Humility...

The time goes by WAY to fast out here....it´s disgusting.

SHOUT OUT OF THE CENTURY GOES TO.........KATIE! Happy Birthday tomorrow...you´re all grown up! Eat a butterball for me!  Speaking of butterballs......

MOM and SOPHIE....most. hilarious. package. ever. I´d forgotten about the poptart incident.....I died laughing.  For those of you who don´t know...I once gave Sophie a 2nd degree burn with a molten  poptart.  I recently received a package from her in the which was a burnt poptart with the note ¨I hope you enjoy your poptart¨ enclosed.  Such a good sense of humor Soph.

This week was a normal one in the mish.  Day after day of frustration and just trying to get this whole thing going.  Day after day of little miracles and seeing the hand of God working among His children.  Incredible things are happening here in Chile.  Just heard of an awesome member in Punta who is putting in his papers to serve and is going to be a phenominal instrument in the hands of God.  secret shoutout!

Wednesday, Prez gave the best conference about humility (NOT a strong point for me) and it helped me look over my life.     On my mission, I have been compelled to be humble.  My whole life, I have really liked the fact that in whatever situation I am in (social, educational, physical), I can usually do that which is required of me.  That led me to a dependence on (and pride in) my own abilities.  The mission has completely compelled that all away.  I am, day after day after day, put in situations where, left to my own devices, I will inevitably fail...there is no other option than to fall to my knees and ask Heavenly Father for HIS help and HIS guidance....which, wonderfully enough is ALWAYS better than my own abilities.

  I am the poster girl for that missionary Prez described who wanted in her homecoming talk to look really good in front of her ward...saying she baptized hundreds... sectors and children of converts were named after her... generations would remember her name with a smile.  I'm a huge idiot. While I still want to be a good and strong and noble servant of my Father in Heaven... I have come to a knowledge on the mish that its the secret, unnoticed, unhearalded things we do in this life that will count.  I learned a lot from a wonderful comp that said ´I do not care in the least if my converts remember my name as long as they are strong in the church their entire lives.´ I almost couldn´t believe her when she said that.  But now, I feel that way too.  I am here to nurture and to lift the hands that hang down.  I am here to be the hands of the Savior.  And while I will never get near His level...I can help and lift and nurture in small ways.  We all can.  That´s the beauty of it.

I read ¨The abundant life¨ by Elder Wirthlin this morning.  Go look it up and read it.  The key to our happiness and joy in this life is to drink deeply from the fountain of life (Christ, HIs gospel, and His teachings), love with all of our hearts, and serve others.  We really can create of our lives a masterpiece if we give it to God....if we don´t, we will only create of ourselves a smudge.  We help, we love, we are kind, and we forget ourselves...THAT is who I want to be.

Friends and family I love each and every single one of you.  Thank you for your influence, love, support, emails, and letters (secret call to repentence!)

Thanks for writing family and Richie this week.  I love you fam and I love you Richie...you´ve always been a light.  I think of you guys and think of Matthew 4 and 5. You are all examples to me. LOVE YOU!

Hermana Bourne