Miracles

Hola! 

Topic: A LIFE CENTERED IN CHRIST

Chapter: ALMA 4

Questions to Consider: 

1. Why and when did the people become wicked?

2. Read verses 4-6. What was the time difference in between the time of righteousness and time of wickedness?

3. Why was the time so short?

4. What were the wicked people doing?

5. What did Alma feel would help save the people?

6. How can these principles (what Alma felt would save the people) be applied to you individually?

7. How can you center your life in Christ? And your family as well?

//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////It was a great week. We have been working so hard, and God has blessed us with success. Leonore was confirmed yesterday.

Junue is reading the Book of Mormon every day. Still a little casual with gospel stuff, but progressing very well.

Villanueva Family: The father doesn't go to church. He played basketball with us today, though.

We are still visiting active members, less actives, and investigators.

I have a question for all of you. Do you believe in miracles? Maybe all of you could say yes immediately. But I want you to pause and think about this. Really...do you BELIEVE IN MIRACLES? Do you KNOW that there are miracles to see and find every day? Do you pray for them? Do you recognize them? Do you write about them? Do you search for them? If not, I invite you to start doing it. I have begun doing it in my life and I cannot describe in words the miracles I have seen. There was one this week that was incredible.

I had woken up and exercised. I then went into the bathroom to blow my nose. My nose began to bleed a little, but was not a big deal at all. I got some toilet paper and tried to take care of it. There was VERY little toilet paper. But, I felt confident that the bleeding would stop and I could continue with my day. Well, it didn't stop. It got worse. It started to bleed more. I had nothing to take care of it. Still, it wasn't much of a problem, but I did ask my companion for normal paper, and he slid some under the door...but the blood continued to flow. Blood was running down my hands...I started to get a little freaked out. It wasn't disastrous, but it was a lot, and it wasn't stopping. I began to pray for help that it would end so I could get back to working. It still wasn't stopping. It was a little serious, this bloody nose. Maybe in reality, it wasn't that bad, but I panicked because of the amount of blood. I asked my companion to call the mission president. I continued to pray. The president didn't answer. I really began to worry. And then....the miracle began to evolve. A thought flashed through my mind. It told me to tell my companion to pray. So I did...."ELDER! HAGA UNA ORACION!" Say a prayer! He did. Soon after, he told me to put my face in the shower water. I did not want to....I was losing blood and did not want to put my face in the shower and let the blood run free. But I did it. I turned on the water in the shower and let the water run over my face. I was crying a little because I was scared. My companion told me to make sure that it is cold water, not hot water. So I adjusted the water likewise. After, he told me to lie down on the floor. I said no. I didn't want the blood to run down my throat. But he ordered me to do it. HAGALO! Do it! So I did. I lay down for maybe 5 minutes. My nose was fine. I thanked God. I got back up, slowly, as my companion instructed. Still all was well. Then I asked the Big Question. I said something like "Elder, how did you know that that would work?" My companion responded by telling me that he didn't know it would work. I asked him if he had tried doing that to stop a bloody nose. He said he had never tried it. I was amazed and thanked him. He responded by telling me that he knew who REALLY provided such a miracle. I thanked my Heavenly Father for such a miracle. My companion prayed for me, and as a result, his mind was filled with knowledge concerning what I needed to do to stop the bleeding and to calm down. My companion did not have a clue that such things could stop a bloody nose. But Heavenly Father did.

I believe in miracles. Do you?

I love the food. I love the people. I love the language. I am praying for help to be fluent in Spanish by the end of this cycle. I believe that is possible (God's will trumps all, though!). I refer to the word "fluent" as meaning that I can speak and everyone understands, and I can listen and understand almost all. I am getting pretty close, but still got a lot of work to do.

Avocados continue to haunt me. I am trying to like them...ok; I am more or less trying...maybe a little less! I am in love with the rest of the food here, though.

Answers to your questions: Last P-Day was fun because we played soccer and basketball. We do this a lot. The bread varies from donuts, to cheese, to sweet, to cinnamon, to whatever type of bread...it varies a lot. A lot of churls too. Tortillas are often made on the streets, and they smell really good when you walk by the shop. I have tortillas almost every single day. I have rechargeable batteries too, so those should last my entire mission. I could definitely use those other batteries that you have sent as well. I have not received the package quite yet. 

I've been thinking about some things.  What can you learn from your trials? Look for PATTERNS in your life. What keeps happening? Look for these patterns in your life. God works in ORDER, so there is a method to the madness we face in life. What is He doing? Continue to seek His help. Read the child's song, "A Child's Prayer". "Speak, He is listening." REMEMBER REMEMBER...God only does WHAT YOU NEED! He does what is beneficial for you!  2 Nephi 26:24

(Chase challenged us, as a family, to do the three things below.  However, I felt that ALL could benefit from this.)

1. Study a story about Christ in the scriptures for two weeks, and learn about how to improve and love others and serve them. This challenge is similar to a challenge the Liahona Magazine gave.

2. Every single day, each of you write down one thing that you like about every other person in the family. Do this for one month or longer if you want, and then in one family home evening, share what you wrote for every person during that month.

3. Missionary work! I love to continue to hear about your missionary efforts.

I love you all so much.

DIOS VIVE, Y EL ES UN DIOS DE MILAGROS.  (God lives and He is a God of miracles.)

Love,

Elder Anderson