Be In The World

Hola a todos! 

I hope that you're all doing well!

We had another lesson with the Romero family and they are doing so well! Their goal this year as a family is to come to all of the branch activities. They have lots of friends in the branch and the members have been great at helping them feel welcome. We have been praying hard for the Romero family to open up more, and every lesson it seems like they feel a little more comfortable with us. 

Last week was Zone Conference week, and President Fisk introduced a new mission initiative called "the lost coin." As a mission, we started teaching quite a few people last year but only a small percentage of them ended up getting baptized. This year, we are going to focus more on using the tools that we have to find those who were taught by missionaries last year and in years passed. Then we are going to check up on them and see how we can help them to continue learning. We have lots of amazing tools as missionaries and it will be awesome to see the miracles that happen as we more fully utilize them!

We have a friend named Carlos who has been taught on and off for a few weeks now. Last week, we ran into him as we were visiting another person that we're teaching. Carlos was with his roommate, José, and we set up a lesson with them the next day. We had the lesson at Brother Montague's house, and it was amazing! The Spirit testified to Carlos and José that God truly does have a plan for them. Carlos wasn't able to make it to church yesterday, but José came and loved it! He told us that he wants to bring his daughter with him next week! 

Monday night of last week, we were standing in the middle of an apartment complex responding to a few texts when a woman started walking by. We said hi to her and she said hi back then lingered for a few seconds. We started talking to her and asked what her experience had been with religion. She attended another church in the past but hadn't been there since she moved here. We asked if she would be interested in meeting with us and she very eagerly said yes. We shared a scripture with her and set up a time to meet again. Claudia got emotional and said how happy she was that we met and that she knew that God had brought us together. We had our first lesson with her on Saturday and it was amazing! She is so humble and ready to learn. She told us again how grateful she is that God lead us to her, and she is super excited to continue meeting with us. 

During the last few months, lots of people have talked to my companions and I about how crazy and evil the world is today. They have told us about how they wish that they could somehow isolate themselves and their families from everything. One of my favorite invitations from our church leaders is to "be in the world but not of the world." The question is: How do we do that? When referring to this idea, President M. Russell Ballard said that "Perhaps we should state the couplet as two separate admonitions. First, 'Be in the world.' Be involved; be informed. Try to be understanding and tolerant and to appreciate diversity. Make meaningful contributions to society through service and involvement. Second, 'Be not of the world.' Do not follow wrong paths or bend to accommodate or accept what is not right." He continues by saying that "In spite of all of the wickedness in the world, and in spite of all the opposition to good that we find on every hand, we should not try to take ourselves or our children out of the world. We are to lift the world and help all to rise above the wickedness that surrounds us." In John 17:15, the Savior prayed to the Father in behalf of His disciples. He said, "I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil." President Ballard stated that as disciples of Jesus Christ, "we need to influence more than we are influenced. We should work to stem the tide of sin and evil instead of passively being swept along by it. We each need to help solve the problem rather than avoid or ignore it." This week, I would like to invite you all to not try to take yourselves out of the world. Instead, look for ways that you can lift others and help them rise above the evils of the world. As disciples of Jesus Christ, we are to let our light shine for all the world to see. I know that He loves you. He will never leave you alone. He will be with you as you strive to follow him and help others to do the same. Of these things I testify in His name, Jesus Christ. Amen. 

I love you all! Have a great week! 

Con Amor,
Hermana Kendrick






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