Errand of Angels

Dearest Family,


How are you all doing??? I hope you´re warm from all the SNOW in St. George...what is going on?? Well, its hot as usual here in Villahermosa and I´ve managed to get toasted over the past few days, but I´m feeling good and sweaty at all times :)

This week, I´ve been trying to think of what I should write to you. Something that happened, some amazing story...and I came up with nothing, zilch, zero, nada! But one thing comes to mind that was something so simple, yet so special for me. And it made my week, and to be quite honest was a spiritual feature point of the mission.

We have been teaching a little old Jehovahs Witness these last few months. At times I wondered why we continued to visit her, because at times I felt that we were just there to munch on cookies and hear the latest gossip in the building. But we went one last time to visit her and invite her to be baptized to see what would happen. It was the get baptized or die lesson. So we taught her a recap of the restoration and read a little bit from the BOM and invited her to be baptized, and she said YES. What?? She said she doesn´t feel ready yet, but if she comes to know that BOM is true she would get baptized. It was a miracle really. But here is where it gets good. As we were saying our good byes, she began to cry, but not just cry, she began to weep. And she told us how we were angels sent from God, who have helped her not be so lonely, that we have helped her in more ways than we realize. As I heard that, I got a little teary eyed and we cried a little bit together. But it was such an amazing moment in my mission. I finally realized the meaning of 2 Nephi 32: 2-3

2 Do ye not remember that I said unto you that after ye had received the Holy Ghost ye could speak with the tongue of angels? And now, how could ye speak with the tongue of angels save it were by the Holy Ghost?

3 Angels speak by the power of the Holy Ghost; wherefore,they speak the words of Christ. Wherefore, I said unto you, feast upon the words of Christ; for behold, the words of Christ will tell you all things what ye should do.

I know that there have been times where the spirit has guided me in word and deed and has helped me to speak with the tongue of angels. I have felt the power of the Holy Ghost with me as I testify of my Savior and Redeemer and it has helped me to be an angel for someone. I am on the errand of angels. I have learned if we do everything we possibly can to have the Holy Ghost with us at all times, we can be angels for people even when we don´´t realize it. Each and everyone of you are angels for someone.

I know that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the only true church upon the face of the earth. I know my Savior lives and that the Holy Ghost is real.

I love you all so much and hope you have a great week! Stay strong and keep the faith!

With love,
Hermana Pasley

Hermana Xochitl (one of my favorite members) took us to a HUGE shopping mall today! It was awesome :)

Anniversary of Carlos and Miriam, also both of their birthdays were this last week. We had a party!!

The Happiest Place on Earth!

Dearest Family!!!
How are we all?? I hope you are all doing well and you all had a good Valentines Day. Here in Mexico they also celebrate friendship on this day, so its a HUGE celebration...but lets be honest, what isn´t a big celebration here in Mexico!

So news on transfers....I´m staying here in Villahermosa!!! I´ll be finishing the training of Hna. Zúñiga and by the end of this transfer I´ll have 6 months in Barrio Carrizales (Carrizales Ward). I was so happy to be able to stay another transfer in this Ward. I feel like there is still something here for me to do and I´m excited to start this transfer with a fresh start! Its going to be a good one I can feel it!
So this week we received the best gift in the WHOLE WIDE WORLD...we got to go to the TEMPLE!!! I haven´t been to the temple in 3 months and this time it felt so different, it was an unusually powerful session. I have never felt the spirit like that, it was amazing and such a strengthening moment for me in the mission. As I sat in the temple thinking, an overcoming feeling of happiness came over me and I left the temple SO happy. I stayed that happy for 2 whole days. I literally felt like I was floating. It was so cool!! I remember Pres. Magleby said that at times on his mission he felt like he was going to explode from being so happy...that is how I felt. I love Disneyland with all of my heart, but I have to say the the temple is THE happiest place on earth. You cannot find peace or counsel like you do in the temple in any other place in the world. The temple is a way to renew our covenants and help others have this happiness as well in their lives. I invite each and every one of you to attend the temple regularly...don´t take for granted the blessing we have to live so close to one. On the mission I have Heard so many stories of incredible sacrifice to attend the temple. So everyone, go to the temple!!!!!!! Ah I love it!!!
I know that the temple is the house of God, and within the walls of the temple we can find answers and feel his presence as if he were in that very room. I know that this is the true church and that Joseph Smith is and was a prophet of God and that through him every essential ordinance has been restored. It´s SO TRUE!!!!
Well this week keep on keepin´ on and go to the temple. You´ll feel so much better once you go. Stay strong and keep the faith my friends.

"You´ll thank me later"
- Mr. Monk :)
Hermana Pasley

Yes I Know Heavenly Father Loves Me!!

¡Hola Familia!

How are you all doing?? I hope that this last week has treated you well and this letter finds you all doing well. I hear its getting toasty in St George...well all I got to say is that I fell ya. Its getting pretty hot here too! I think the rainy season is coming to an end and the heat is coming! WOOHOOO!!! I have to keep saying woohoo in my mind or I think I´m gonna cry, but we´re good and positive!!! I´m doing great and I´m getting my nice summer tan on!!!

Well this week has been full of little blessings! So many little ones that it turned into a great big blessing by Sunday! The scripture that says by small and simple things are great things brought to pass has never rung truer. This whole week I have felt the spirit guiding and directing me, helping us find success. We have a baptism date, 3 progressing investigators and 7 new investigators, which are awesome for this area. And I am so stoked to work this week!! I´m praying I don´t have transfers because there is so much work to be done here that I still haven´t done!!!

The small and simple statement has been a model for me throughout the week. I have been trying to look for the small and simple blessings throughout the day and the small promptings I get from the spirit to help us find success. I can testify to you that if you look for small and simple blessings each and everyday you will find so many that you never even realized you had. One day was especially hard and the only thing I could find was a beautiful butterfly that flew around me for a few seconds(shout out to Cami Dietz for helping me find my butterflies), but in that moment the primary song Heavenly Father loves me came into my mind:

He gave me my eyes that I might see
The color of butterfly wings.
He gave me my ears that I might hear
The magical sound of things.
He gave me my life, my mind, my heart:
I thank him rev'rently
For all his creations, of which I'm a part.
Yes, I know Heav'nly Father loves me.

After that song came to my mind, I felt Gods love and I knew he loved me. Everyday I feel his love and his love for others. I am so thankful that I am part of his creation and that I get to enjoy and help others along the way!

So I invite you all to look for the small and simple blessings which come each and everyday and it will make everything so much easier!

I love you all and pray for you each and everyday! Stay strong and keep the faith!! And remember the love of you Father in Heaven is the most powerful as you celebrate Valentines Day this week!!

Con amor,
Hermana Pasley

I Still Hate Snakes

Hello Family!!!

How are we all?? I hope you are doing good and enjoying this new month of February...can you believe its February already? Tomorrow I hit a year in Mexico...so SCARY!!! I want to congratulate Kenz on her mission call. New Zealands not going to know what hit them!! I´m so excited for ya Tunaflavor!! :)

This week has flown by so fast. There is so much work to be done and i feel like we´re running from one end of the world to the other..but its good to have lots of work to do. A member gave us a pedometer to see how far we walk everyday and one day we walked 12 miles...so we´re kind of pioneers down here in Mexico!!

I´m sitting here and I´m drawing a blank...nothing too exciting has happened this week! We met a few new awesome investigators who have a lot of potential and I´m excited to see what will happen with them this next week!

I´m sorry this letter is so short! I´ll try to make something crazy happen this week so I´ve got a good letter to write this next week! I love you all!! Stay strong and keep the faith!

Con amor,
Hermana Pasley

P.S. the leaves are HUGE here! Its like I´m in Bugs Land at all times!!

So the member that went with us to la venta took these pictures and sent them to me. I thought you would get a kick out of it. This is my sequence of horror

Power

Hello Family!!

How are you all doing?? All is well in Villahermosa and looking up! The clouds are back but they aint rainin on my parade!

So this week has been rather uneventful. We had lots of really good lessons and a few new investigators which is good, we´re seeing baptisms for the month of February!! Woohoo! But we did have one lesson, that stood out to me more than others. We have a new investigator named Mari. She is 22 with a 9 month old baby and is home alone all day. We met her and she accepted us to come and visit her. But as I got there I realized that she was just wanting to be friends and have someone to gossip with. Which is good that she trusts us and sees us as friends but we´re here to do so much more than munch on cookies and drink Pozol (a nasty tabasco drink...if anyone offers you some say NO! I´d rather eat bugs than drink Pozol. Say no to Pozol kids). So as we went to her house I asked her why she let us in, what she was expecting out of our visits and she said she needs friends. But after that I honestly can´t tell you what I said, it was completely and 100% by the spirit. I don´t think I have ever been so guided in my teaching. But questions started spilling out of my mouth and we were able to find her needs and her fears and teach her the doctrine to ease the pain she was feeling. It really was an amazing experience and I was able to feel the power of my calling. The other day I read D&C 31 and reflected on times I had felt the power of my calling and it was an awesome experience to look back on the experiences I´ve had and at times it really isn´t Hermana Pasley walking the streets of Villahermosa and in that moment I wanted to stay there forever and never leave my mission. I am so grateful I am here.
 
I know this church is true and I know this is where I need to be.
 
I love you all and pray for you everyday! Stay strong and keep the faith!
 
Hermana Pasley
 
foto: me and hermana zuñiga

Here Comes the Sun!! (doo doo doo doo)

¡Muy buenas tardes familia!

Me gustaría escribir mi carta en español hoy...ha just kidding no one would understand me! So the sun has finally come out today...which is a total sappy metaphor for everything that has happened this week.

So ALL last week it did not stop raining...we literally didn't see the sun at all. And on the days it rained the most those days seemed to be the worst. We lost a lot of investigators this week and my companion got sick and the thick clouds hanging over head seemed to make it even worse. But what missionary hasn´t had a bad week...which human for that matter? But something that I have learned in the mission is that when you have a bad week...your best weeks come right after...so wooohooo here we go starting week 3 of this transfer. I´m stoked to see what it brings...I know its going to be great! Because the sun has FINALLY come out today and it seemed to brighten my whole day!

And to make your day just a little bit brighter:

6 He that ascended up on high, as also he descended below all things, in that he comprehended all things, that he might be in all and through all things, the light of truth;

7 Which truth shineth. This is the light of Christ. As also he is in the sun, and the light of the sun, and the power thereof by which it was made.
Christ is the light that shines in our lives. He is in all and through all things. He is the only one that can bring the light into our lives, he has gone to the darkest places and is the only one who can help you find the light. Trust him. We just have to have the faith which brings us the hope for a better world..or week. So cheer up everyone! Here comes the sun doo doo doo doo. Its going to be the best week ever!!

I love you all and pray for you all everyday! Stay strong and keep the faith!


Hermana Pasley


P.S. The computer still wont read my memory...sorry no pics this week :(

I Know It, and I Know That God Knows It, and I Cannot Deny It

Dearest Family,

How are we all?? I hope you´re not as wet as we are here. It hasn't stopped raining in a week and even when its not raining, the sky starts misting and I feel like I´m constantly in a mist machine...its so weird! But I´m not complaining because its not hot! So I know you´re all dying to hear whose my new companion. Her name is Sister Zuñiga, and she´s from Obregón, Sonora. She barely turned 19 and I really feel like I´m caring for a baby. Shes not big into the getting down and dirty stuff, so shes having to do a little adjusting, but shes great and has a lot of energy for the work, so I´m excited to see what will happen this transfer.

So this week has been filled with ups and downs. Being a trainer is kind of hard at times, but so rewarding. I have been filled with the spirit this week that has led and guided me all week to have a pretty good week and to see a few investigators progress. But one experience has strengthened my testimony in the most unexpected way. On Saturday we went to go teach an investigator whose wife is a member. I LOVE his wife and I have come to love her husband as well...it was a long road coming to love him (I´ll explain later) but I had to humble myself to start loving him...it was rough. Anyways, he speaks really good English and loves to read in English, so I told him one day that I was going to get him a BOM in English and he said he would actually read it if I found him one...so of course I found him one and hes actually reading it!! Woo whoo!! So I was super excited to go and see how he was doing. So we get there and we start talking and bleh bleh bleh. His biggest doubt is the apostasy. He doesn´t believe that that could have happened along with many other doubts. Hes a really hard investigator with ridiculous doubts, but we´re working on it! So we´re there talking and I decided to show him the video The Great Apostasy. The story of how Wilford Woodruff found the church. It is such a powerful video, it makes me tear up every time I watch it! So I was stoked thinking that this was going to help him out a lot. We watch it and a spirit comes in so strong. And I know he felt something, I know he did. So the movie ends and I look at him and asked him how he felt during the movie. He looks at me and starts going off about how fabricated everything in the church is and goes completely crazy. He wouldn´t let me get a word in. I was so shocked, he was denying every single thing that I know he felt. So I kept trying to help answer his doubts but he just kept shooting me down. It made me so sad! I was starting to get so frustrated. I didn´t get mad, I didn´t yell. I got really sad, this man that I truly have come to love won´t except the one thing that can help him in this life. The only thing that can bring him happiness. So I sat and listened, and became more and more sad as time went on. He bashed and bashed and bashed on our doctrine and eventually I started to cry and couldn´t stop. I just started crying out of frustration. But as I started crying a scripture came to my mind JSH 1:25. And I remembered and the spirit testified to me that what I was teaching was true...so true, I cannot deny it. So I told him those words. I know it and I know that God knows it and I cannot deny it. I invited him to read the BOM and told him I loved him and that I hope he would soften his heart to accept the truth and we left. But the rest of the day and the next, the scripture lingered in my mind. I read it as this:

So it was with me. I had actually received an answer... and though I was hated and persecuted for saying that I had received my answer, yet it was true; and while they were persecuting me,reviling me, and speaking all manner of evil against me falsely for so saying, I was led to say in my heart: Why persecute me for telling the truth? I have actually seen a vision; and who am I that I can withstand God, or why does the world think to make me deny what I have actually felt? For I had received an answer; I know it, and I know that God knows it, and I cannot deny it, neither dared I do it; at least I knew that by so doing I would offend God, and come under condemnation.

I know that we are in the truth. That this is the ONLY true church upon the face of the earth. I know that Joseph Smith was and is a prophet of God and the he did indeed restore the church of Jesus Christ. I know it and I know that God knows it and I cannot deny it.

I love you all and pray for you every day. Stay strong and keep the faith.

With so much love,

Hermana Pasley

P.S. you should watch this video. The actings not the best, but the spirit is :) It would make a goo d FHE video :) https://www.lds.org/media-library/video/2010-07-003-the-great-apostasy?lang=eng