Three Months Now!

Hola Mis Amigos!!

I just passed my 3-month mark on Thursday. My how time flies! I feel like just yesterday I got into McAllen. I certainly don't feel like I know that much more than I did when I first arrived in Laredo. I have a great trainer who is teaching me lots but I am nervous for that day when we will no longer be together. J

I am not sure if I mentioned this or not but the MTC has put out a new training program that is suppose to help missionaries be more successful in the mission quicker. I guess with the old program it was taking missionaries 3-5 months before they could be adequately utilized in field. With the new program missionaries are suppose to come out into the field as if they have been there for the past three months. Also, there is a new 12-week training program which includes being with our trainer for the whole 12-weeks, one extra hour of companionship study, and involves us taking the lead in all situations. For example, every week we spend 3-hours one day planning for the next week. This planning session is a long important process that really sets your next week up for success.

Well, this past week was my first week taking the lead and my it was a challenge to make sure that everything was organized and set for every aspect of missionary life in this coming week, which includes, making goals, teaching people, what lesson we want to teach to fit their needs, meeting with people who are already part of the church, etc.

Anyways, at the end of the 12-weeks now we are suppose to be able to train. How scary!! I am hoping that will not be the case. ;)

On a much lighter note we had our first baptism this week, a 17-year old whose family is not a member of the church. His mom came to church and to the baptism yesterday. Each time we meet with her son, she becomes more and more interested in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I know she feels different and I know that she can feel our spirit when we are with her but for some reason change is hard. Even when people know the truth, change is hard.

I guess the question is where is our faith?  Our faith is in Jesus Christ! Faith leads to action? The only thing that helps us grow deeper in the Gospel of Jesus Christ is by taking action on our faith. Doing those things that Jesus Christ requires of all us to come unto him.

It is my prayer that each of you would examine your faith in Jesus Christ and see what areas of your life would help you draw closer unto him? If you are lost or need help on where to go, write me. I would love to help be your guide or find someone that can guide you :)

Con mucho amor,

Hermana Zani

Third Week in Laredo

Hola Mis Amigos,

"But if ye will turn to the Lord with full purpose of heart, and put your trust in him, and serve him with all diligence of mind, if ye do this, he will, according to his own will and pleasure, deliver you out of bondage." Mosiah 7:33

I have been thinking a lot this week about putting our trust in the Lord. To say, put your trust in the Lord is one thing but doing that and leaning on Jesus Christ is quite another thing entirely. To do this you must first know with assurance that He loves you. That Christ is mindful of you and will take care of you especially when we are following His commandments.

To know Christ, to really know Christ, means putting aside pride and any idea that we can do this on our own. To know Christ takes effort on our part. I see the Atonement (or death of Jesus Christ) as a gift wrapped in beautiful paper, which we must open in order to use the gift. The way we can use the gift that Christ has given us is through faith, repentance (changing our hearts), baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and then enduring to the end. Simple steps, simple steps that we must use every day of our life to draw closer to Christ.

I believe that we can have a better understanding of these steps as we pray to our Father in Heaven through Jesus Christ, as we read our Scriptures, and attend Church. In doing so, each of us can come to know and feel of the Heavenly Father's and Jesus Christ's love for us.

After having just expressed all of that I want to discuss how hard it has been for me this week to put my trust in the Lord. I trust that the effort and energy that I put in each morning in studying is going to prepare me for what to say. To trust with a surety that I do not have to come up with things to say as someone is talking but as I truly listen, the words will come.

This is hard because my whole life I have never had to rely on the Lord this much. I relied more on myself but here I have to rely on the Lord for strength. When I am able to do this, the things I say are better because they are His words. The things I do are better because they are the things He would do.

I am loving Laredo so much. Each Sunday night we have dinner with a family that lives in our area and I really look forward to these dinners. This family is so committed to helping missionaries in any way that they can. I invite all of you to look for ways to bring others to Christ.

Thanks so much for all of your support and letters. You all are in my thoughts and in my prayers.

Con Amor,

Hermana Zani

Second Week in Laredo

Buenos Dias !!

I am beginning to lose track of how long I have been on my mission. Haha! I think time is a funny thing on your mission, like I know what month it is but days just seem to flow together. :)

I loved general conference, it was great!! I loved that the underlying theme was of repentance and missionary work, how perfect. I have such a testimony that as we turn away from the things of this world and turn towards the things of God we can find more peace, more happiness and more joy than we have ever experienced. If we let God work through us by giving Him our heart, He will truly make more of us than we can make of ourselves.

I am witnessing this in my life. I have had some awkward experiences that have been made okay through Jesus Christ. Last night I was thinking about all the awkward dates that I have been on in my life and how none of them compare to all the experiences that I have had as a missionary. Missionary work is amazing but the boldly and lovingly profess the principles of the Gospel Jesus Christ is not for the faint of heart. It is work, the best work that you will ever do but it is hard work.

Well I do not have much time today. But you are all in my thoughts and prayers.

Con Amor,

Hermana Zani