Just Grab His Hand

Hola otra vez!!! Como esta!? This week was a great, but weird, week. Hermana Reid had to leave Tuesday night for a sister training leader meeting/intercambios in Barcelona, and then I had to go to Barcelona for passport paper work on Thursday morning, and then return late Thursday night and all sorts off traveling. It was crazy, but all went well.

We are teaching a 70-year-old Catholic Spaniard woman named Matilde. She can hardly walk because she has really bad knee problems, and she only about 3 teeth on her top row! She is just the cutest old lady ever! She was on our ward list, so we thought she was a less-active member, but we found out that she actually is not a member. She was only on the list because her daughters were blessed in the church as babies and her former husband was a member. Long story short, she is just incredible. She has been praying and reading every single day. She has such a strong testimony of the love that her Father in Heaven has for her. She has told us about all sorts of difficult and bad things that have happened in her life, but because of her faith and the power of repentance, she knows her potential and her purpose here. She is planning on being baptized on the 16^th of August, so please keep her in your prayers!

The hermanas in my piso and I were talking about the fact that sometimes in life we feel sorry for the "bad guy", whether it is in movies or stories or even in real life. We talked about how often no one ever gives them a 2^nd chance and no one tries to understand THEIR story. Some people never let them progress, or never let them forget their sins. Even if they want to begin trying to use repentance and the Atonement in their lives, some people are constantly reminding them of their flaws, and they NEVER let them reach their potential … the potential that God sees in each and every one of us. I am not supporting their wrongdoings, nor am I saying that we should completely dismiss all of the things they have done, but if they have the desire to change, let them. HELP THEM. Get out of the way and don’t hold them back. Get over any grudges you may have and show them that there is hope; and that Christ NEVER gives up on ANY of us. It doesn’t mean you have to be best friends with them, trust them right away or completely let them back into your life, BUT let them breathe and give them a chance. Offer them an opportunity to come back. How many chances does our Heavenly Father give us each and every single day? Encourage them and show them the way to be better and come unto Christ.

Hermana Munns told us a story about a painter who painted beautiful artwork of the life of Jesus Christ. He was working on the painting of The Last Supper. He would go around his town and pick out faces of people he wanted each apostle and Jesus Christ to look like in the painting. He had ALL of the faces picked out but one … Judas, the apostle who betrayed the Redeemer of the World. He could not find the right face, so he went to a nearby prison and tried to find a face there. He looked in every cell and still couldn’t find one. When he got to the last cell, he saw a man … dirty, sad and broken from the world. He saw his face and instantly knew he would be perfect. He asked the man if he could use him for a painting … if he could use him as Judas. The solemn man looked up with tears in his eyes and said "You don´t remember me do you?" The painter was confused. The man went on to tell him that about 10 years earlier, he had used his face for another one of his paintings … a painting of the Savior.

This story brought tears to my eyes, and made me think about how EVERYONE has "good" in them. At times it becomes hidden and buried with our mistakes and wrong choices, but we can’t EVER forget how much our Heavenly Father loves us. He loves every saint and every sinner just the same. Every saint has a past, but every sinner has a future; which direction are you going? It lies on our shoulders every day to become better, as Christ helps to carry our burdens. Don’t worry about what others think; they have no right to judge you, as only God can do that with you. I encourage you all this week to look at your life, and look at the little things you can change to, little by little, come unto Christ. That is all He asks, and all He wants. He wants us to come home, to Him. If you have been offended by someone or feel like all hope is lost or that you have nowhere to go, you are wrong. Your Father in Heaven is reaching out to you, and you just need to grab His hand.

I love you all; and so does your Heavenly Father! Have a magnificent week!

Te amo para siempre!

Hermana Vance