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| The Gladys Knight Concert was so AMAZING! |
It's been kind of a crazy week, so I'll try to cover most of
it!
Happy Cinco de Mayo! We've had a lot of Mexican food this
week because everyone found out Sister Reboquio hadn't had it before. So we're
prepared to have a very Tex-Mex holiday today.
I don't even know where to begin! I've been pretty
overwhelmed with so many ups and downs. Sachse is definitely turning out to be
a growth period in my life.
Monday- My birthday was just so great! Of course you already
heard about most of it and all that my family did. Then Joakim's family gave me
a true birthday party! It was the best! There was chocolate cake, a huge teddy
bear, and an awesome card everybody signed. And Joakim sang happy birthday in
Norwegian. I feel so loved! We also had a family home evening (FHE) with the Sanchez family. I stole
my parents Tree of Life idea and we did it with them. The kids loved it! We
made a 'rod of iron' out of string and it led to the 'fruit of the tree of
life' or candy. We blind folded them and we pretended to be the adversary to
get them to let go. Brother Sanchez went first since Lehi went first to lead
his family down the path. It was so powerful. The kids loved it! Thanks
mom and dad for being such great parents! Keep those FHE's going.
Tuesday- we have this new investigator who is progressing pretty well. She hasn't come
to church yet and we haven't taught her family yet, but you can tell there is
sincere desire to know. She is a tender mercy! We've been praying so hard for
someone like her. We also met with a "less active" couple,
but you wouldn't know it because their testimonies are still strong. Anyways,
we had a great conversation about blessings and miracles in our lives' and the mother shared an experience about doing her father's temple work since she is a
convert. Then my companion started tearing up and told us about how her
father's work hasn't been done either. She's the only one in her family who can
do it since she is the most active. She didn't know she could do it on her
mission, but I told her it would happen no matter what. So we called President
Durrant and got permission. We asked Joakim to perform the baptism for her
father. This week or the next we are going to have the baptism of Brother
Reboquio who died 18 years ago. It was such an incredible, spiritual
experience. And we have both felt his presence. We know he is ready and
excited. I'm so grateful for the temple!
Thursday- We had a great lesson with Joakim about the
priesthood. So exciting! I also had to get a ton more allergy medicine because
Texas is crazy and it kills me. It affects my whole body and there is no
medication that is strong enough. But life goes on! I just won't be able to
properly breathe for a couple of months.
Friday- I don't remember what day this happened, but we
helped the Arrevalo's paint the entire inside of their garage. That was fun and
a good experience. We also ended up talking with two Jehovah's Witness' for
about an hour. Technically they are new investigators, but we are mostly just
trying to understand the others' beliefs. It will be interesting! Who knows,
they could feel the Spirit testify to them this message is true! We've been
working so hard though, tracting at least 4 hours almost every day. We've
talked to over 200 people and haven't had very much luck, so that kind of got
me down for a couple of days. But I've been learning and realizing a lot about
what true success is. Again. God is so patient with me. I keep having to learn
this lesson. He knows it's a hard one for me, but He also knows, better than I
do, that I can get through it.
Saturday- It was a truly beautiful day, but for whatever
reason this is when the stress just piled up. It was a hard day, but we are
getting through it! My companion is so incredible, strong, and patient. I love
her example. So our fridge stopped working (it's still not fixed today even
though apt management was supposed to fix it 2 days ago), all of our food
spoiled, we have an ant infestation now in our kitchen, a lot of people who
were going to attend Gladys Knight's fireside cancelled, I have 7 mosquito
bites, etc. The list could go on and on I assure you, BUT I'm growing a lot.
It's ok. I've been doing a lot of study and prayer. God is making me very strong
for my life and family ahead. I know I need all of these experiences, but He
has a lot more faith in me than I do. I'm sure that's true with everyone. When
I do a deep study about something like that, I get very deep and dramatic-
haha. I'm sure someone will be able to benefit from my answers I've received
though. In my journal some of my thoughts were pretty profound looking back so
I thought I should share them: God needs me. I came to Earth to become who I
need to be. That is my responsibility, I will respond. I can't give up. I want
to live so He can trust me, I want my heart to be like His. I believe in
Christ, so come what may. John 16:33- "In the world ye shall have
tribulation: but be of good cheer; I [Christ] have overcome the world." "Hold
on, child of God. Keep believing. Don't quit. Don't give up. Let God do His
work in you. The greatest tragedy is to miss what God wants to teach us through
our troubles"-march ensign "The future is as bright as your
faith.""Our Heavenly Father, who gives us so much to delight in, also
knows that we learn and grow to become stronger as we face and survive the
trials through which we must pass.. Such difficulties allow us to change for
the better, to rebuild our lives in the way our Heavenly Father teaches us, and
to become something different from what we were- better than we were, more
understanding than we were, with stronger testimonies than we had before."
President Thomas S. Monson
I can testify of the truthfulness of all of that. Even
though my trials are so small right now, I'm grateful I was able to have some
insight on the subject. God has revealed so many amazing things to me.
Sunday- Church was great as always! Joakim is going to bless
the sacrament next week! And it was the anniversary of my baptism 12 years ago!
That was a pretty special realization. And we went to Gladys Knight with
Joakim, Meggie, Laura, and their friend Joshua. I also got to see Sister
Stephenson! It was such an amazing fireside. Sister Knight's husband bore his
testimony as well, and wow. His testimony and witness was so powerful. Music is
the most incredible thing. It truly breaks all boundaries of culture or color.
I know everyone there felt the Spirit. I hope I can share my testimony that
strongly through music. She is truly a powerful tool in God's hands.
So I hope my week can give you a spiritual boost as well.
I've definitely felt the Spirit so strongly each day. I am so blessed! Even
after spraying, killing, and scrubbing our disgusting fridge for an hour, even
after all of our food went to waste, even after all of my itchy bites, stuffy
nose, and watery eyes, I am SO blessed. Literally, God spoils me. Thank y'all
for reading! May you feel God's hand in your life each day.
Love,
Sister Kristina Dalling
p.s. I am a Christian. :)
p.p.s. there will be pictures next week! We took lots of
blue bonnets and of my birthday, I just forgot my camera!
#7moremonthsnextweek
