Oh how glorious from the thrones above...

“...Shines the gospel light of truth and love!”

I think that's how it goes in english. I can't be sure. But that was my week. Pure light. So let's talk about it.

On Tuesday we had our tri-zone conference with President and the assistants. My companion and I taught a workshop on "receiving" the spirit and did an activity in which we threw balls randomly at people who weren't ready, and then at people who were, and how we need to prepare ourselves to receive the impressions of the spirit. I had the thought about a football receiver and how much he has to train, prepare and change himself physically to be ready to catch that ball in that one game, and then talked about how we can't just be ready out of nowhere but need to exercise our faith and train ourselves, change ourselves day by day to be ready when that one impression comes that we need to help someone.

President talked a lot about one of President Uchtdorf's talks about how "We are doing a great work and cannot come down." We watched the talk and it inspired me beyond words, as did President's words. Wow. The spirit was strong. Then they decided to end with testimonies and said "Who are the hermanas who are leaving this transfer?" I turn around and look behind me and everyone's like "Willllsooonnnn!" That was mean. So the other two and I shared our testimonies along with a bunch of other elders and a couple hermanas. Wow. It was so powerful. I cannot express in this moment how much I love the missionaries in these three zones. In fact, I don't think I've ever loved almost anyone this much, because it's not my love. It brought me to tears several times throughout the conference just watching them and their progress. I never expected how serving among the MISSIONARIES would change me so much, but for me it is even a more priceless work than the investigators. I've learned that the Lord's work will always go forward, and if there were no missionaries, it would continue in some other way. But that this program is so inspired because it takes youth and takes them right up to heaven for a little while so they can then learn how to spend their life getting back to that place and helping others. And I won't even start with th elove for the zone leaders. They are GOOD BOYS and I've seen how they've grown to have that same love, and many times we've been able to talk between the four of us about how to save these missionaries. I just want to marry all six of them. But not in a romantic way. Wait.

After the conference we all ate tacos and laughed a ton with our hermanas. They are ALL hilarious and all the same (and now I'm one of those). I feel like I'm hanging out with Angie and Paul all the time. Latin humor is the best. Last week an American lady came to our church visiting for a humanitarian trip. She didn't speak any spanish so I went and talked to her. We had a short conversation in which she was almost interested and then suddenly she just walked away and it left me almost in shock. We need to be less dry in our country.

After THAT I headed to Comitan to do exchanges with herman Baer from Nevada, which means I got to go with them in their megavan and we sang church music, played games and took pictures all the way down. It was awesome. Sending pictures.

Trip to Comitan

Elder Merrill and the others in the back.

After two days there, I came back up and we decided to do a second pair of exchanges that week although there wasn't a time. It turned out to be the most inspired thing in the world and one of the most beautiful experienes. We arrived to find two girls who hadn't spoken to each other in three days, who were completely consumed in pride and near tears not knowing how to let it go. We were shocked because these are GREAT GIRLS and our good friends. After talking it through a little we split up and I stayed with one of the hermanas. It's really interesting how the Lord does things, because ever since she arrived, we became really good friends and she told me that although she didn't like intercambios [exchanges] OR capacitadoras [sister trainers] that with me it was different, and because of that relationship she was able to open up to me throughout the whole day and I was able to talk to her very directly and talk about all the pride that was going on and what we needed to do to change it. We also had fun and relieved stress and got to teach in their little mountain pueblo, Elambon. The next day we decided to switch companions and do another round of divisions and I talked to the other hermana. We ended up going to the house to talk for about an hour and I let her get it all out and then we read Ezra Taft Benson's "Beware of Pride" which completely changed her perspective. One of the most beautiful moments of my mission was THIS one, as we talked and things were coming out of my mouth that were NOT my words and the spirit was filling the room and then I started to tell her of the companions I have struggled with, my own pride I have struggled with since day one, and HOW MUCH I loved them and how that love is worth absolutely everything. And then how much we--the capacitadoras, the zone leaders, assistants and you--loved them SO MUCH. I started crying because I really could feel the love of the Savior for both of them in that moment and she started crying as well and recognizing all she needed to change. And seeing the process of a daughter of God who I already knew was amazing go from being filled with pride that was just torturing her to being absolutely filled with the love of Christ and start to say all the things she loved about her companion. It was absolutely beautiful and made me realize there's a lot I want to change as well. The atonement is real and it is SO POWERFUL and so beautiful.

We also talked a lot about how the things our companions do that sometimes seem so deliberate and hurtful are often only because Satan is tempting them as well and unfortunately they give in sometimes as do we. So rather than taking offense or using it against them, we need to recognize what is happening in that instant and feel the desire to help them when they fail to rise above their temptations, and that is how we can continue to have a supportive, loving relationship even when bad things happen. We ended with a little testimony meeting and laughed a lot all four of us together, and each talked about what they'd learned and all they were going to change. I think it will be something of a process but they at least understand better now what the real problem is -- not their companion but PRIDE-- and how to fight against it together.

We came home and I was just about in tears once again for how much I loved them and how grateful I was for the Savior's atonement to change our hearts.  

And last but not least, the stake had a Family History fair and since [the RS president] Susy's husband is a stake member, he heard about everything last week and asked me to give one of the workshops. Actually, he asked my companion if I could and she said yes and no one told me anything about what I had to do until we were in the room, it was filled with a group of people and he said "Okay you can start Hermana Wilson" and left the room. I thought I was supporting but apparently I was teaching the class! It was how to find our ancestors, since most have no idea you can search for them and are limited to only do the work for those they already know about. So it was something confusing especially for those who knew nothing and didn't know what we were searching for, but those that have already done something learned a lot and that was awesome. I ended up having to give 4 classes of 30 minutes and I decided after that I never want to be a teacher. Haha but it was awesome at the same time.

Family history activity

AAAAND last but not least I got to speak in church this week and talked about Ammon and King Lamoni which is by far my favorite story in the world. I just adore all the light and joy and falling down in that room that happens because of the gospel, because lately I've just felt like doing the same. I cried a little there too which I've never done in a talk before as I talked about all the joy that comes when we participate in this work. We can choose if we will or won't but we're the only ones who will lose or gain. People cried.

Well, that was my beautiful week! I'm just all swollen up with love. I think if you could see me here you wouldn't ask me to come home. But it's not what you're asking, it's what it's time for so I will do my best to do it in one piece. But I think it might be an important idea if the house is decorated like Christmas and music is playing because somewhere in my subconscience it's going to be Christmas when I get home. I think it's a mental defense. ;) 

Sure love you all like crazy! Have a great week!

[My how Kelsi has grown on her mission!]