Monday, August 9, 2010

Maria Fernanda got Baptized with a Spider


Dear Family,
I went to my last zone conference Friday. When I got to the conference I didn´t know it would be my last, but they presented all the changes that the missions are making and the next conference will be in November. So Friday is when it hit me really that the mission is ending. On the hour bus ride home I was thinking about how I wish that I had known everything that I know now, when I started the mission. There are so many things I could have done better, but then I realized that it doesn´t work that way and it shouldn´t work that way. I found myself really grateful that Heavenly Father teaches us little by little, because that way we can look back and see the difference, see that we are doing things better and from that we feel content. I am also grateful that Heavenly Father chooses to do his work through people and doesn´t just do it all himself. He lets his imperfect children help him to carry out his plan.
Getting ready for the conference, we studied powerful missionaries in the Book of Mormon. I read about Nephi in Helaman 10 and learned from Preach my Gospel that “our calling gives us authority and keeping our covenants gives us power.” I have been thinking about that a lot lately and have been trying to keep my covenants better. I left the conference feeling the Spirit really strong and the feeling didn´t leave for two days. It was incredible the spiritual power that we received from conference.
Maria Fernanda was baptized yesterday! She cried after the baptism when everyone was congratulating her. I asked her, “You are crying because you are happy right?” She shook her head yes. Funny story: When we were leaving the church she told us how she was in the water and Elder Larson was about to perform the ordinance when she noticed that there was a spider swimming three inches from her arm. Elder Larson started the ordinance and Maria Fernanda was able to contain her urge to scream, I think the Spirit calmed her a little bit. Then she went under the water and who knows what happened to the spider. I had never heard a baptism story with a spider before! Ha ha.
I love you all lots, lots, lots,
Hermana Arnold

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