Monday, November 25, 2013

Lake Jackson, TX...Six Months Out and Happy Thanksgiving!

Hola (:

Well, I hit my 6 month mark a few days ago, and am still in shock about how fast time flies here! This last week has been SO cold! Who knew Texas dropped below 70 degrees (; Well, this week I had an exchange with a girl who actually is from Oakhurst, California and I told her we go to that ward all the time when we visit Bass Lake! Crazy, small world! But we had a great time, and I couldn't remember where anyone lived since I just got here. I would have been frustrated and upset because we didn't get to see anyone and it was my fault, but she was so sweet and reminded me to stay positive! (: We just rode bikes up and down the streets talking to everyone we saw for 4 hours, and met some really cool people who really need the gospel in their lives. We also stopped by a home where 2 boys are members but stopped going to church, and the younger sister was never baptized. We read her the scripture in John 3:5 that says we must be born of the water and the spirit to enter into the kingdom of God, and right after she asked us if she could be baptized! (: So her date is December 14th! Also, here in Lake Jackson they have a Festival of Lights every year and so now all the lights are decorated with Christmas lights and it finally feels like Christmas! (: It also helps that it's only 40 degrees.

So, spiritual thought for today is on repentance. In Alma 36 Alma talks about how horrible he felt when he sinned, but compares it to the joy he felt when he repented and changed. He says for 3 days and 3 nights he was racked with torment and then he finally went to the Lord for help and forgiveness. It's the exact same with us. How many of us have experienced the same torment Alma expressed when we sin and disobey God, but how great does it feel when we are forgiven and our sins are remembered no more? Sometimes I think we put off going to the Lord and we willingly stay in torment for 3 days, 3 months, 3 years, whatever it may be. But I know that as soon as we go to the Lord, He has the healing power to give us peace. So don't put off repentance. It is a blessing we have been given, and I know that it works. The Savior is the only one who can save us from sin. One sin, and we can no longer live with Heavenly Father again. I know peace and joy come from repentance! I re-learned this last week at a zone meeting and wanted to share it with you (: Hope you all have a great week, and Thanksgiving! I love you so much and am thankful for your letters, prayers, and examples<3 Don't forget to show your gratitude for Heavenly Father and for the blessings He has given you either!

Hermana Moberly (:
 

Monday, November 18, 2013

Lake Jackson, Nov 18, 2013 6 Months Out


November 18, 2013

Hola todos! <3

         I feel like I just wrote an email...this week flew by! But it was a great and busy one, which are the best (: I was chased by an evil Chihuahua all the way down the street and thought I was doomed. Haha I wish I got a video of it because now it's funny and I'm sure I looked ridiculous (: But we also began teaching English classes and had one student which was one more than we had in my last area!!

Sunday was the best day of the week and we had Branch Conference and had 4 investigators come to church!! Then afterwards, Sorena (15) was baptized. I only got to teach her a few times, but we are already super good friends! Her dad was baptized 3 weeks ago and got to baptize her too!! She was so happy which make everything out here worth it!

Oh! And Friday we had zone conference which is always the best!! I was reminded of how important it is to always do the Lord's will before our own. A lot of the time we think we know best and we forget that we have an All-Knowing Father who really knows better than anyone else. He is always listening and watching out for us, but a lot of the time we forget to include Him in our lives. But remember that He will always have the answers and even when His answers seem scary or impossible, remember that nothing is impossible with God and that He will always know better than ourselves.

There is a ton of work to do down here in Lake Jackson, but every day I come home ready for bed and at least I know I worked my hardest. It's like when Jesus fed the 5,000 and afterwards there were 12 baskets left. When we empty our baskets each day, the next morning when we wake up, there will always be a full basket waiting for us. We don't have to do anything but our best each day, and the Lord will always provide blessings or the ability and strength to get up the next day and do the same again. I hope you all have a great week and know I love and pray for you! Stay faithful and choose the right<3

 
Hermana Moberly

 

 

Tuesday, November 12, 2013

Lake Jackson, TX November 2013 **New Address**

Hola todos!!
          
        Well, now I am in Lake Jackson, Texas....no idea where that is on the map! But these last few days have definitely been adventurous! We had transfer meeting on Wednesday and then we were about to leave and Hermana Parra (my new companion from Mexico City) asked me if I could drive. Since I am a visa waiter, I was not allowed to drive, but her license is from Mexico so she can't drive either! So we were in the mission office for 2 hours trying to find my driving record online and then I finally got approval to drive home. We have a Jeep Compass and it's so much fun!! I get to drive everywhere and I love it! (:

My area is called Brazoria North and we have SO much work to do here. Our branch is really small and we need to help build it up as much as we can. I was asked to bear my testimony in church Sunday as well so at least my Spanish is growing too! I love Spanish and am so happy I wasn't called English speaking like I wanted.

Well, Hermano Martinez was baptized last Thursday and it was amazing! He was so happy and they actually had to do it 3 times to make sure it was perfect. After he told us, "Not 1 time, but 3 times! I'm extra clean now!" Haha he's so great! He will receive the priesthood in a few weeks and wants to go to the temple as soon as possible too.

I went to Kemah/Galveston on an exchange on Friday! (: It's really nice down there, a lot like California...minus there are no mountains! But it was fun. But I'm doing great and love my new area and the people here! I know that as I work with all my heart and be obedient, the Lord will use us as His insturments in helping others come unto Him. there is only faith in the future. Love you all so much and hope you have a great week<3

Con amor, Hermana Moberly

New address:
Hermana Moberly
110 Lake Road #612  
Lake Jackson, TX 77566

Monday, November 4, 2013

Transferring, but Staying in Texas Houston South for Now

Hola Everyone! (:

Hope you all had a great week! I had the longest and hardest week of my mission (maybe even my life) so far! But it turned out better and now it's a new week!! (: Hermano Martinez is still going to get baptized this Saturday and Hna. Kennedy and I get to sing "Nearer My God to Thee". We tried to visit formers (people who have been taught before but are now not meeting with missionaries) but NO ONE was home!! We spent most of the week driving all over our area trying to visit people or find news, but no luck. And now I'm getting transferred this week and will get a new companion and new area! But I really feel like I did all I needed to here.

Halloween was pretty fun. We weren't allowed to be outside the house after 7PM so we came home and played Old Maid with Disney cards that the Edwards family sent me (: Thanks! And we made pumpkin empanadas for the ladies in our ward. So I'm glad this week is over, but we were still able to help a lot of people.

Funny story of the week: we met a new family and hna. Kennedy asked the woman how many months she had of being pregnant....but she wasn't pregnant! She had had her baby 10 months before but she really looked pregnant! haha We laughed for so long after we left that appointment!

Hno Martinez played a joke on us this week that was soooo mean!!!! He called us Thursday and said "we need to have a meeting. Just me and you two. It’s all too fast!" and he wouldn't tell us anything else so the rest of the day we were so sad and trying to figure out how we can help him and it was just a really hard and depressing day!!! So then we went over Friday to talk to him and he told us, "Okay all I wanted to talk about is which day I’m going to be baptized because I could do it Saturday, but what about Friday or even Thursday!?" Then he laughed and asked us what we thought when he called us yesterday! He ruined our whole day!!! Goodness! That man is the center of my world right now and we had a huge weight on our shoulders trying to help him haha but he did it on purpose!! So Mean!!

Other than that, nothing is new! I've been thinking about something I heard at a zone conference a few weeks ago, where if you are living a worthy and righteous life, our first thoughts always come from the Lord but the second thoughts are always from Satan. So I have been trying really hard to just act on those first impressions this week. It is so easy to have a thought to visit someone and then quickly after wonder if they are home, if they are busy, etc. So go throughout this week and don't give into those second impressions when the first ones we receive are always from Heavenly Father! Love you all and hope you have a great week!! Pray for me and my future companion...haha (:

Hermana Moberly