November 6, 2017 God Loves Us!

¡Hola mi familia y mis amigos!

 

SNOW!!!

This has been a bit of a crazy week, but I finished it up all in one piece! Things have been super busy and there has been a little bit of snow here (not too much luckily haha). Last Monday and Tuesday we were up in the cities. We had Mission Leadership Council on Monday and then a Mission Conference on Tuesday. Both of the meetings were so good and inspiring. Elder Michael T. Ringwood spoke to us in both of the meetings- he's an amazing speaker. Something that I noticed was his theme throughout everything he said is that he testified that we are ALL sons and daughters of God, we ALL have a very specific purpose in this life and God loves ALL of us and is very aware of all our needs. I really loved that message and I think it's so easy to forget sometimes, but it's such essential doctrine that makes life so much easier.

Mall of America! I forgot to mention
that I went last week :)
I ate cookie dough ice cream
and it was amazing

As we were up in Bloomington, we were able to do some work in the Richfield Spanish area, which is Hermana Tietz's previous area before coming to Rochester. We got to visit someone that she taught the whole time she was there. He's working towards being baptized but has various things that are holding him back. I had a really special experience where God let me feel so much love for this man, even though I had just met him. As he was explaining that he just wants to be free of addiction, I felt the spirit testify to me that God loves him so much and is aware of him and his struggles. I am grateful God provides us with that love even for people we don't really know at all.

 Me and the best hermana Tietz.
She found a Harry Potter shirt that
she fell in love with (in her bag)

  Honestly, a lot of things happened this week. Things are starting to look up! We were able to find a couple of new people to teach and more people were willing to listen to us. We are doing a lot of work with the members as well. It's still super amazing to see the Lord's hand in everything. I love teaching people about the Atonement of Jesus Christ. That Christ didn't just suffer for our sins, but for our pains, sicknesses, temptations, sorrows, etc. everything we feel He knows and can help us! This week I really needed that reminder, and so I love how God gave me several opportunities to teach people about it so I could remind myself of His love as well.

 

The group we went to the Mall of America with- 

Hermana Davis, Hermana Shepard,

and Elders Calderwood and Russon.

 It was also a funny week of me noticing a lot of random things about MN. Apparently people "winterize" their homes here! I thought it was super interesting because I have never had to do that being from California. We helped some members do this. Basically, we just took everything in their yard that the winter could possibly ruin and put it in a shed. also, I saw multiple people wearing short sleeve shirts and shorts as it was snowing outside. They told me they don't put coats or pants on until it's below freezing. I'm pretty sure their mutants or something. Yeah, people here are so awesome but I still don't understand because I'm just so cold.

    For my spiritual thought, I'm honestly don't know where to start because I feel like I learned SO much this week! One thing that really helped me through this week is learning to trust God. I realized that often times then not, I'm very good at telling people: trust god, god loves us, just pray and you'll receive an answer, keep going and don't give up... and then I don't apply it to myself at the end of the day. But I've realized that as I do things are SO much easier and SO much clearer. A scripture that really helped me this week and that kept coming to my mind is in 1 Nephi 11:17: "And I said unto him: I know that he loveth his children; nevertheless, I do not know the meaning of all things." We may not know the meaning behind all things or why certain things happen. But what I do know is that God loves you, me, and even that crazy guy that wears shorts when it's 20 degrees outside-  all of us! I have felt the Love of God bear and lift me up and I am so incredibly grateful for my savior Jesus Christ who Love me and helps me too. I love being a representative of Him and I'm so grateful that I have this amazing opportunity to wear His name on my chest everyday!

Choco Loves Me!

   I love you all and I hope you all a great week! Don't forget that Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, love you all SOOO MUCH as well.



Con amor,

Hermana Duvall



Hermana Duvall
Minnesota Minneapolis Mission

All of the Hermanas (minus 2) at mission conference.
 It was fun to finally meet some of them for the first time.

Fun in the snow and tracting!  Woooo!!!

SNOW!!!!

Video- Fun in the snow and tracting wooo