Family!!!
Thanks for all the emails! LOVE reading them and seeing how you're all doing! Sounds like all is going well and you're living and loving life! Good work! Okay it sounds incredibly cold there- ha ha I love the heat and am super happy to be here where I still sweat everyday just walking outside our house and I have to continue to use my umbrella everyday b/c it's so hot. But snow is cool to, so enjoy it!
So I'm spending Christmas here in La Paz! Sister Naldoza got transferred this past week which I was sad about but it was expected. She is sooo great and I am so blessed that I was able to be one transfer with her. She is going to bless so many people's lives in her next area. Now I have a new companion! My first foreigner companion!!! Sister Tupua is from Fiji and is half Tongan. She's great ha ha and I'm learning a lot from her. So with both of us being foreigners ha ha it's been a different kind of culture shock for me. For example, she doesn't like rice. That's weird to me. Oh well, with every new companion I will learn new things. With us both being foreigners I've once again I'm recognizing the power of the gift of tongues. During our lessons I'll have words come to my mind that I've used that I know I couldn't have come up with those words with my own memory. The Lord really does know each of His children and their needs. Through words that are not my own, He uses us as instruments to help His children, to help my Filipino brother and sisters. I love it. I love being an instrument in His hands and I pray that I will always be worthy to be a tool for Him to use.
Sister Tupua had a bad headache all day on Saturday so we weren't able to work. That was rough, having a sick companion. That's the first time I haven't worked and I pray it will be the last. But it was alright, I had a lot of time to read the scriptures and wow, okay the scriptures are really the words of God for us in this day. Especially the Book of Mormon. The Book of Mormon really does testify of Jesus Christ. He really is the Christ. I also started reading "Jesus The Christ." Wow. I am at a loss of words to explain how I felt and what I learned from my reading. I am so amazed at who Jesus Christ is. He really is, everything. He really did come into the world as a baby boy like Lincoln, born into humble circumstances. He grew up as a normal child and He learned and grew in grace line upon line. Everything was not given to Him in one instant, but He really did grow up and learn His diving role. I know that Christ did everything He did as it was what our Heavenly Father wanted for Him. Christ of His own free will and choice choose to pay for our sins so that we might return back to Heavenly Father. So that we can be happy, so we can be relieved from the burden of guilt, shame, etc that comes from knowingly going against what the Lord would have us do. Repentance depends on us, and it is only possible through Jesus Christ. How incredibly grateful I am for Him. How in debt I am to Him. How much I love Him. I am at a loss of words for how I feel when I talk and testify of Him and how much He means to me. Wow. I am so blessed that Christ is willing to help me, an imperfect person, return back to our Heavenly Father. "Oh it is wonderful."
I love you all soooo much! I'm excited for Christmas! It'll be grand! Still don't know what time... sorry! We tried a different computer shop today to see if they had skype... but they don't have it. So now we'll try to see if there is a member in our branch who has skype that we can use. Hopefully!! Don't worry though, we'll 'hang out.' just it might be at an inconvenient time of night or morning for all of you... sorry!
Okay well mahal ko kayo! I hope you're all doing what you know you should. I hope you're being kind to one another. I hope you're forgiving those around you for their imperfections as you also have imperfections. I hope you're looking for the good in everyone around you and remember that like you, those around you are on their journey back home to our Heavenly Father and those around you literally are your brother and sisters. Also Christmas is coming up... do you remember Elder Ballard's hope for all of us? To reach out to one another by Christmas time? Ya, I'm still getting excited to hear about your experiences with that. Are you actually doing that or just saying you will? Like that's what we're talking about when we google chat and I'm going to be so sad if you say that you were too busy to specifically reach out to those around you in missionary work.
"It is impossible for us to fail when we do our best when we are on the Lord’s errand. While the outcome is a result of the exercise of one’s agency, sharing the gospel is our responsibility.
Trust the Lord. He is the Good Shepherd. He knows His sheep, and His sheep know His voice; and today the voice of the Good Shepherd is your voice and my voice. And if we are not engaged, many who would hear the message of the Restoration will be passed by. Simply stated, it’s a matte of faith and action on our part. The principles are pretty simple—pray,personally and in your family, for missionary opportunities. The Lord has said in the Doctrine and Covenants that many people have been kept from the truth only “because they know not where to find it” (D&C 123:12). The Lord knows us. He knows we have our challenges. I realize that some of you may feel heavy laden, but I pray that none of you would ever feel that reaching out in normal, pleasant ways to share the gospel would ever be a burden. Rather, it is a privilege! There is no greater joy in life than being anxiously engaged in the service of the Lord.
The key is that you be inspired of God, that you ask Him for direction and then go and do as the Spirit prompts you. When members view the work of salvation as their responsibility alone, it can be intimidating. When they view it as an invitation to follow the Lord in bringing souls unto Him to be taught by the full-time elders and sisters, it is inspiring, invigorating, and uplifting.
We are not asking everyone to do everything. We are simply asking all members to pray, knowing that if every member, young and old, will reach out to just “one” between now and Christmas, millions will feel the love of the Lord Jesus Christ. And what a wonderful gift to the Savior."
Mahal ko kayo!
Read the Book of Mormon if you want to be happy!
-Sister Davidson :)
Pictures!
We had an FHE last week at the Caliboso family who are less active in our branch. Our group made one too many mistakes so we had to do a talent as our punishment.
I LOVE these people! FHE's are the best!
One great thing about living where it is hot or rainy all year long... WATERMELON in December!!! Soooo delicious!! I love love love watermelon and I miss eating watermelon with Mom. Oh well, there's watermelon in heaven I'm sure of it.
The Giray family!! They are a strong family in our branch who is sooo great! Brother Giray is the new 2nd counselor in our branch presidency and he is doing such a great time. As in our branch president hasn't been to church in 2 weeks, and last week the 1st counselor didn't show up as well so Brother Giray has stepped up and filled in and done what he needs to do as well as helping the branch run without a branch president or 1st counselor. Small and simple things to be grateful for... functioning leaders, Sunday school teachers, primary teachers, YM to pass the Sacrament, an SA class, etc. Think about it, without our leaders every Sunday at church. Ha ha I can testify it makes it hard but it is a great learning experience! And I can also testify, EVERY SINGLE calling in the church is incredibly important. I hope each of us are fulfilling our callings!!! If not, get on it. The Lord has called you in the calling you're in for a purpose-trust Him and fulfill your calling! Don't just do what you need to do to get by, but exceed expectations and help out in as many ways as you can!
I'm going to miss Sister Naldoza!! But she's going to make an AMAZING STL!!!!
District 4!!! Elder Anasario, Elder Carbonelle, Sister Naldoza, and me!
This monkey and I used to be scared of each other.
NOw I love him!! He wouldn't actually kiss me though, and to be honest I wouldn't have let him. Ha ha ew. But it was a funny thought. Ha ha I still remember Lauren letting Ginger kiss her all over the face, I always thought it was nasty. I didn't let Cleo do that to me, I wasn't about to let a monkey kiss me. nasty.
Monkeys are in the PHilippines!
Yep we're bff
okay just a quick "where in the world am I?" moment. A lizard (there are millions here by the way all over, as in they are in the house, in everybody else's homes, etc. and it would bother me, but they eat all the bad bugs so i'm okay with them) but anyway, a lizard just crawled over my computer desk. ya. where am i again? ha ha oh ya the Philippines. Crazy country here I'm telling you and I love every thing about it.
mahal kita!
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