We Are Not Made For Endings: one beautiful pause in my life

Dear Family,

Guess what? Cambios. Guess what? I'm going to Celaya. Guess what? All three of us in our companionship had cambios and our area is going to be opened up by Elders. 

The truth be told: This companionship was the most beautiful and history-making companionship I have had here in Mexico. Mejor dicho- The Fab Five in Azteca Ward is an area and experience I will never forget. 

It's kinda hard this change to leave my dear companions and my investigadors and the ward, but the comforting words of Pres. Dieter F. Uchtdorf helped me have a better perspective:

"In light of what we know about our eternal destiny, is it any wonder that whenever we face the bitter endings of life, they seem unacceptable to us? There seems to be something inside of us that resists endings.

Why is this? Because we are made of the stuff of eternity. We are eternal beings, children of the Almighty God, whose name is Endless and who promises eternal blessings without number. Endings are not our destiny.

The more we learn about the gospel of Jesus Christ, the more we realize that endings here in mortality are not endings at all. They are merely interruptions—temporary pauses that one day will seem small compared to the eternal joy awaiting the faithful.

How grateful I am to my Heavenly Father that in His plan there are no true endings, only everlasting beginnings."

Although it may appear to be an ending, my relationships with the people here in Azteca León are only on pause for later in This Life or for in my Eternal Life. 

One experience that I want to share with you:

We found a woman and her husband- J and T. J has never excepted any religious thing in his life- until now. Because of this, T also wants to listen. Sadly, J is gone on the weekends, but happily we found T and she gladly excepted us. She is a very lively person with a great knowledge of the Bible. She loves to hear us and comment and ask questions and AH I love her sooo much! One quirky thing that I love about here (that I don't fully understand but HEY) is that every time she is asked to read a scripture she likes to stand up and read it, when we say prayers she can't kneel but we stand to say the prayers- I guess you could say that we don't have the slightest chance of falling asleep in the lessons.

Thanks for your letters and love and prayers. I couldn't ask for better family and friends, la verdad!

I hope you have a beautiful week and remember: WE ARE NOT MADE FOR ENDINGS!

Love,

Hermana Beardall

Ps quote from Wise Hermana Doughty:

"No hay cosas difíciles, sólo cosas NUEVAS."

Ponder that.

Photos: Fotos of my district and my comps and us celebrating the birthday of Hna Doughty :)

 

ENJOY IT

Dear family,

Mostly I just want to share one thing.

We have been studying CH 9 of PME this week and....

CONTACTING.

But this week has been a unique experience. I am scared at times to go up to people and start talking to them, but this week we have been trying new things. We are contacting in the way that we ENJOY IT. 

The pictures of the wigs: we tried on wigs and took pictures AND we talked with the Hermana of the store.

We buy pan dulce AND we contact the Hermana in the store (when it isn't busy).

I have gained a testimony of missionary work as being ENJOYABLE.

I challenge you to think of something you don't really like doing or don't have confidence doing and think of a way that you can ENJOY IT. 

ENJOY your week,

Hermana Beardall

I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Dear Family,

Here is a small list of the things that happened this week:

1. Hey look who it is?!? Hna WOMACK!!! We are currently in the same zone so we see each other every once in a while :)

2. A member couldn't give us comida but they gave us the opportunity to eat with M and S again!! Hna M didn't want to turn around because she was too busy cutting veggies :)

 

It was sooo good!! We made tacos with frijoles and churriso (meat- maybe i spelled it wrong...) I was in charge of making the salsa- BY HAND ya know with a hallowed rock to hold the salsa and a rock to mush the chiles and tomatoes and yeah I forgot to take a picture of my hard work. All I can say is that it was deliciously spicey- perfect to my taste!! Weird, eh? Before my mission I could barely eat at cafe rio without a runny nose from the "spicey food" and now I can't eat anything without salsa or chiles.

3. I am going to tell you about some of my favorite people: Their names are V R and J G. This couple always has me on my toes every time we see them! They have a lot of trials in their life right now but they are all ears to hear what we have to share with them. V has her GIANT Bible and a notebook and pen- she really wants to learn something from our Heavenly Father :)  J, who makes shoes, always has his interesting point of view that, like I said, always keeps us on our toes.

The most beautiful thing about this family is that we are really beginning to see a change physically and spiritually in them. Hna V wears more make up and does her hair all pretty. Hno J tells his wife how pretty she looks and says that he loves her. They are beginning to look for how they can change and not point fingers at anyone else. They are beginning to look for how they can increase their faith and ability to feel the spirit more in their life. It is a dramatic change and it is only been 1 1/2 weeks!! As they continue to learn more about their gospel I know that they will see all that God has in store for them and they will be tremendously happy!

 

LOVE,

HNA BEARDALL

 

Soakin' Wet Trio

Dear family,

Here in León it rains every day. Every day we come home soaking wet. My shoes smell like roses and my baby umbrella is in recovery from a broken limb :(

We found a person very special this week named Angeles. We were trying to find a contact we made the past week and with confusion of the street names that are almost identical we found Hermana Angeles. She accepted to listen and we came back for a second visit three days later. She told us that the day we found her was a day that she was struggling a lot and our visit helped her remember that she needs to remember God more in her life. It was a beautiful experience that helped me see that God prepares his children and a way that we can find them so that they can accept His message.

Also, we ate with members that don't have a lot. We helped them prepare rice and eggs (separate). It was the humblest meal I had eaten in all of my mission and it definately was the most filling and memorable meal of my mission so far.

Well, sorry I don't have more time to tell you about the beautiful blessings and miracles God has permitted us to see but next week there is more!! 

I love y'all mucho!!

Hermana Beardall

One beautiful week.

Hey fam fam!!

Quickly I am going to tell you a few things that have happened this week.

1. We discovered that A (old investigador) moved back to our area. She was a missionary for another church and loves talking with us. We taught her basic principles of the gospel to help her remember what Hermana Ibarra had taught her before she moved. She has a fecha baptismal (I can't remember what it's called in english) and is very attentive to the things we teach her. 

2. We didn't have a family to eat with on Sunday and so one of our investigadors E, gave us food. It was fun to eat and get to know him a little bit more.

AHHHH. Time's out. Things are going well and I promise to write more next week (I will write it down before I begin to write you)

LOTS OF LOVE

LOTS OF HUGS AND KISSES:

Hermana Beardall