The Spider Whisperer

Hola todos!

This week I have learned the importance of journal writing. I didn't write in my journal at all, so I don't really remember what happened or know what to write about. SO, I'm just going to share this really cool part of the Book of Mormon:

Alma 46:12-13

"And it came to pass that [Moroni] rent his coat; and he took a piece thereof and wrote upon it-In memory of our God, our religion, and freedom, and our peace, our wives, and our children-and he fastened it upon the end of a pole.

And he fastened on his headplate, and his breastplate, and his shields, and girded on his armor about his loins; and he took the pole, which had on the end thereof his rent coat (and he called it the title of liberty) and he bowed himself to the earth, and he prayed mightily unto his God for the blessings of liberty to rest upon his brethren, so long as there should a band of Christians remain to possess the land-"

Moroni was riled up, ready to fight the enemies of his faith and to defend the truth. I imagine him running home, rifling through things until he finds a coat, something to write with. He tears it and scratches out quickly the thoughts of his heart. I doubt he took the time to find the best material, or write in cute bubble lettering. He was inspired to defense and ready to show it. He puts on his armor, grabs his makeshift banner-and prays. Of all the weapons of war, he chooses the humblest, the smartest, the strongest. And then, armed fully with God's power, he shares his light and rallies others to his righteous cause. I love the intensity of these verses, like action scenes in a movie with this mighty, but probably quiet prayer tucked in between lines.

Prayer is our best weapon. USE IT!

Mornings are really hard for me out here. When most people are tired they're grumpy, but when I'm tired I feel sad. But on mornings that are the hardest, I always have to take the time to stop and realize that I haven't prayed. Prayer makes everything better, and we should never be going out to face the world without its protection.

We've met some really awesome people this week, and because of the power of the Book of Mormon we've been able to teach them and get to know them a little better.

One of those people we met just lost his wife on New Year's Day, the day I came into the mission. We shared Alma 40 with him, and later taught the Plan of Salvation. He shared with us the grief he feels over the loss of his wife, the guilt he feels for not being a better husband, and that he knows she's accepted the gospel and he asked us how he could live in paradise with her.

The Lord prepares people. It's crazy to think about where I was on January 1st, tired and nervous and missing my family, versus where he was: in a hospital, holding his wife's hand as she died, thinking it was the last time he would see her. I miss my family so much, but I'm grateful to know that this sacrifice is only temporary, and that I can live with my family eternally. That's why we're out here as missionaries: to share that message with people like Eddie and help them know that they don't have to hold onto that grief and guilt.

In less spiritual news, there has been a spider in our apartment for the past couple days that I affectionately named Reggie. I don't mind having him crawl around on my desk, but Hermana Bent HATES spiders, so this morning when he was crawling on the wall she told me if I didn't get him out of the apartment, she would kill him. Twenty minutes and lots of screaming later, we released Reggie onto the balcony to be free. I'll miss him, but it's probably better this way.

Thank you everyone for all the love and support! I'll be better at keeping my journal this coming week.

-Hermana Thunell