Another week :)

Updates:

A new sister missionary joined the mission mid-transfer, and she's now living in the same house as us as part of the other companionship. She's from South Africa and has a vibrant personality that's been fun to have around :)

Elder Lawrence E Corbridge came and talked to the whole mission. I'll write about the spiritual things I learned in a minute.. first I'll share a funny story :) I guess his visit was pretty last-minute, and so on Thursday night we were driving back home from Laredo with the Assistants and President called and told them that the missionaries in the Valley (McAllen, Mission, Brownsville) were going to have a meeting on Saturday. Then the next day President told them that he wanted a specific musical number (Consider the Lilies with Sister Moore, Me, Elder Myler and Elder Jensen), but two of the people who he wanted to perform are serving in Laredo, so then he said to have the whole mission come. It was a little crazy - people traveled 6 hours total for a 2 hour long meeting! But it was VERY worth it and really fun to see all of the mission :)

Elder Corbridge was following up from the special broadcast that happened last month called "Teach Repentance and Baptize Converts" and it was really good. I guess usually when he did the training he had about 5 hours, but he had to do it in 2, but it was still very insightful. 

A couple of learnings:

After the Musical Number, Elder Corbridge talked extensively about unity - he said "I love musical numbers like that because there's a miracle that happens when people make music together." He said that you have to sacrifice your desire to be the best and be better, but work together to blend with the others and make it work for the best. He said that an Orchestra is a prime example of that and that when everyone has to do their best but work together toward a cause, magic happens. He then had us read D&C 6:32 where it says "where two or three are gathered together in my name as touching one thing..." and said that when we work together, we have to "touch one thing" - meaning we need the same objective and work together in the spirit. 

He also said that a lot of times we think of there being 2 types of people - those who are prepared and those who are unprepared - but that actually there's 3rd group, and those are the people who, with understanding, can become prepared. That means that WE have to be really good teachers to give them the chance to accept the gospel. No pressure ;) but it was good to hear that and realize just how important our efforts are.

I hope you all have splendid weeks!

Love,

Hermana Reynolds