HOLA! COMO ESTAS?? Ok, I promise that is not the extent of my Spanish, but it's just been a while since I've blogged, so with 9 days to go, I'd figure I'd chime back in.
Secondly, to the title of the post...
I had a very neat, very humbling experience today.
I get up early for work every morning. 5:45. I'm at work by 6:50. And then I work till about 12:30. By the end of my shift, I was a little tired and stressed. Plus I was wearing this new green hoodie I got from work that I realized makes me look like a
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle...
That being said, I wasn't feeling like I was in the ideal situation to go to Institute.
But, I decided to go anyways. The class was called the Life and Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith and I remembered my teacher was always pretty entertaining, on top of being a spiritual powerhouse. So I went.
While the lesson had nothing to do with Joseph Smith, and while the teacher I was hoping to hear from was not present in the class, I am so grateful that I went.
Being more of an introvert, I really just love to slip into class unseen. Perhaps hard to do dressed like unto a turtle. A young man took charge of the class and asked for volunteers to share their testimony, or the opening thought, on the Savior. Admittedly, my eyes averted away from his, but by the sly skills known only by an RM, he asked me to share mine. And so I did.
I was nervous, but as I got up to share my testimony about my Savior, I felt comforted by my own testimony as I began to bear it. The words that were flowing from my mouth rang true in my ears.
After I finished my testimony, the presiding teacher stopped me, and of course I had to give my back story. Sister Missionary. Hermana. California San Diego. Spanish Speaking. Poquito. Ecuador. Orphanage. Etc... But he then sincerely thanked me for my testimony.
In the sum of all these experiences, I felt empowered.
Days previous I had been a little stressed, and felt a dark expression in my countenance. But as I walked back to my car, I felt light. I could breath easy.
I've been sick lately, and with only days left, we've been trying to figure out what's wrong and talking about symptoms and things relating to the problem. As I returned home today, my mom sat me down and started crying. She said that she'd made me a doctor's appointment, but from what she told them, they said it could potentially disrupt the current path of my mission. The News? It should have been devastating.
But...
I was Empowered.
I had just born testimony of Hard Trials bringing us closer to the Savior. And I knew it was true. Did I understand what it meant for me? Do I now understand what I could mean? No. Of course not. But what in life is ever easily understood that is supposed to do good for us?
God really knows us. Personally and Uniquely. He is our Father. Had I not felt the need to go to Institute, had the young man not been inspired to call on me, the news I received, if Satan had anything to do with it, could have greatly upset me--taken me back months in progress, Questioning God and His Timing when I didn't have the faith in it.
Or in HIM...
I am so grateful for the testimony I do have and the opportunities I am given to help it grow. I am so grateful my Heavenly Father knows me, and for the opportunities I have been given to get to know Him. My Savior makes this possible. They wish to Empower each of Us. It is a beautiful thing.
Con Amor,
Hermanita Howell
