallySevere.com