Family!!! February 24, 2014

Familia!!!!

You are the best. Thank you for being awesome and being part of my life :) This week, as usual was amazing!!! The focus was on being righteously engaged in a true cause...giving all of ourselves, all of our work, heart, might, mind and soul to the Lord. It was an amazing experience because I was really able to see the tiny miracles that the Lord gave to us according to our dedication. It was incredible. 

As my time draws closer, I am really feeling even more love for the Lord, more love for Peru, more love for everything and really feeling SO blessed to be here serving as a full time representative of the Lord Jesus Christ. There is nothing. NOTHING that brings more happiness than living the Gospel of Jesus Christ. There is nothing that brings more peace and more joy than understanding the Atonement of Jesus Christ and understanding the Plan of Salvation that our Father in Heaven has given us. It is incredible.

I love you all and you are in my prayers daily. 

Con mucho amor siempre,

Hermana Elisheva Ali :)

:D---February 17, 2014

Familia!!!!!

Les doy muchos saludos!!!! I cannot believe how fast time is flying!!! It´s crazy. Im not a fan. But, my companion and I are working hard to bring sould unto Christ, working with members, working with the ward counsel and helping as many people as we can to live the Doctrine of Christ...the recipe to happiness :)

There is no greater work than this. I love it!!!! This week we were able to help a sister...Patty...to be rescued/reactivated. She is awesome! SInce the first time we taught her, she has fulfilled her commitments and her testimony has been strengthened incredibly. She has not missed one sunday and is super willing to give the Lord everything. She understands repentance and it is a beautiful thing to see :)

Also, this week, we were able to meet a young couple, who have not been to church in about 4 years to come back. They are super ready and willing to permit the Atonement to work in their lives to be able to repent and be sealed in the temple as an eternal family. It´s incredible. I know that whatever sin we have commited, whatever guilt or shame that we feel can be cleansed as we use the Atonement of Jesus Christ in our lives. 

I was reading today in the Bible when Jesus teaches about the parable of the ¨joven rico¨ (I dont know how it is exactly in english...the ¨rich young man¨ perhaps) This young man asks what he needs to do to gain eternal life, and Christ replies that he must obey the commandments. The young man responds that he lives every commandment and Christ says, give up all of your riches, everything that you have, and follow me. The young man became sad and walked away. I LOVE this parable because it shows that our Father in Heaven desires that we have a sincere heart and a contrite spirit as sacrifice, and if we do so, He is prepared to give us eternal life.

Con mucho amor siempre,

Hermana Elisheva Ali :)

Doctrine of Christ=Happiness February 10, 2013

Familia!!!

How are you doing??? I hope super wonderfully, that you are living happily and enjoying the little things that come from being obedient to the commandments that the Lord has given us. :)

This week was awesome!!!! Well...just like very week in the mission. I love my job...bringing souls unto Christ. It is the best and I am a bit ignorant that I will be ending waaaay sooner that I want to think. :( BUT I am working harder than ever and enjoying every minute serving the Lord will my whyole heart, might, mind, and strength. :)

This week, we had a training conference with President Douglas where we talked about the importance of the Trinity, the Doctrine of Christ and obedience. Even though I have learned and studied these things all my life, I learn something new every day.

God is our Father in Heaven, literally, the Father of our spirits. He loves us and wants us to be happy, which is why He gave us commandments to follow. It is also why He sent His only begotten son, Jesus Christ here to the earth to save us from our sins. It is why, in difficult times, we can pray to Him and He can give us comfort and guidance through the Holy Ghost.

Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ and the Holy Ghost are three different beings united in purpose which is to bring to pass the inmortality and eternal life of man. In order to reach it, we must be obedient to the commandments and the the Doctrine that Christ taught us. Faith, repentance, baptism by immersion for the remission of sin, receiving the Gift of the Holy Ghost and enduring to the end. It is so simple, and so perfect, found the the Bible and in the Book of Mormon.

God wants us to be happy, but it is our decision to follow Him (repenting daily and being obedient) or to choose not to follow Him. I know it is true and I know that we can live with Him again.

Con mucho amor siempre,

Hermana Elisheva Ali

Update--February 3, 2014

Hola Familia!!!

Ok, so honestly, this week flew by and not a ton of exciting tuff happened. However, seeing as I didnt send pictures last week, attached are some from the last week of last transfer. My companion and I and the sisters in the ward San Juan all went to the temple. It was awesome!! The temple is the best :) There is also a picture of our district and of my companion and I (she is awesome :) and last but not least, a super awesome family that I am going to tell you about now :)

Ok, so this week we taught a toooon of lessons. It was incredible!! I love teaching the restored gospel to those who have not herd it before and who have been prepared by the Lord to hear it and accept it. Best job in the world. Literally. But, this week (like I mentioned before) we have been working with less active members of the church. The family in the photo were less active, but this week we were able to help them come back into the fold and be able to partake of all the blessings that the Lord has for them. All of them shared their testimonies in church yesterday and the spirit bore witness that they had made the right decision returning to the church after many years. :) It was amazing!!

Also, this week we were able to help vrious members with a specific scripture which is a scripture of strength. :) It is in Mosiah chapter 24 in the Book of Mormon. It says: 

¨Lift up your heads and be of good comfort, For I know of the covenant which ye have made unto me. And I will covenant with my people and deliver them out of bondage. And I will also ease the burdens which are put upon your shoulders that even you cannot feel them upon your backs even while you are in bondage. And this will I do that ye may stand as witnesses for me hereafter, and that ye may know of a surety that I, the Lord God do visit my people in their afflictions. And now it came to pass that the burdens which were laid upon Alma and his brethren were made light, yea, the Lord did strengthen them that they could bear up their burdens with ease and they did submit cheerfully and with patience to all the will of the Lord. And it came to pass that so great was their faith and their patience that the voice of teh Lord came unto them again saying, be of good comfort for on the morrow, I will deliver you out of bondage.¨

I know that whatever we are struggling with, the Lord never forgets us and He strengthens us when we have no stength. 

I love you all! Have a good week!

Con mucho amor siempre,

Hermana Elisheva Ali

 

 

 

 

Ultimo cambio :(( January 28, 2014

Familia!!!!!

This week was awesome!!! As usual...because the mission is awesome in itself. :) However, I am officially in my last transfer (ultimo cambio). I cannot believe it... :(( But, these last six weeks will be the best ever!! I am still in Lima, in San Juan in a ward that´s called Canevaro with my amazing companion Hna Rodrigues from Chile.  We are working hard and seeing miracles. :)

This week, I dont remember a lot of details...haha but we had interviews with President Douglas! We talked about acquiring Christlike attributes to be perfected in Christ. He said that in order to gain these attributes (such as patience, faith, charity, etc.) one has to earn them. They are not free because what Christ did was not easy. Heavenly Father wants to see that we are willing to work to change our character and be more humble so that He can then bless us...after we have done everything that we can. ( 2nd Nephi 25:23...in the Book of Mormon :) Also, that He gives us weaknesses to help us recognize that we need Him to overcome them. It is so true. Something that I have learned on my mission is that we are absolutely nothing with the help of our Father in Heaven. We may think that we can do everything on our own, but there will come a point when there is nowhere else to go and He will be waiting with His arms open ready to recieve us :)

That is what we were able to see this week, as two less active members of the church who had not been in about 30 years were able to recognize their weaknesses, utilize the Atonement of Jesus Christ and come once more into His fold :) Elmer and Juan. They are awesome and they are super ready to be active and do their part to be able to live with our Father in Heaven in the next life.  

It is incredible to see the Lord work in the lives of everyone. He is there waiting and He is merciful. What he requires is repentance and humility. :)

Have a great week!!

Con mucho amor siempre,

Hermana Elisheva Ali

PS. I have a bunch  of pictures, but the cord doesnt work sooo I will try next week :)

Best job ever!! January 20, 2013

Familia!!!

This week was the best!!! Well...honestly, every week in the mission is the best, but this week especially because we are starting to see the fruits of our hard work. This week we were able to see repentance being put into practice by a lot of different people but specifically Luis! (pictures of his baptism are attached :)

He is 20 years old and great. He has been listening to missionaries since last April and finally decided to be baptized. It was a super special day. Also this week, as I have mentioned before, we are working really hard with less active members of the church. This week we were able to visit quite a few people who for some reason have left the church and the majority (after a lot of time ) came to church on Sunday!! It was incredible because each one of them was able to contribute in the classes and were able to feel the spirit during the Sacrament. 

It really is a testimony to me of the truthfullness of the work that I am doing. We, as representatives of Jesus Christ are called to invite others to come unto Christ, by helping them receive the restored Gospel through Faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement, Repentance, Baptism, Receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost and Enduring to the end. As we teach His doctrine, and we help people to apply the Atonement in their lives and repent of what they have done, the change in their countenance and the way that they live changes. The happiness that they had before is doubled, the families are more united, and they have the goal as the temple...to be sealed as eternal families.

I honestly have the best job in the world. I cannot imagine any other thing that I could be doing that could be better. Applying the Doctrine of Christ in our lives makes us happy. I know it. I see it, and I live it. I invite you all to do the same. :)

Con mucho amor siempre,

Hermana Elisheva Ali 

The work is moving forward! January 13, 2014

Hola familia!!

Ok...so this week, not a ton happened. But at the same time, miracles happened! Also, I had a leadership conference and a companion exchange and they were both incredible. I honestly can say that this is the work of the Lord. The work is moving foward, people are knowing Christ, becoming converted, people are knowing for the first time that there is life after death and that we can live with our families forever. It is incredible!! 

I feel so incredibly blessed to be part of this work, and help other people to know it as well. Yesterday, I was able to give a talk in Sacrament meeting during church about the Atonement of Jesus Christ, and about the fact that it is our responsibility to share it with those who do not know. Through Christ, we can be healed. Through His Atonement, everything is possible. The Book of Mormon has all the answers because it was written by Prophets called of God. 

I am just so happy. :D I cannot describe it, but all of you can feel the joy! Live the Gospel of Jesus Christ, repent daily, read the Book of Mormon, pray and go to church. Listen to the missionaries and the message they bring. I promise it is true. 

I love you all. I will have more news next week. :)

Con mucho a,mor siempre,

Hermana Elisheva Ali