Monday, March 5, 2012

Wow!! Time flies by too quick!

How are you all doing? Loved hearing about all the fun and excitement that this week had for you! And especially happy for the most recent member of the church! I´m so happy for you Draya and was thinking about you the whole day! :) — might have brought up some tears with that comment of us being in the circle with ya!

Okay I gotta a ton to talk about and not a lot of time!

This week we had zone conferences and it was INCREDIBLE! I am grateful every second of my mission for the lessons that are taught to us. I learned a lot and came away from the conference with a new fire. The theme of the conference was "Being constant in improving to be more like Christ" (exactly what was needed). The focus of the conference was in the Atonement. The spirit was so strong and was focused on the power that this gift has to CHANGE us, not just to make us feel better for a second, but to literally transform us! We were truly blessed to grow in our desire to follow Him and put on His divine character more. One of the things that I took away from the conference was a movie that they shared on the Atonement and missionary work. In weeks previous there has definitely been a lot of work in Fiorito with not a lot of direction in HOW to do it. A veces we think, why is this so hard? It should be easier! I realized how selfish I had been in not recognizing that in the life of The Perfect Son of God it wasn´t easy, salvation never was easy... only that it will be worth it! Bam! That hit me like a train. I felt really small and really ready to go forward in faith. I love 2 Nephi 31:20 that talks about a steadfastness in our faith. This is truly what we need.

The week has flown by and I really can´t believe transfers are next week. I´m scared how fast time is going, but determined to make the best out of it! We have done a lot this week to prepare ourselves for better weeks to come! Our goal this week.. help people keep their appointments! We have been guided a lot this week to find people who need to hear the message. We had a great experience yesterday with a lady named Juana. As we first started to talk to her she told us that she didn´t know if God exists. She has been through a lot with her family, they had a 9 year old grand daughter die 2 years ago, which brought a lot of questions as to why! Basically she was without any faith. We carefully taught about the plan of salvation for us and especially focused on the Atonement. As we explained of the comfort and power of this gift the spirit was so strong and left her asking us how she could have this in her life, what she could do to tap into this comfort. I watched a lady without faith and hope in God, even hating the heavens for what happened cry and desire with all her heart for this power and this source of hope. I was blown away and truly thankful for the Atonement of our Savior Jesus Christ. I know it was because of Him that we all have a chance for faith. Our faith, my faith, begins and ends in this magnificent Atonement. It is what gives us hope and what allows us repentance to continue back in the direction of indescribable happiness. I know that He lived for us and chose freely to give of Himself. With this gift we can have faith. I loved seeing that in Juana as her complexion changed.

I love being a missionary for this great cause, I´m learning and being taught how to be a better priesthood holder, I know this is the work of our Heavenly Father wh0, without doubt and without fail, loves us intimately. I love you all and know that we, through the atonement, will progress through the eternities with His love that binds us!

Have a great week!
Elder Jolley

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