24 Feberro 2014

Hello my dear family!

Is it just me or is this year going by abnormally fast? Everybody told me that the down-hill side of the mission goes by quickly, but I never thought it would go by as quickly as it is. Yesterday in Relief Society they were planning an activity for May! It´s already right around the corner. Time is moving quickly, but it has all been a grand adventure so far, and I have no doubt that many more adventures are on the way :) I´ve learned more than I can express, and I´ve met so many wonderful people, some that will be life-long friends. 

The Lord taught me yet another important lesson this week. My companion and I have been working hard with various people and simply were not seeing many fruits from our labors. When that happens it is easy to get frustrated or disanimated. But as I was thinking about our situation, I started to think about the many things that the Lord has taught me about faith this change. I decided that if I allow myself to get frustrated because I´m not seeing direct results from my efforts, I´m not showing very much faith in my Savior. Getting upset like that makes my faith conditional. I don´t want conditional faith. I want to have a firm faith and trust that is there even when the situation goes astray. On the other hand, if I continue to put forth my efforts, and work even harder in difficult times, with a hopeful attitude, I am demonstrating my unconditional faith to my Father in Heaven.
It´s easier said than done, but it´s what has to be done. Each time that I feel too tired to put forth my best efforts I think about the Savior during the Atonement. I know that He was tired, much more so than I can imagine. I know that He wanted to give up the burden that He had over Him, but He didn´t do it. He fulfilled what He had come to do despite the pain and exhaustion, all because of His love towards us and His obedience to the Father. At the end of it all He was able to say, ´´It is finished´´ My hope is to do the same. To work through the fatigue and frustration because of my love for those that I´m serving and my obedience to the Father. I know that as we work, obey, and love those that we serve, we will see the hand of the Lord in this marvelous work, His work :) What a blessing it is to be a part of it all.

I love you all so much!

Go Forward With Faith!

Hermana Falslev :)

17 Feberro 2014

Family! How are all of you? I hope this email finds you all well :) It´s been a good week here in Panamá. I´ve now officially hit the half-way mark.....crazy right? I didn´t think about it much until I got home at night and was laying in my bed. Time has flown by so fast. Honestly it made me a little meloncholy because I know that once my time here is over I´ll never be able to get it back. I´ve had so many beautiful experiences here, I´m so grateful to my Father in Heaven for this opportunity :)

We contacted a woman the other day who informed us quickly that she already had her religion. She informed us that she gets up extremely early and walks a long way to get her church. She explained that we have to sacrifice in order to show our devotion to God. We shared a small message with her and invited her to attend church with us on Sunday. Oddly enough, she lives less than five minutes from the chapel where we meet. I´ve been thinking a lot about that encounter this week. We can learn from the scriptures that obedience is greater than sacrifice. We can sacrifice all that we have, but it will all be in vain if we are not being obedient. We are blessed to live in a time where, as members of the church, we aren´t required to sacrifice much physically, such as the pioneers years ago. Many of us live down the road from a chapel. Our lives are not threatened as we choose to live what we believe. We are so blessed. However, the standards that the Lord expects from us have not changed.....and will not change. He expects obedience. Obedience to the standards that He has set clearly and openly in front of us. One of my favorite scriptures is simple and well known. John 14:15 states that if we love God, we will keep His commandments. It´s not a complicated concept, there aren´t any hidden loop-holes, ´´ifs´´ or ´´buts´´. If we love God we will keep His commandments. Obedience is the first law of heaven, and we must learn to allow it to govern us as well here on the earth.

My dear family, I want you all to know that I KNOW that this gospel is true. I know that as we live the gospel we will be filled with joy. I know it because I have felt it. I have felt it so strongly that it is impossible for me to deny it. I invite you all to partake of the same joy :) I love you all and miss you!

Go Forward With Faith,

Hermana Falslev :)

10 Febrero 2014

¡Querida Familia!

Time never ceases to amaze me. Yet another week has flown by. Next Saturday I´ll have 9 months......half of my mission! I still feel like a newbie, but there are a lot of missionaries in my zone right now that have less time that me. Time flies when you´re having fun....and preaching the gospel :)

We just got back from having a BBQ near a river with about half of our zone. It was so beautiful! It actually reminded me a lot of the Utah mountains....almost. The world that our Heavenly Father is so beautiful! I frequently think of my favorite primary song, ´´I Feel My Savior´s Love´´. ´´I feel my Savior´s love in all the world around me....´´ The breath-taking beauty of the world around us is a testament that we have a loving Heavenly Father. Often, especially at the end of a difficult day, the Lord provides me with a tender mercy as I look up and see a magnificent sky, full of clouds illuminated with light from a full moon. If I remember correctly there is a section in the scriptures in which somebody asks for a sign that God exists. The response is (I don´t have the scriptures so I´ll paraphrase :)) ´´What do you need a sign for, the beautiful world around you is a sign.´´ I know that ALL THINGS TESTIFY OF CHRIST! I feel my Savior´s love for me in all the world around me. Search for the small, beautiful miracles that surround us :)

This past Saturday we had a ward activity in which we watched ´´17 Miracles´´. What a beautiful movie. I admire so much those that sacrificed so much to reach Zion. Thanks to the sacrifices that those valiant pioneers made, the work of the Lord was hastened. I couldn´t help but think about how they must feel to know that the gospel is being preached for almost the entire world. The sacrifices that they made were not in vane. I found it interested that near the end of the movie it mentions that they were called to be the saints of that time. We have been called to be the saints of this day. Our fight is different, perhaps not so physically visible, but it is just as important and we must work to fulfill our calling. I know that it can be difficult in a world in which the Adversary has so much power, but as we trust in the Lord we will see miracles and be strengthened to fulfill our calling as well. The work of the Lord will not be frustrated. I love to think that the Lord accomplishes His work through us, His children. 

My dear family, I know that this gospel is true and that it is only through living this gospel that we achieve a true, eternal joy. I know that we have a loving Heavenly Father and that we can talk directly with Him through prayer. He answers prayers. I have gained such a testimony of prayer while here. I have seemingly permanent bruises on my knee-caps from kneeling so much :) Whatever situation you may be facing I challenge you to take it to the Lord. He does not judge, He does not criticize, He simply loves. He loves each of us so much. 

I love each of you so much and pray for you each daily :)

Go Forward With Faith,

Hermana Falslev :)

Photos February 2014 Panama Canal, Sloth, Spider, etc

3 Febrero 2014

Dear family,

I just got back from a place called Cerro Ancon. We decided to go there as a zone for PDay. It´s a mountain . . . no, a hill, that is covered in giant spiders, monkies, and slothes that provides a beautiful view of Panamá City to those brave enough to reach the top :) Actually, we only saw one monkey and one sloth, but it truly is covered in giant spiders. Along the entire walkway there are giant webs with hand-sized spiders on them. ¡NO GRACIAS! 

Speaking of spiders, I got stuck in a members kitchen earlier this week because a large spider was in the entry way as I went to leave. I simply sat down and waited for it to move . . . . it didn´t move. The member eventually came in to see why it was taking so long to wash dishes. When he saw me he burst out laughing. I´m convinced that a part of my calling is to provide comic relief to the Panamanians. Here to serve :) 

This week I´d like to testify of the healing power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. There is an area here called San Juaquin. Never before have I felt so strongly a tangible darkness and a need for the light of the gospel. There is an atmosphere of pure sadness in this neighborhood. Full of sorrow and broken families. I just want to have a giant family night with all of them!! There is a family there that has a few members of the church. They still have their trials, but it is a ray of light for the area. 

Also, on Saturday I had one of the most spiritual experiences I´ve ever had. I won´t share too much over email because I hold it very close to my heart, but it testified to me of the truthfulness of this gospel. We taught a family that needed much healing. As we began teaching them they were surrounded by barriers and distractions. It was difficult and a little frustrating. My companion and I, both with a prayer in our hearts, began to testify. Everything changed, and they really began to listen. The mother began to cry and told us that our words had taken away a burden that she had been carrying for years. I can testify that this gospel heals and provides us with a joy that cannot be found anywhere else. I KNOW THAT MY SAVIOR LIVES! This gospel is real and it is true. I love it with all of my heart. 

I love you all so much and pray for each of you by name each and every day!

Go Forward With Faith,

Hermana Falslev :)