It's been a good week here in Tupile. It's cooled down a tad because we've had a lot of rain, which I love! The storms in the middle of the ocean are unlike any other. I love thunder/lightning storms, but they're slightly overwhelming out here. I've been woken up a couple nights from a heart stopping crack of thunder. I don't even know how to explain it to you guys, you are literally in the middle of the storm. It is awe-inspiring really . . . and slightly startling sometimes. We love playing in the rainstorms though. The kids love to play in the rain. Last Monday night we played with them for about 2 hours. We were just splashing each other and running around, but we made a beautiful memory that I'll never forget. I remain convinced that it's the simple things that matter most :) Another day I had gotten completely soaked from filling up our buckets with water. I finally changed and got all warm and dry and headed outside. The youth were all playing soccer in the water filled court as it continued to pour rain. My intentions were only to watch them from my dry refuge, but they all started calling for me to come play with them. When I was hesitant, a couple of them came up and pulled me onto the court. I ended up playing with them for a good hour and a half . . . I was soaked again, but I love playing with them. My companion always just smiles and shakes her head at me. What can I do? :)
Our break-in problem has eased up a bit, but we're still having a small vandalism problem. I've sealed up the majority of the break in points. I also have quite a few booby-traps set up. They don't really keep anybody out, but they would make enough noise to either scare them away and/or wake me up. Call me crazy, but I kind of like the challenge of out-smarting them :) My companion frequently switches between calling me a monkey and MacGyver because I'm constantly climbing in the rafters and creating solutions with things like half a hanger and a button.
I wish that you guys could meet all of the people here. There are so many that I'll never be able to forget. One of them is a 12 year old boy named Juan. He is so sweet and funny, and we love playing around with him! The other day he was visiting us with some friends. He came up to me and said "Mama!" I said, "Who?" He said "You! You're like my mother! I love you!" Now every time he sees me he runs up to me and yells, "Mama!" It melts my heart and makes me so happy!
Before closing I want to share a highlight from one of our seminary lessons this week. We talked about how as we choose to follow the Lord, we choose to change. Have you ever felt that you have the need to change something spiritually? If so, did you do it? If you have experienced a change, have you maintained that change until now? Elder Bednar taught, "Indeed, the essence of the gospel of Jesus Christ entails a fundamental and permanent change in our very nature made possible through our reliance upon 'the merits, and mercy, and grace of the Holy Messiah' (2 Nephi 2:8). As we choose to follow the Master, we choose to be changed--to be spiritually reborn." This gospel means nothing in our lives if we do not apply it each day and utilize it to change what we need to in order to become better. I testify that this gospel is for the perfection of the saints. I want to invite each of you to give heed to the promptings of the spirit and take yet another step towards your divine potential. Choose to follow the Savior and choose to change for the better.
I love and miss you all! I'm looking forward to seeing you all on Skype next week!
Go Forward With Faith!
Hermana Falslev
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