Mission Madness

 

The dream lives on in El Salvador. 

It was a strange week.  

 

SO let’s get down to business. To defeat the Huns. (Those of you with kids who love Disney movies will recognize the Mulan reference. When you are writing fast- she only gets an hour a week to do all of her computer correspondence-you don’t do much proofreading! )

 

Earthquake number 2 took place this week. A good friend of ours informed us that the frequent earthquakes are a result of our personal iniquity. He has presented a pretty good argument, but I’m not entirely in agreement. This one wasn’t nearly as long or large as the last though. Well see if earthquake round 3 hits. 

 

Tuesday I went to la cuidad with a sister to help her get her visa figured out because...SHES GOING TO BELIZE. That lucky dog. My heart has healed since the sever from Belize, but....still....it aches from time to time. I’m super excited for her though. 

 

The sad thing was that we became horribly lost in the city of San Salvador. We didn’t really know where we were going. We asked a number of strangers on the streets to lend us their cellulars, and these requests were denied. It’s not exactly Candyland out there. Finally, after some prayers and the use of intuition, we noted a lady that had to be a member of the church. She was, and she lent us her phone. We finally made our way to the office, but not until I was a nice cherry red. Burn baby burn.

 

What else can I tell you guys. OH YEAH. We had a baptism! Nelson.



Alaina and her companion with Nelson and the Ward Mission Leader

What a champ! It just makes me sooooooooooooooooooooooooooo very happy when people decide to follow the Savior. The service was El Sal style, so we started late and no one who was supposed to show up did, but in the end everyone got there, and there was a beautiful spirit in the service. These people are truly incredible. You know something I’ve observed in the mission? Maybe cultures and language make us a little different, but people are the same. I’ve mentioned this before, but it strikes me hard every now and again.

 

 

I just want to add a note on the shooting that took place in MPHS this last week. I want to extend my sympathies to all who were involved or are affected in any way. I know the Lord is conscious of all who have been affected, and I know that while I will be unable to comprehend the depth of the pain of those involved, there is one who understands this tragedy perfectly. I love this quote from president Henry B Eyring:

 

Curing does not come automatically through the passage of time, but it does take time. Getting older does not do it alone. It is serving God and others persistently with full heart and soul that turns testimony of truth into unbreakable spiritual strength.

 

I love that. Time alone will not heal us, but it will take time to heal. I testify that as we turn to the Lord, as we trust in Him, as we thirst after truth and righteousness and strive to follow His footsteps, that He will console us. He does live. He does know our names and our struggles. He does walk with us. And all that He asks in return is this

 

 20 I say unto you, my brethren, that if you should render all the thanks and praise which your whole soul has power to possess, to that God who has created you, and has kept and preserved you, and has caused that ye should rejoice, and has granted that ye should live in peace one with another—

21 I say unto you that if ye should serve him who has created you from the beginning, and is preserving you from day to day, by lending you breath, that ye may live and move and do according to your own will, and even supporting you from one moment to another—I say, if ye should serve him with all your whole souls yet ye would be unprofitable servants.

22 And behold, all that he requires of you is to keep his commandments; and he has promised you that if ye would keep his commandments ye should prosper in the land; and he never doth vary from that which he hath said; therefore, if ye do keep his commandments he doth bless you and prosper you.

 

All that he requires of you  is to keep his commandments. So my final words today...be believing! Trust in the Lord. God has always sent messengers to teach us His gospel of happiness, study their words. Look for them. Even if you have never had any reason to believe in God before, even if none of your friends or family has believed, find out for yourself! Read the testaments that there are of a Father in Heaven and an Only Begotten son...or in other words, the scriptures. And consider kneeling down and asking God yourself. Then consider my testimony--

 

I know that God lives. I know that Christ lives. I have much to learn, I have much to become, but I believe. Let us be believing. I promise that nothing brings deeper fuller joy. 

 

How sweet the joy this sentence brings! I know that that my Redeemer lives! 

So does Nelson. Baptism is such a miracle!

 

I love you all! I love my Savior, and I love Mejicanos. I want be a missionary forever and ever and ever. Not really, but I will try to extend my stay. 

 

Love always, 

Hermana Hirschi