Wednesday, August 31, 2011

WE HAD A HALF-WAY MEETING WITH PRES. STEIMLE


"Each of you need to ask for God’s help – his angels will be with you.  The greatest blessings always come when you think you can't do anymore, but you do anyway.  Forget yourself and help other people.  Have the desire to serve other people:  that will ensure your success."
Pres. Steimle

August 31, 2011  transcript of handwritten letter
Dear Mom and Dad,
I have 30 minutes until dinner and the end of P-day!  I don’t have a lot to say.  I just got back from the temple.  The sessions are always good.  It’s fun to be able to go with my zone.  I really love my district and the other district in my zone.
                I am learning lots of good things here.  I feel like everyone in my district has a part to play.  They’ve definitely had an influence on me.  Only 3 weeks more here and then I’ll be heading for Nicaragua. 
                I am struggling with speaking Spanish.  My companion doesn’t want to speak Spanish ever.  So…she doesn’t like it when I speak Spanish.  That’s pretty frustrating. But I can speak Spanish. 
                I am so grateful that I get to be in Guatemala and at the CCM.  The CCM is fantastic.  It’s so small and tight.  We get to meet with the President once or twice a week as a zone.  He reads the (short) letters we write to him and makes comments.  Hna. Steimle and Hna Rogers know us all.  We had a “½ way” meeting with him – our zone.  He told us:  Speak Spanish!  Be sin verguenza!  Be a parrot and repeat things that your Latino friends say.  Your last day in the field, you should be studying some Spanish words.  Master your mission language skills in every way possible.  There are 1,000’s of people who have done this before.  Give it your all!  Be focused!  Each of you need to ask for God’s help – his angels will be with you.  The greatest blessings always come when you think you can't do anymore, but you do anyway.  Forget yourself and help other people.  Have the desire to serve other people:  that will ensure your success.   It's time for you to decide what kind of person you want to be.  It doesn’t matter if you’re the district leader or the one who comes to the door every once in a while for chocolates.  We love you all. :)
                Hna Murray and Hna. Hurst are both really sick.  I hope I don’t catch it.  Sometimes at the MTC, I feel like I’m in a prison – just because I’m inside a lot.  Whenever I walk to CRE or the temple or church I feel so free.  I want to run around and dance.  Most of the time, I restrain myself.
                I don’t think I told you about Elder Falabella comeing to the CCM.  We had a devotional.  He was way good and I was able to understand everything – or 85 to 90% if what he said.  He spoke slowly.  He told us there are 3 types of angels – according to the BD or GEE.  There are Spirits, Resurrected Beings, and Mortals.  He told us that many people will see us as angels, and we shouldn’t disappoint them –we should act like angels.  He told us a few small things that would help us be more successful.  D & C 64:33.  He told us this is a beautiful opportunity to become a better person.  Look for hard things to do so you can grow.  A good missionary overcomes all obstacles.
                -Get the husband in the family involved in the lessons so the whole family can be together.
                -Keep trying different methods until you succeed.  Like Alma – He tried a different route and was able to find a beautiful companion—Amulek.
                -Find the right person/member in your barrio to go teach with you.  Don’t have a lesson with a corpse present.  Have a lesson with a MEMBER present.
                -Don’t have shame to speak in Spanish.  You might not speak well, but SPEAK!  Do it anyway.
                -Use the LDM. It has the power to convert people by the Spirit. 
Every Sunday we watch church movies or firesides.  We also get taught by Pres. Steimle or Pres. Rogers.
I Love You!  Write me letters – but probably address them to Nicaragua!
Thanks for all your letters and emails, I love to read them!
Love, Marybeth

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