God is not a hater

Hi family and friends

 The quote above is just another great thing our friend on the corner always yells out...he has got some pretty good points. 😉 Anyways! This week! It has really just been a great week. Sorry I didn't write last week...it was to darn stressful. I spent half of my last p-day trying to organize a musical number and honestly writing a whole weekly email would have stressed me out more....hope that didn't ruin anyone's week! Haha!

 So yeah, I organized a whole musical number for zone conference. That was super stressful trying to coordinate with everyone's busy schedules but it ended up turning out really good. I recorded it so I will send it along. Zone conference in general was amazing! I love listening to President and getting trained on how to be a better missionary but the biggest thing I got out of the training is that the lord is hastening his work and he needs more then ever missionaries who understand his purpose which is to "bring to pass the immorality and eternal life of man." (Moses 1:39) It really reconfirmed to me how 100% focused I need to be on this work! Heavenly Father so deeply loved us that he wants each one of us to have the opportunity to hear this incredible message about the atonement and the gospel. And he so deeply loved us he desperately wants every single one of us to return to him but he has to rely on a bunch of 18-26 year old adults to do that work for him....scary but then kind of not. I'm amazing that he would put that much trust in our hands and I am more determined then ever to not let him down or my brothers and sisters down. Someone I loved that President said this that no one of us has ever walked pass just a mere mortal....so so true! We all are children of God with the capacity to become like God...none of us are mere mortals.

 So something really cool this week is that our investigator, Juan, gave up coffee. Stopped cold turkey. We literally had a lesson with him about the Word of Wisdom and he was like okay, and handed over his coffee! He is the coolest and one of the most converted people I have ever met. He has such a great faith in the lord and his plan for him that he is totally willing to align his will with the lords. I am honestly amazed by him. We are going to go and buy him some Pero so that he has something to help him ease off the coffee.

 Isn't it amazing how much the gospel changes people?! I find it amazing! Just by hearing it, it just makes you want to be a better person! Wow....I can't imagine a better gift from our Heavenly Father. Giving us something that just increases our ability to become like him. He just thought of everything for us.

 Something that I'd like to share with you all is a scripture found in the Book of Mormon. I was reading this morning and this verse really hit me.

It is found in Mosiah 5:13.

 "13 For how knoweth a man the master whom he has not served, and who is a stranger unto him, and is far from the thoughts and intents of his heart?"

 My first thoughts where how can we know he savior without serving him...we can't. We can know of him but not actually know him. I've seen that difference in so many people I met here. You can tell when they know the savior and when they simply know of him. This is something I love about the gospel, it teach is us to know him! To actually know him! To have a relationship with him! That is incredible to me. This is why I love being a missionary! This is the reason why I am doing this! I'm so grateful that this gospel teaches me to have a personal relationship with my savior. I couldn't imagine my life without actually knowing him. What a blessing it is! And I want the whole world to know it...and someday they will.

 I love you all and I hope you have a great week! If you all have spiritual insights or tips on teaching or anything else that would help me be a better missionary, please send it my way!

 Hermana Paredes! ❤️