Week 32: Just Do It

Hola family!!!

I love seeing the photos of your trip to Oregon :) and the coast. Enjoying the break in the best way possible. I hope that nobody is sick anymore....and that you're all excited for your New Year's Resolutions. I want to hear about what are your goals for this year :)

Kattia is progressing and came to church this Sunday. We've taught her almost everything, except tithing and fast offering. We left her the pamphlet saturday night after a visit with her to teach about service and following the example of Christ always....anyway, she hasn't drank coffee in about 5 days and even though she thinks that it´s causing her headaches, she keeps strong. This sunday she stayed for all 3 hours, and in relief society the lesson was about goals and reaching our potential, and she wrote as her first goal to be baptized. She gave us a scare when sunday morning she sent us a text saying that she wasn't going to go to church because she can't pay tithing (she had read the pamphlet we left), but we assured her that we are going to explain what is tithing and why we pay it, and that she doesn't have to pay tithing to come to church. We love her a ton, and she is a great example of diligent study and dedication to being obedient to what God wants of her.

We visit a lot of less active members, as well as recent converts, but one family in particular that we visit every week is the Family Montero Alcocer. This month was difficult because both parents had to work sundays. Now we are working on getting them to baptize their daughter, Camila, who is 9 years old and still hasn´t been baptized. Her dad wants to be the one to baptize her, but he is working on being worthy of the aaronic priesthood that he holds so that he can do so. But this week we read 1 Nephi 17 about when Nephi was commanded to build a ship. The dad shared with us his testimony of how he knows that reading from the scriptures is so important because we always receive something that we needed to hear and apply into our life. It´s food for our spirits.

One of these days I was studying about Service. As true disciples of Jesus, we also should serve others, as he served. Matthew 20:26-27. John 13:14-15. The Savior gave his life in order to serve us. Sometimes we pray to God that He might bless those people that suffer and need help and then later we don´t do anything to help these needy people. God wants us to be His hands, His tools in bringing about much joy to those people who have real needs. They are praying for help and for God to send His angels. We need to act upon those promptings that will allow us to be the answer to someone's prayer. Mosiah 25:34-40. Matthew 20:28. Luke 10:30-37.

Troy: I posted the english version so y'all can understand it. Spanish version above. :)

I love being in the service of the Lord here in Costa Rica :) Many times when we visit people they express concern for us and how much we work, or how they feel bad that we don´t have free time or do those things that we love to do because we´re serving missions, but they don´t understand that we love what we do. it´s hard, but it´s worth it. When we are so focused in helping others, and that gives us the joy that comes from serving others.

I love you all and pray for yall every day.
Con mucho amor,

Hermana Flake

p.s. my companion loved the stocking and goodies and card that yall sent to her :) thanks so much