Monday, October 27, 2014

It is Impossible to Fail

Hola Familia y Amigos (: 

This week I wanted to start with a quote I found from Elder Ballard. ''It is impossible to fail when you do your best when you are on the Lord's errand.'' I love this! If we always put our heart into our callings and when doing the Lord's will, it is impossible to fail. Maybe we won't have success in our own eyes, but as long as we do our part, we can be confident that the Lord completed His part as well. Success in His eyes is a lot grander than it is in ours. 

Well, we had a really full and busy week. On Monday I went on divisions with Hna. Condori (Hna Rasband's comp in the other half of Paraná) so I got to visit Sebastian and Elin and Evelyn again! (: They are doing really well. Evelyn told us she is thinking a lot about serving the mission! She is the only member in her family, but it will really help them all and she'll make the best decision of her life! (;

In our zone meeting on Wednesday, I had to give my farewell testimony! ): I just talked a lot about the process of a mission. You can't expect to know what to do in the beginning, but as you grow and fall and grow and fall, you notice that the whole time, you just keep growing. It's hard to explain in english haha, but hopefully you get the idea. I just feel that my whole mission has been a progressing process and I recently read a talk that counsels returned missionaries to not discontinue this progression. 

We got another new companion this week!! Her name is Hermana Fairbanks from Washington. She just started the mission and so we are training her. It's a little crazy. We didn't have time before and now we are adding another extra hour of companionship study and a whole hour of language study. But we are figuring things out. She is really great and understands spanish pretty well already. If only I could have understood spanish in the beginning (; 

News on our investigators:
We finally found a friend of Brenda's, Cynthia. We taught her about 2 months ago and finally saw her again! She has been reading the Book of Mormon every night!!!! No one ever does that! We taught her the Restoration and invited her to be baptized! She accepted a date for Nov. 15th so we are trying to work with her so that she is prepared. We are also teaching Juan, Juan, and Juan, and Eva hahaha. Juan padre is the one who accepted a baptismal date a few weeks ago, but now doesn’t want to be baptized. But we are also teaching Juan hijo who is less active and the other Juan hijo who is with Eva. Juan and Eva accepted baptismal dates too, but they have to get married first. But they are really receptive and have strong desires to change! We just contacted a lot and are trying to find new people and invite everyone to be baptized. If they don't show interest, then we know they are not prepared for baptism right now. But so far we have a few with great potential and are going to teach them this week. When we introduce the Book of Mormon we try to make it really interesting and catch their attention. President Zanni taught us this: Ask them if they know the Bible and the prophets like Adam, Noah, Abraham, etc. If they say yes, then we ask them ''Have you ever heard of Captain Moroni?'' They will say no obviously and then we continue, ''No!? He was a captain of a strong army here in the Americas! He led a group of people and fought for their rights and liberties...'' It's really fun and we do it with Alma, Ammon, Nephi, etc. Super fun and the people then are more interested!

For divisions this week I went to La Paz. It's beautiful! It's really green and a tourist city. It reminded me a little of Jamaica. Right on the river. But this whole week has been soooooo hot and humid. I can't even sleep well during the nights. But that's okay, there are people to meet and share the gospel with (:

The whole mission right now is focusing on increasing our faith. Miracles have not ceased, baptisms have not ceased, and it is all according to our faith that the Lord performs miracles and baptisms. I know that we are going to be seeing a lot of success in the entire mission. Just like the quote above says, when we work our hardest, nothing is impossible. I hope you all have a really great week and can focus on doing the Lord's will. Do your best, and you will be blessed (rhyme) (: Love you all!!!!!

Con amor,

Hermana Moberly

17 Months!

Welcome Hermana Fairbanks!


La Paz 

Parana





Parana Sunset


Sunburn
Yummy Pionono

Monday, October 20, 2014

Buen Dia!

Buen dìa!!

This last week flew by! I don't think I have very much to tell you either. This last week we have been focusing a lot on visiting our families of rescue (I don't know how to translate it correctly into english). But we have 5 less active families who we are focusing on. We visited with 3 this week and they all seem to be progressing a lot more! One is a 70 year old man, Cayetano. We are having a Family Home Evening with him tonight in the bishop's house and he hasn't come to church still, but I think he will soon! We also are visiting the familia Farìas. Hermana Farìas was the only one home but said the Lord blesses her family so much, that she knows if she doesn`t come back to church the blessings will stop, and she won`t be able to show her gratitude to the Lord. If we love the Lord, we are obedient to His commandments. She has 2 kids, but one of them is married to a girl who isn't a member of the church, so Wednesday they invited us over to lunch and we will start teaching her! (: Then there is the Ludovico family. Hno Ludovico is from Brasil and last night he told us that when he thinks of his converts from the mission being active in the church, and one being a member of the 70 (Elder Castro), it makes him really sad. He wants us to be patient with his family and that when the spirit tells them they need to come back to church, they will return. So we are going to continue helping these people have spiritual experiences. We cannot force people to accept the gospel or complete commitments, only the spirit can teach them. So we are going to work with the spirit just like we always do with everyone!

On Wednesday we went to Rosario for Leadership Council. It's literally like Christmas getting to hear from Pres Zanni and the assistants! We talked about the sickness in the mission about missionaries thinking this isn't a baptizing mission. It really is sad, I've seen it. Many missionaries have heard from others that we don't baptize here, so they lose their faith and then they can't have success. So as leaders, we are going to teach and ''heal'' the mission from this ''sickness'' and complete the Lord's work. I went on divisions with an Hermana from Utah this week and she is really new. We were talking about what she thinks is possible for our mission, and she said she is tired of hearing people always say, ''We are just planting seeds''. She said she knows it is important to sembrar seeds, but it also says all over Doctrine and Convenios that the field is white and ready to harvest. There are people who are prepared, we just have to get to work and do what the Lord wants from us in his vineyard, I loved that! We just need to have the faith to see. And then get to work.

I was attacked by grillos (crickets and grasshoppers) this week!! On Tuesday night Hna Rasband and her comp slept over because we had to wake up at 2:30 to go to Rosario and we live closer to the terminal. But the last 2 hours of sleeping there was about 4 crickets that wouldn’t stop chirping! Then on divisions, I slept on the top bunk bed and they have SO many crickets and grasshoppers in their apartment. I heard one on the ceiling and then a minute later it fell on my forehead!! I screamed and Hna Egbert ran to turn on the lights and it was on my pillow so we flicked it off and killed it. We killed 8 more that night. I hate grillos. There is one in the cyber right now too. They never go away!!

We didn't have very much money left and for one day we only had eggs and water haha. But don't worry mom, we got money today and have food again haha. We just called members to feed us. 

We had a really great week, just full of traveling and finding new investigators. We have the goal of having 2 baptisms before I go home so we have a lot of work to do. But like I always say, everything is posible con the Lord!! 

I hope you all have a really great week! Trust in the Lord. He only does what is best for us. Even when it doesn't seem right to us, He has an eternal perspective and will never lead us astray! I know that this is Christ's work. As missionaries, we are His representatives, but as members of His church, we still wear His name upon us. That was our baptismal covenant. Do as He would do. Love and serve as He would love and serve. Love you all so much!!<3

Con amor,
Hermana Moberly


sorry no pics this week...the computer won't let me load them! More to come next week (:

Monday, October 13, 2014

Invitation to Salvation

Hola! (:

Are you surprised to hear that this last week was so amazing?? I´ll start from the beginning. I don´t have very much time because it´s a holiday and everything is closed so we are all sharing one computer in the church. But here it goes...

Tuesday: for Pday we played soccer for 3 hours straight and I´m still sore haha. But we went over to Soledad´s house and she was having a really bad day. She had a migraine and her kids were screaming and running around. So we called a member who lived by and him and his wife came over immediately. The hermano had been working in the campo all day and was already asleep, but he answered our call and came anyways. His wife (the relief society pres) took care of the twin babies and the hermano gave Soledad a blessing. The spirit was so strong and Soledad just wept. It was amazing. I think what I loved the most, was seeing the members respond to our call even though they were asleep and tired. It didn’t matter to them. They responded to the call and served. This week I have been studying the New Testament again and reading all about the miracles Jesus performed. He went to the sick and afflicted and the weary. According to their faith they were healed. It can still happen now. I witnessed it this week. As members of Christ´s church, we also need to serve and bless the sick and afflicted and weary. When we were baptized, we took upon ourselves the name of Christ and that means act as He did. When we do so, we are fulfilling our covenants. It was an amazing experience and I will never forget it!

Wednesday: Hna Castañeda came!!!! I already knew her from Sunchales, but she is super sweet and loves to work! I am so happy we get to spend these next few weeks together working hard and serving the people here in Paraná!! Hna Rasband forgot to tell me she didn't pay the light bill, so this night, they shut off our light and we lived with matches and one flashlight and a candle haha.

Thursday: We paid the light bill and now we have no money haha but we will be fine. We will get the money back next week. It´s just funny and we all blame Hna Rasband for forgetting to tell us haha. 

Saturday: I read a talk about a man who in his mission did a 40 day fast so that he could be purified and receive the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost. I made a list of things to fast from that keep me from having the spirit with me and teaching with power and authority and luckily I had 40 days left on my mission from this day! So I started that and am really excited to see what happens until the end of my mission and how I can have the spirit with me more completely and constantly!!

These are the big highlights from the week! We are working hard and loving the mission. I know that when we make sacrifices, the lives of those around us can be blessed. We are in this life to become purified and more like our Savior and father. Love you all so much and hope you have a great week!!! 

Con Amor,
Hermana Moberly

Hermana Castaneda and Me


Me and the Argentina Flag
Me in a Carnival Hat


Sunrise from our Apartment
Awesome Catholic Cathedral



Tuesday, October 7, 2014

Sliding Into Home

Holaaaa!! (: 
¿Cómo están? Espero que todo esté bien y que disfrutaran la conferencia general!!
Okay, enough Spanish! Well, here we go! My last transfer as a servant of the Lord in Rosario, Argentina! I received a lot of spiritual guidance this week. Not only did we get to watch General Conference, but on Wednesday, Hermana Zanni (the mission president's wife) came all the way out to Paraná to go out with us!! She is una capa. So great!! Me and Hermana Rasband were praying before bed a few weeks ago trying to think of how to help one of our recent converts, Soledad. She is a single mom with 5 kids and the two babies are twins and have 4 months. She is having a really hard time. One of the babies is deaf and she has depression problems. So after our prayers that night we really felt that Hna Zanni could help her. So we called her and she said she felt like she also needed to come out and help us! I love the spirit! (: So this Wednesday she made President stay in the mission office to take care of the kids and she came out with us (: We had such an amazing day! We were able to visit a lot of hermanas who grew in their faith and received more encouragement to endure through their trials and rely on the Lord. When we were at lunch, Hermana Zanni looked at me and Hermana Rasband and told us that we shouldn't worry about the end of our missions. She said, ''Go to the temple, read your patriarchal blessings, and pray to the Lord to know what your next calling is.'' She reminded us of how nervous we were to leave for the mission, but everything worked out perfectly and now we don't want to leave. She said that it's the same now. We are nervous to go back home, but we shouldn't be! Hermana Rasband and I have just felt that on the mission we have changed and grown so much, that we are afraid to go back home and everything is the same and that we will be tempted to fall back and become the people we were before or that everyone will reject us because we have changed so much haha. But Hna Zanni said,''Everything you have changed to become has already been a part of you. The mission has just allowed you to develop it. You are still you. But you are a better, stronger you. Don't go back and change back to the ''you'' you used to be.'' It was an awesome experience and I will never forget it! SOo here I am. The last transfer and I am so excited to just keep working my hardest until the end. There is still so much to do, so many people to meet and lift up and serve, and so many miracles to witness. 
German is now only smoking 2 cigarettes every day when before it was 15! He is so close! We aren't sure whether he will be baptized this Saturday or the next, but I'll let you know! This transfer me and Hermana Rasband won't be together ): They split our area back again, which is good and bad! It was HUGE but now we both only get to visit half the people. But it will all be okay! We are still the sister training leaders, but they changed it from having 4 to 8. So we get to each train a new one. My companion is Hermana Castañeda from Mexico. I already know her and we get along great! She is really going to help the people here in Paraná! 
I got to go back to Sunchales this week and be with Hermana Nelson again for divisions!! The familia Cauda is having some troubles right now! Felipe is depressed and hasn't been going to church, but I got to see Joana and she was so happy to tell me she is reading her scriptures! It was really great to see them! I told them to stay strong and to endure. Trials will always come, but Heavenly Father only gives us trials so that we can show Him our faith. That no matter what, we are willing to follow Him and trust in His power. I read a talk this week by Elder Holland called “An high priest of good things to come”. READ IT! It is so good! He said, “Some blessings come soon, some come late, and some don't come until heaven; but for those who embrace the gospel of Jesus Christ, they come.'” I know that we all have really hard lives. Some harder than others. But the gospel of Jesus Christ is the only thing that we have to keep us safe and afloat in hard times.  He also said, “Even if you can't see the silver lining on your clouds, God can, for He is the very source of the light you seek. He does love you, and He knows your fears. He hears your prayers. He is your Heavenly Father and surely He matches with His own the tears His children shed.” 
I know that we have a loving Heavenly Father. He truly loves us and wants the best for us. He is happy when we are feliz. He cries when we cry. We need to trust in Him and stay on His path to return home to Him. My favorite conference talk was by Elder Ballard. We need to stay in the boat and do the simple things and live the gospel. If we don't we will fall and be in dangerous waters. 
Hope you all have a great week and can endure through the hard times. When life gets too hard to stand, kneel. Fight the battle on your knees and call upon your Heavenly Father to use His power to lift you up. Love you all so much!! Share your favorite part of conference with someone who didn't have the opportunity to watch or listen! Love youuu!!

Con amor,

Hermana Moberly

Me and Hermana Nelson, Reunited in Sunchales

Harmana Zanni, Me, Elin, and German in Parana

Saying goodbye to Aylen

My Parana Companions!

Me, Joana, and Hermana Nelson in Sunchales

Hermana Nelson, me and the Cauda Kids, Sunchales


Luciana and Me, Parana

Elin and Me, Parana


Wednesday, October 1, 2014

Almost October!

Hola Hola (: 

Sorry, bad news...I have zero time today! We all have to share the computer, so this will be superrrr quick!!! BUT we had an amazing stressful beautiful week!! 

I am still with Hermanas Rasband and Briggs and we get along too well...we sometimes can't stop talking at night which means we lose sleep. So we have been really tired, but this week we have goals to sleep on time. But we are having so much fun together!! They are like my fourth and fifth sisters (Cori is my third) (:  We worked so hard this week to try and find new investigators and help Elin get ready for her baptism. But she made it!! We had the baptism on Saturday and she was so happy and excited! Her whole family came, even her stepdad who doesn't listen to us and smokes all the time! Her mom, Monica is inactive but is now coming back to church and she spoke on baptism! It was so awesome!! The spirit was so strong. I love helping people make this covenant. Baptism and confirmation are literally the first steps to getting into the kingdom of God. But with the right authority. The restored priesthood. Elin's friend, Florencia came to the baptism and church as well. She told us afterwards that she also wants to be baptized! And German should get baptized in the next 2 weeks. Their mom is so much happier now. I loved seeing this family's conversion process and seeing them regain or gain their testimonies. 

Hermana Briggs also had a baptism in Galvez, so we had permission to go out there. Hermana Rasband stayed here with a member, and us two went out to her old area to help them get everything prepared. It was another great experience! So two baptisms this weekend!  

I went to do divisions again this week out in Colon, 4.30 hours away! It was so long! But I got to meet a lot of really special people. Divisions really help me see the holiness of our callings to specific areas. When I go away, I can't feel or receive any revelation or inspiration for those people. I can help the hermanas, but it's a different feeling. I can't really explain it, other than I know I am meant to serve in Paraná at this time. 

Sorry this is so lame! We really did have an amazing week full of miracles, like always! I continue to learn and grow every day. I feel so close to my Savior and I know that it only comes through diligent study in the scriptures, prayer and testifying. Love you all so much and hope you have a great week!! <3

Con cariño,

hermana moberly