Moroni 7:45

"Happiness Moments"

  

-Some members took us to Starbucks to buy us a milkshake and my companion felt so uncomfortable being in a place where you sell coffee that she started to hide her nametag with her hair.

-Weekly planning takes three hours and I have the hardest time sitting still for that long. So this week we decided to put some blankets and pillows on the ground to make things more fun ;)

-We went on companion exchanges and instead of studying inside our house, we decided to go up to the roof (where we hang up our clothes) to study! Felt like we were on top of the world;)

This week I just wanted to share a quick experience that I had!

We have been focusing a lot on helping as many people as possible get to church, and so everyday we did something for all the people that we are teaching to help remind them to come to church. We told them that something would come up to make it so that they couldn't come, but they needed to be ready, and that they couldn't let the devil win by not coming. By Saturday night we were very excited because 11 people were committed to come!!

And on Sunday morning, everything changed. We passed by to wake up the people and then passed by again to pick up everybody, went out with members, and did everything we thought we could to get them there. In the end, only 2 people came. We are grateful that these two wonderful people came, but were very disappointed and I was rather frustrated that the other people had let the devil win.

That night as I was writing in my journal, I was ranting about how frustrated I was that so many people let the devil win today... and the strongest impression came to me. The fact that I was so frustrated meant that I was also letting the devil win.

I have started doing a new exercise to focus on the good, and to recognize the difference between God's influence and the devil's. Every time I start to feel frustrated or down about something, I open up to Moroni 7:45.

45 And charity suffereth long, and is kind, and envieth not, and is not puffed up, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil, and rejoiceth not in iniquity but rejoiceth in the truth, beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

By replacing my name with the word "charity," I am able to see what I need to change to feel the joy of Christ once again.

I am so grateful for the Gospel of Christ and for His infinite mercy. I am so grateful for the opportunity that we all have daily to repent, refocus, and refill our lives with hope.

May you all fill your lives with hope this week!!!

Love, Hermana Greenwood:)

Beauty

Mauricio's Baptism

 "Happiness Moments"

-This week I asked my companion how to spell "unbearable" in Spanish, and then she wrote my name on the whiteboard. :)

-Mauricio got baptized!!! It was such a miracle that everything aligned and he was able to be baptized and confirmed. One thing that was so touching at his baptism was when he shared his testimony. He got up and said, "I know that I don't know a lot, but I know that I feel good and this is right." 

Hermanas Greenwood & Vieira

This week there were moments that felt like an eternity and moments that passed faster than an un-interested Mexican running away from us in the street.

I just wanted to share one of the most well-known scriptures and invite you all to really apply it in your lives, "...men are that they might have joy."

Some days we may feel like that will never end, and others we never want to end, but there is beauty and joy to find or make every day.

"If there is beauty, we will take it.

If there is none, we will make it."

Never forget our loving friend, Jesus Christ, who is there

to help us find or make the beauty and joy of every day. :)

Have a good week!!

Hermana Greenwood:)

Press Forward

Trip to Polanco

"Happiness Moments"

-Running out of gas in our apartment and having to play the hokey pokey in the ice cold water of my shower. 🎵You put your right arm in, you take your right arm out (...as fast as you possibly can;) )

-Going on companion exchanges with my last companion was a good time!

-I am learning more Spanish and forgetting more English with my cute new Latina companion. :)

Visa Renewal Trip

As I hit a year on the mission, I have been doing a lot of reflecting on this amazing past year that I have had, and the wonderful six months that still lie ahead!! I wanted to share a few motivating and inspiring quotes that I have come across and that have been shared with me lately. :)

Costco Pizza

"The decisions you make today will determine the decisions that are available for you to make tomorrow."

"Live only for tomorrow and you will have a lot of empty yesterdays today."

"The task ahead of you is never greater than the power behind you."

Exchanges

I am so grateful for the knowledge of the Plan of Happiness and the ability that we have to share it DAILY.

Time for a Run

2 Nephi 31: 20: "Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life."

Let us all press forward. :)

Have a great week!!!

Hermana Greenwood:)

"I have a work for thee"

Started her birthday with Hermana Carter

"Happiness Moments"

-Because I am about to hit a year, I got to go to Polanco (a super super nice part of mexico) to renew my visa!! We then walked through a super fancy mall and went to Costco!! I felt like I was on vacation ;)

-The Lord really likes to keep me on my toes!! We are currently in the middle of the cycle, but we just had special changes!! I am still in my area, but me and my adorable new companion Hna Vieira are now covering two wards and serving as sister training leaders. The Lord has given us much and we are super grateful and excited to get to work!!

Ended her birthday with Hermana Vieira

-I TURNED 20!! A lot of wonderful members and missionaries made my birthday wonderful yesterday with cake and crepes;) I also feel very blessed to have received a package from my mom and many notes that many of you sent me. I haven't finished reading them all, but I feel very loved. Thank you!!!

This past week has been full of surprises, mainly with the random changes that we had. But I am so grateful to keep learning and growing with a new companion!!

Birthday Cake!

As I had been thinking a lot about all of the changes and what I could do to be the missionary that my loving Heavenly Father wanted me to be, I felt a little overwhelmed about all that was ahead of me, and then I read in Moses chapter 1. 

Birthday Crepes!

As I replaced my name in the scriptures, I realized that God really does have a work for every single one of us to do, and that revelation is the key.

"There are some things we cannot learn from a book."

 - Sharon Eubank

"If all you ever learn is what you see with your natural eyes and hear with your natural ears, you will not know very much."

And then Joseph Smith encourages us to "grow into the principle of revelation."

Maria and Irma

Sometimes we may feel overwhelmed because we don't know if we are really receiving revelation, but never get frustrated. 

Boyd K. Packer said that we shouldn't worry if we are doing something wrong, "It may be that you are not doing anything wrong, it may be that you have not done the right things long enough... you cannot force spiritual things."

Another happiness moment =)

The Lord knows you perfectly, and as long as we are following the teachings of Christ, we will know what work we must do, and we will receive revelation.

HAVE A SPLENDID WEEK!!!

Hermana Greenwood:)

Great Worth

Laura's Baptism

"Happiness Moments"

-Companion exchanges with the lovely Hermana Reyes from Chile was a BLAST! If you ever want to laugh so hard that your stomach hurts, spend some time with her! :)

-Zone Conference was INCREDIBLE.

-LAURA GOT BAPTIZED. She is one of the most amazing people I have ever met. She went through so much to be able to enter the waters of baptism, and her baptismal service was so touching.

Laura was baptized by her son

-I got to go to the temple this morning! The peace that is found in the Lord's house you can't describe. I feel so blessed to have the temple so close.

Today I just wanted to share a quick quote and scripture about lifting others and the great worth that we have. 

President Monson said: "...it is well for us to remember that each of us is a partner of our Heavenly Father in helping to lift individuals toward eternal life." 

Hermana Greenwood with Laura

D&C 18: 10-17

10 Remember the worth of souls is great in the sight of God;

11 For, behold, the Lord your Redeemer suffered death in the flesh; wherefore he suffered the pain of all men, that all men might repent and come unto him.

12 And he hath risen again from the dead, that he might bring all men unto him, on conditions of repentance.

13 And how great is his joy in the soul that repenteth!

14 Wherefore, you are called to cry repentance unto this people.

Hermanas treated to pizza!

15 And if it so be that you should labor all your days in crying repentance unto this people, and bring, save it be one soul unto me, how great shall be your joy with him in the kingdom of my Father!

16 And now, if your joy will be great with one soul that you have brought unto me into the kingdom of my Father, how great will be your joy if you should bring many souls unto me!

17 Behold, you have my gospel before you, and my rock, and my salvation.  

We are partners with our Heavenly Father, so go forth and share your goodness with others!! Lift where you stand. All those around you are in need of YOUR help. And as we stay close to the Spirit, each of us can be an answer to prayers. Your worth is GREAT in the sight of God. 

Have a wonderful week!!

Hermana Greenwood:)

Stand Forever

Hermana Wright (Bestie from Lehi) at the Mexico City Temple

"Happiness Moments"

-SEEING MY BEST FRIEND KAYLIE WRIGHT HERE IN MEXICO. Kaylie is currently at the CCM and they took a trip to the temple this past week, and because I live so close I got to walk over there and give her the biggest hug ever. She is one of the best people I have ever met in my life. If you don't know her, you should. She will bless your life like she has blessed mine. :) I feel soooo blessed to have been able to see her. :)

-Making a very very very mini Easter egg hunt for my companion and watching her search the house for a little paper egg.

Sister Naumann ("Mission Mom")

-Going on companion exchanges with Hermana Rice and Hermana Tukuafu! I got to re-learn the Tongan dance Hermana Tukuafu taught me once upon a time when we were companions, and Hermana Rice and I died laughing at every pun we could come up with.

-Having a breakfast with one of our amazing investigators and the mission president's wife!

Investigators

I HIGHLY recommend that all of you read the talk "Stand Forever" by Lawrence E. Corbridge. It changed my life.

One of my favorite things that he talked about was how the worst of all human conditions is actually the most common, and that is to die spiritually. 

Later he says,

"Pay whatever price you must pay, bear whatever burden you must bear, and make whatever sacrifice you must make to get and keep in your life the spirit and power of the Holy Ghost. Every good thing depends on getting and keeping the power of the Holy Ghost in your life. Everything depends on that."

Members LOVE to feed the Hermanas!

I encourage you all to think about the moments that you have felt the influence of the Spirit in your life, and to write them down. Think of what you can do to feel and recognize His guiding influence every day of your life.

Sometimes we forget like Oliver Cowdery did -- 

D & C 6: 22 - Verily, verily, I say unto you, if you desire a further witness, cast your mind upon the night that you cried unto me in your heart, that you might know concerning the truth of these things.

23 Did I not speak peace to your mind concerning the matter? What greater witness can you have than from God?" 

Easter Package

As Elder Uchtdorf says, "Doubt your doubts before you doubt your faith." It's okay to have questions, but never doubt that God is your Father, you can talk with Him every second of every day, and that He loves you beyond measure.

With that knowledge, that comes through the Holy Spirit, we can Stand Forever in the gospel of Christ.

Have a wonderful week!!!

Hermana Greenwood:)

Sunflower

"Happiness Moments"

-Saul (recent convert) works at Dominos and made and brought us a special pizza!!!

-Ximena (recent convert) and her family made us pancakes for our last lesson!!! (She also was just called to teach in Relief Society!! WAHOO she is incredible.)

This week I just want to extend an invitation. An invitation to not only learn more about Christ, but to get to know Him. He is our friend, our counselor, our support, and we need to rely on His infinite mercy and grace more in our lives.

Moroni 6:8 "But as oft as they repented and sought forgiveness, with real intent, they were forgiven."

It doesn't matter what you have done or what other people have done to you, what matters is what you are going to do. As a sunflower grows, it always faces towards the sun, because it knows that that is where it will receive EXACTLY what it needs.

Do we sometimes forget to look to the Son of God?

Isaiah 55:8-9 "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts."

Matthew 11: 28-30 "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."

I promise that Christ is there with you every step of the way, you just have to let Him in. Similarly to the sunflower, I invite you all to follow the Son. The Son of God. For He truly is the way, the truth, and the light.

I love you all!!!

Hermana Greenwood:)