Week Trece

Two nights ago I had a dream that I finally got ahold of a flute. I was so excited to play it! My companion and I were looking for a member's house where I could play it and finally we found a member that would let me use their house. Just as I was about to play, I woke up. :( My dreams are taunting me! Pretty much all my dreams now are centered on the mission, cause that's been my life for the past three months and it will be for fifteen more months. Sometimes I wake up and wonder why I'm not in my room back home, thinking this mission thing was all a big dream. I don't know what's worse: waking up after a dream about home or after a dream about mission life, because either way I have to go back to mission life. Don't get me wrong, I love the mission, but it's tough to get going sometimes. Waking up in the morning, 6:30 every day, is no easy task. Everyone knows I'm not a morning person and that I like my sleep jaja. That's another one of the first things I'll do when I get home: sleep till at least 6:31am. ;)

I love emailing on P-days, but it's so hard after 90 minutes of being able to understand and be understood, to go back to a world where it's so hard for me to express my thoughts and feelings. It's a wonder that most of the time I forget I'm in Mexico.

So my companion loves American music, especially Katy Perry and Miley Cyrus. One day she was like "What's the meaning of 'nobody's perfect'?" Jaja I just had to laugh.

Usually I help my companion finish her food. Most of the time it's just the two of us eating and the mother (of the house) will go back and forth from the kitchen. When no one else is looking, my companion will give me the eye and I know she wants me to finish her food. it works out well cause she doesn't like veggies and I love them so that's usually what I get. The funny thing is that my companion is the one gaining weight and I've determined that I haven't gained any. :) But anyways, so one day this week, she and I were stuffed because we had eaten three burritos each during our language study. We got to the lunch appointment and just the smell of food made me want to throw up. And it was three courses of some of my not-so-favorite food. Had it been the most delicious food on earth, it still would've been painful going down. I literally had to pray with every bite that I could swallow it. :D

This week was one of those weeks where, for the most part, I felt like the only thing I contributed was the tune for the hymns we sang in lessons. Both of the companions I've had--in the MTC and here--must be tone deaf and most of the people we teach don't know the songs, so I'm the one everyone depends on. And sometimes, I feel that's about all I'm good for. Ah! This language is kicking my bum! No one told me it would be this hard to learn! O.o I realized I need to lower my expectations; they've been WAY too high. I haven't been happy with myself because after three months of studying Spanish--and previously not knowing much more than how to count to 10--I still don't know a lot. ONLY THREE MONTHS. That's nothing (sure, it's felt like an eternity, but that's another story)! I feel like with three more months I'll be just about where I want to be. So I'm halfway there!

I was hit by the power of the account by Joseph Smith this week. He was persecuted so much, yet he never denied the truth of what he saw. I love verse 24 from Joseph Smith History: "However, it was nevertheless a fact that I had beheld a vision. I have thought since, that I felt much like Paul, when he made his defense before King Agrippa, and related the account of the vision he had when he saw a light, and heard a voice; but still there were but few who believed him; some said he was dishonest, others said he was mad; and he was ridiculed and reviled. But all this did not destroy the reality of his vision. He had seen a vision, he knew he had, and all the persecution under heaven could not make it otherwise; and though they should persecute him unto death, yet he knew and would know to his latest breath, that he had both seen a light and heard a voice speaking unto him, and all the world could not make him think or believe otherwise."

He goes on to say in verse 25: "So it was with me...For I had seen a vision; I knew it, and I knew that God knew it, and I could not deny it." I LOVE that. If we can withstand persecution like Paul and Joseph we will be blessed. With our faith firm and our testimonies strong. i testify that we must hold tight to the iron rod and never let go. If we do this, it shall be well with us.

There is no doubt in my mind that Joseph Smith was a true prophet of God. I have received a witness that the Book of Mormon is true. I know that we can return to live with our Heavenly Father after this life and it is because of the miraculous gift of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. I know that as often as we repent and seek forgiveness, with real intent, we can be forgiven. I love this gospel, for it has so fully and deeply enriched my life. I know it's true with all my heart and mind. I know it and I know that God knows it and I cannot deny it.

Amor,

Hermana Sara Slaughter