The Holy Ghost

Hola a todos!

I never thought I'd say it, but it has been a rainy week here in Mesa! I love the rain so it has been so fun. Its transfer week and we just got news last night that Hermana Shefchik is headed to Phoenix. I will be staying here in the Vineyard/ Río Salado area. Hermana Conga Robles is going to join me, and I'll be finishing her second transfer of training. These last six weeks flew by! There are lots of great things happening here right now and I'm excited for the next six weeks. 

We finally had our first lesson with Ericia and it was awesome! She has an incredible testimony of the power of prayer. We introduced her to the Book of Mormon and she is super excited to start reading it. Unfortunately, she wasn't able to make it to church last Sunday because she's out of town for a few weeks, but we're planning to meet with her again when she gets back. 

Hermano Montague, a member of the Spanish branch, makes bread every Sunday for the Sacrament. He invited us to his house so that he could teach us how to make it and so that we could make some to give to our friends. It was so much fun to learn and our friends absolutely loved the bread! 

We started teaching a new friend named Jalil. He's Daniel Romero's brother-in-law. Daniel is the dad of one of the families that we're teaching right now. Jalil started living with the Romeros a couple of weeks ago, and he has lots of religious background. He loves studying the scriptures and told us that he wanted to learn more about our church after seeing how the Romero family has changed. He has been reading the Book of Mormon and came to church last Sunday with the Romero family. During Sacrament meeting, Daniel bore his testimony about the power of prayer. He shared a miracle that the family experienced last year, and the Spirit in the room was so strong. They have incredible faith and the Lord has shown them so many miracles because of it. 

Last week, three people named Daniel, Marisol, and Jesus showed up to the Refugee Center looking for help with various things. The founder of the organization, Juliana Larson, got them in contact with President Valle who is our branch president. He helped them figure out some stuff and invited them to church. They came last Sunday and loved it! They also came to english class the next morning and the family home evening we had with the branch that night. We are hoping to start teaching them this week. 

During church last Sunday, we read 1 Nephi chapters 16-17 and talked about Lehi and his family's journey through the wilderness. God gave them the Liahona to guide them. The Liahona was similar to a compass, and its pointers operated “according to the faith and diligence and heed” that the family gave unto them. In our day, we can compare the Liahona to the gift of the Holy Ghost. Elder David A. Bednar said, "Just as Lehi was blessed in ancient times, each of us in this day has been given a spiritual compass that can direct and instruct us during our mortal journey... As we strive to align our attitudes and actions with righteousness, then the Holy Ghost becomes for us today what the Liahona was for Lehi and his family in their day. The very factors that caused the Liahona to work for Lehi will likewise invite the Holy Ghost into our lives. And the very factors that caused the Liahona not to work anciently will likewise cause us to withdraw ourselves from the Holy Ghost today." Elder Bednar continued by saying that "we should attend to and learn from the choices and influences that separate us from the Holy Spirit. The standard is clear. If something we think, see, hear, or do distances us from the Holy Ghost, then we should stop thinking, seeing, hearing, or doing that thing." It really is that simple. We know what things invite the Spirit and what things don't. I would like to invite you all to reflect on the things you do each day that invite the Holy Ghost and the things that distance you from Him. It is a privilege to have the Holy Ghost as our guide and we must do everything we can to protect that privilege. I testify that as you make choices and surround yourself with influences that invite the Spirit, He will guide you and you will be a powerful instrument in the Lord's hands. I testify of these things in the name of Jesus Christ, amen. 

I love you all! Have a great week!

Con Amor,
Hermana Kendrick

































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