Oct. 19, 2015
Cotia is amazing!!! First off, I have been having some trouble speaking English...yes, as crazy as it sounds, my brain is switching over to Portuguese, and so forgive me, if at Christmas, I sound a little different haha. Many members/nonmembers here try to speak English to me, and I automatically respond in Portuguese. For example, they will say thank you in English, and I´ll say, "de nada." One night a woman named Danielle wanted to hear me speak in English, but it took me a while to describe something as simple as my family in English.
I want to share with you a quick experience I had with regards to trusting
in the Spirit this past week.
One day I was teaching a lesson to Leonardo, Geovana, and Bianca with my companion, the third lesson, the Gospel of Jesus Christ. During this lesson, I struggled with Portuguese. I was stuttering a lot, and I couldn´t express simple doctrine to our investigators in the language. There was a moment during the lesson when I just paused. Words were scrambling through my brain like rapid fire, and I was trying to translate in my head from english to portuguese and portuguese to english, and I thought to myself, I can´t do this. I really don´t know what I am teaching, and I am failing my Heavenly Father. The lesson was poorly taught on my part--so poor that the member who was teaching with us had to fill in the blanks of my sentences. I just remember walking out of the lesson feeling horrible about myself. Immediately after the lesson, however, we had another lesson with a woman named Daiane. This lesson was on the Plan of Salvation. I prayed like no other that I would be able to have the Spirit. That I would be able to focus on her needs, and not on my own needs in learning the language. During the lesson the Spirit touched my heart that I just need to listen. I need to listen with my mind and my heart, and not worry about what I am going to say. So, I did just that. I listened to Daiane, I listened to my companion, I listened to the member that was teaching with us, and I listened to the Spirit. When my turn came to speak, I testified with power. Portuguese words came into my mind in the moment that I needed them, and I walked away from the lesson feeling like a new person. I actually felt worthy to be a missionary. Yesterday, I put this tactic to use of simply listening to the investigator´s needs as well as the Spirit, and THEN opening my mouth as the Spirit fills my mind with spiritual truths, and it really works.
One day I was teaching a lesson to Leonardo, Geovana, and Bianca with my companion, the third lesson, the Gospel of Jesus Christ. During this lesson, I struggled with Portuguese. I was stuttering a lot, and I couldn´t express simple doctrine to our investigators in the language. There was a moment during the lesson when I just paused. Words were scrambling through my brain like rapid fire, and I was trying to translate in my head from english to portuguese and portuguese to english, and I thought to myself, I can´t do this. I really don´t know what I am teaching, and I am failing my Heavenly Father. The lesson was poorly taught on my part--so poor that the member who was teaching with us had to fill in the blanks of my sentences. I just remember walking out of the lesson feeling horrible about myself. Immediately after the lesson, however, we had another lesson with a woman named Daiane. This lesson was on the Plan of Salvation. I prayed like no other that I would be able to have the Spirit. That I would be able to focus on her needs, and not on my own needs in learning the language. During the lesson the Spirit touched my heart that I just need to listen. I need to listen with my mind and my heart, and not worry about what I am going to say. So, I did just that. I listened to Daiane, I listened to my companion, I listened to the member that was teaching with us, and I listened to the Spirit. When my turn came to speak, I testified with power. Portuguese words came into my mind in the moment that I needed them, and I walked away from the lesson feeling like a new person. I actually felt worthy to be a missionary. Yesterday, I put this tactic to use of simply listening to the investigator´s needs as well as the Spirit, and THEN opening my mouth as the Spirit fills my mind with spiritual truths, and it really works.
I know that Heavenly Father hears our prayers. He will always be
there for us when we need Him, and the Spirit will always guide our thoughts and
our hearts to truths in the moment that we need them if we LISTEN.
My companion and I recently received a referral of a man who is having some
trouble with his relationship with his family, but he so desperately wants to do
whatever it takes to come unto Christ. This week we are going to teach him the
Plan of Salvation, and I will let you know how it goes! Ivan, the man who has
some trouble with smoking, accepted our plan to diminish his cigarette usage to
0 within the next 2 weeks, and he attended Church recently!! We are going to
help him this week keep his commitment, and hopefully his heart will be softened
to progressing towards an actual baptismal date.
I LOVE YOU ALL!! Remember that Heavenly Father and Jesus
Christ love you!! When we lose ourselves in the service of others, we will find
ourselves, and we will then see Heavenly Father´s plan for us!!!
Sister Harris
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