My Homecoming Talk

My dear brothers and sisters it’s good to see your beautiful faces again. I just got back from serving a mission in the Mexico Torreon Mission, so if my English is really bad, you will all just have to use the gift of tongues to understand me. 

I hope I can speak with the spirit so we can all be uplifted. In the mission, we have a missionary purpose that every missionary comes to learn. The Lord has said that we are to: Invite others to come unto Christ, by helping them receive the restored gospel through faith in Jesus Christ and his atonement, repentance, baptism, receiving the Gift of the Holy Ghost and enduring to the end. This missionary purpose applies not only to missionaries and non-members but to us as well.  The first part says we must invite others to come unto Christ.

The first person we have to invite to come unto Christ is ourselves. But what does it mean to come unto Christ. It means that we are going to work on becoming his True Disciples. I love what Matthew tells us that we have to do to become true disciples of Jesus Christ. He says:

Then said Jesus unto his disciples if any man will come after me let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. And now for a man to take up his cross is to deny himself all ungodliness and every worldly lust and keep my commandments. Break now my commandments for to save you lives. For whosoever will save his life in this world shall lose it in the world to come. And whosoever will lose his life in this world for my sake shall find it in the world to come. Therefore, forsake the world and save your souls for what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?

A true disciple is one who is willing to follow the path of Christ, who is willing to take up his cross or in other words to live the life he lived, to walk the way he walked. They are the people that live in the world, but are not part of the world. They are the people that keep his commandments and try to always do the will of God in their lives. This is not something that is easy to achieve, nor is it something that you can achieve in one day. It is a life-long process. However, it is a process that we have control over.

This process or pathway is exactly what is described in the missionary purpose. Invite others to come unto Christ, .........by helping them receive the restored gospel, through FAITH, REPENTANCE, BAPTISM, and ENDURING to the END. This is they pathway that our Heavenly Father and Christ have given us. And I testify, just as Nephi does, that this is the way and there is none other way nor name given under heaven whereby man can be saved in the kingdom of God. And now behold this is the doctrine of Christ and the only and true doctrine of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost which is one God without end amen. This is the only path that we can take to reach eternal happiness, to have eternal families and to have eternal progress. It is the way prepared and we have to decide to take it or leave it, there is no other secret entrance into the kingdom of God, his kingdom is more secure than fort Knox.   However I feel so blessed to know that we have a loving Heavenly Father who sent his son to show us the way. Our job then becomes to follow him out of love. And it is very important to remember that only through the restored church of Jesus Christ can we find the truths and covenants necessary to get us on the path. That is why it is so important that we accept the restored gospel of Christ so we can receive our blessings here on earth and in the eternities. And I know that this path brings the greatest joy and greatest blessings, because I have seen how it has worked so many miracles in the lives of the people in Mexico. I have seen how the gospel of Christ has the power to bring people from the gall of bitterness to the state of peace and happiness. It’s not magic, it’s just the power of Christ working in their lives and it can work in the lives of every one of us. It doesn’t matter what condition or circumstances we are in, we must all come unto Christ and start from where we are and the gospel of Christ will work miracles in our lives and help us to align our lives with Christ.

The first step we have to take is to have faith in our savior Jesus Christ. Faith is not just to believe that he exists, it is to act and obey our heavenly father.  Faith is an action word. If we have faith in him, we will show it with our actions, because actions speak louder than words. And if we act in faith I know that God will work miracles in our lives because he has promised it. The prophet Mormon said Behold I say unto you that whoso believeth in Christ, doubting nothing, whatsoever he shall ask the Father in the name of Christ it shall be granted him and this promise is unto all, even unto the ends of the earth. However the key is that we have to act and doubt nothing. I know that when we do that, we will be able to receive whatever we ask.

Rooster Experience

Now when our faith has begun to grow through doing small and simple things, it plants in us a desire to be better and to become like our savior Jesus Christ. This feeling helps us to repent and change our way of being. I have come to learn that repentance is not just to clean my sins, repentance is a change. A change of mind, heart, and being that brings a new attitude toward God, oneself and life in general. This change is essential in our lives and it’s important that we do it daily. This change should come a love for our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ and the desire to be like them. However permanent change is only made possible through the Atonement of Jesus Christ.  When Christ atoned for us he not only atoned for our sins, he atoned for everything we would ever experience in our lives. The Prophet Alma tells us that he will take upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people and he will take upon him death that he may loose the bands of death which bind his people and he will take upon him their infirmities that his bowels may be filled with mercy according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities. He knows what we are going through because he has experienced it. He knows how you feel, he knows what it’s like and for that reason he knows exactly how to help us but only if we come unto him, repent and let him fully into our lives. When Nephi and Lehi were teaching the Nephites they taught them the Lord surely should come to redeem his people, but that he should not come to redeem them IN their sins, but to redeem them FROM their sins.  They explain that we can only be helped with these things if we are willing to go through the work required to have a true and sincere repentance or change. Really I have seen the power of repentance in my life and the lives of others. When I arrived to the mission I began to recognize my faults and weaknesses because of my faith and desire to be like my savior. At times it was overwhelming how much I knew I had to change. One of the biggest things that I had to change was my pride. I never felt like I was a prideful person but when I got to the mission, God showed me differently. He taught me a new type of humility. And I was only able to make this change through repentance, through changing my attitude and the way I look at people and at life. I also saw the effects of repentance in one of my investigators. He had a big problem with the Law of Chastity. And at first he didn’t share this part of his life with us. But as time went on he confessed to us his problems and began to change. I have never seen such joy in someone’s face. The relief and peace that were evident in his face testified of the great power of repentance which enables the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ in our lives. There is no other way to receive peace and happiness in this life, only through repentance.

Baptism

Then once we have gained more faith in our savior and repented of past sins and we are repenting daily, we must make our fist covenant with God which is baptism. Nephi teaches us that baptism is the key to enter into the pathway to enter in the Kingdom of our father. It is what permits us to be clean of our sins and receive forgiveness. Repentance is the change, but Baptism is the cleansing. This ordinance is not a one time deal. Our baptismal covenant is something that should effect our day to day lives and decisions. And every week we have the amazing opportunity to renew this covenant by partaking of the Sacrament. We have the opportunity to be clean every single week. God promises us if we make this covenant with him and keep it that we will always rejoice, and be filled with the love of God, and always retain a remission our sins and we shall grow in the knowledge of the glory of him that created us, or in the knowledge of that which is just and true. And receive the gift of the holy ghost which is one of the greatest gifts that God has given us in this life. I know that these promises are true because of the great joy in the eyes of my investigators when they left the waters of the baptismal font. The great joy that can be seen on their face knowing that they are clean and one step closer to God is an indescribable sight. The people really are born again really do start a new life of happiness and peace.

After the baptism by water comes the baptism by fire which is the receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost. The holy ghost is the greatest gift that God could give us. Because as God said to Ezekiel I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments and do them. Just imagine! We have a God to be with us always! To guide us to teach us to comfort us. He will be our companion in this life to guide us on this straight and narrow path so we can be part of the Kingdom of God. He will never lead us astray and will permit us to follow the will of God and the path that he has laid before us. I know that if we are worthy he will never abandon us and will guide us in many things, there were many times when the Holy Ghost guided us to the words to touch the hearts of the people, warned of dangers and guided us in every aspect of the mission work. So I know that he can guide us in every aspect of our day to day life as well. But we have to learn to listen and obey the promptings of the Holy Ghost if we want his continuing guidance.

However, I repeat the words of Nephi, My beloved brethren, after ye have gotten into this strait and narrow path, I would ask if all is done? Behold, I say unto you, Nay? For ye have not come thus far save it were by the word of Christ with unshaken faith in him, relying wholly upon the merits of him who is mighty to save. Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus sith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life. We cant stop where we are, we cant be satisfied with what we have achieved, we have to continue in this path until we can reach this eternal life which is the greatest gift of God. We have to press forward doing good works and coming closer to Christ. There was a recent convert that taught me this lesson. He was baptized and later on he broke his leg. He went through surgery, but it didn’t go well. His foot got infected and now it has to be amputated. However, even though he is passing through all these things, he still attends church with his crutches diligently. He talks about the gospel with everyone he is happy and positive and filled with faith that everything will turn out and that God will provide for him. He is faithfully enduring to the end.

Jorge and how he followed this path. Come the deepest parts.

Brothers and sisters. We have all started on this path of faith repentance, baptism, receiving the Holy Ghost and enduring to the end. We are all at different stages, and points on this journey. However I testify that this is the only way to return with our Heavenly Father and have success in this life because when we follow this  path we will be continually coming unto Christ and receiving his guidance and power in our lives. Thomas S. Monson taught “We need not visit the Holy Land to feel him close to us. We need not walk by the shores of Galilee or among the Judean hills to walk where Jesus walked. In a very real sense, all can walk where Jesus walked when with his words on our lips, his spirit in our hearts and his teachings in our lives, we journey through mortality.

Everyone can and needs to come unto Christ even more in their lives. As members we have the sacred responsibility to be those people that Invite others to come unto Christ, because we know that we are in this correct straight and narrow path. I challenge you all look for the people in need of following this path more faithfully in their lives or the people that do not even know that this path exists. Share it with your neighbors, friends, family, people you meet in the grocery store, everyone, because everyone must follow this path to come to eternal happiness. Testimony. Amen!

Week 79 (I KNOW!)

Queridos,

Wow, the time has flown by and now my time has come to an end. I can't believe that I am saying that. Sometimes I feel like I don't know what to do next because I never thought this far  in my life ;). However, I had an interview with Presidente last Thursday and he cleared up what I have to do ;).

Monday was a great day!! We passed the day with Hna Holman and Hna Pira. We went to the zoo and it was closed. However, when you know how to speak English and you are blonde you can get into anywhere ;) We asked some workers if they would let us enter. They asked their boss, let us in, and took us on a special tour!! It was so great and so much fun!! I will show you my pictures when I get back! We also ate Gringas and walked around the stores. It was a fun relaxing day!!

Martes was normal

Miercoles we had an incredible lesson with David. You have to know that it was good because we were all crying in the end. David is an amazing person. He felt recently that there was no point in living and fighting anymore, but with this lesson we gave him such great hope and he really felt like he had a reason to live now. He is changing so much!!

Thursday I had my interview with Presidente with all of the Zone and let's just say he gave me direction in my life by telling me that I have to go home and get married. JaJaJa! He only talked to me about marriage. That's how you know he cares. :)

Viernes was a rough day because it is Viernes Santo here and EVERYTHING closes! There were no people in the streets!! They were all in the Catholic Church but we can't contact there so we had to look really hard to find people to talk to. However, we did find some new, powerful investigators even though it was a difficult day. I completed 18 meses this day!! Woo hoo!!

Saturday we had another powerful lesson with David!! We talked about repentance. We can see how the light is slowly coming back into his face and eyes!! I love how the gospel heals us!! I love the gospel!! We also found an amazing person that wants to be baptized! His name is Gerardo. He expressed to us his great desire to give up drugs, alcohol and cigarettes. He really wants to change his life!! I think he will progress nicely with Hna Parra. 

Sunday was a very sad and happy Sunday. It was so sad saying goodbye to all the members because they become your family in the mission. There were lots of tears involved, but it's OK because that is what the plan of salvation is for-families and adopted family. It was a wonderful day!!

Well, many things have changed in my life, I have changed, my family has changed, my circumstances have changed, but I know that it is all for the better. I can't believe that 18 months of my life have just flown by! I know that these 18 months are the best 18 months for my life (I can't say of my life, because I hope to continue to have amazing experiences and enjoy life). I know that these 18 months are going to influence me for the rest of my life! I'm so grateful that God gave me the opportunity and the honor to serve Him and His children and the opportunity to build His kingdom here on earth. I hope that every young man and young woman serves a mission. They are going to be so prepared for life and are going to be greatly blessed in so many ways. I know because I have seen the blessings in my own life and especially in the lives of my family. If you feel like you don't want to go or that it's not important, or that you don't need to go, I invite you to pray and ask your Heavenly Father. Be willing to receive an answer from Him and follow that answer! I know this will change your life forever because it has changed my life. 

I know that God lives. I know that He loves us perfectly. I know that His plan for us is perfect. I know that we don't always understand His plan, but that is where the faith comes in and we have to just trust that God knows what He is doing. I know that Jesus Christ lives and that He is the perfect example for us. We must follow that example as perfectly as we can. That is why we are called Saints because we are people trying to become Saintly (or pure and perfect). I know that Jesus Christ suffered and died for us so that we can be clean, so that we can be forgiven, so that we can overcome our difficulties, so that we can overcome our weaknesses, so that we can be strengthened and become something powerful beyond our imagination. I know that on the third day he was resurrected so that everyone of us can live again and have the opportunity to live again  with our families! I know that families are forever, but only if we are willing to work and fight and obey in order to have this family forever. I know that this blessing of an eternal family is only possible through the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. 

I know that Christ established His church on the earth, His church was lost, but later restored by the Prophet Joseph Smith. There is no doubt in my mind that he really did go to that grove of trees, knelt down and prayed vocally to our Heavenly Father. Our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ really did appear to him! I know that the Prophet Joseph Smith was a great instrument in the hands of God to bring the fullness of the gospel to the earth again, so that we may partake of the everlasting happiness and blessings that God has in store for us! I know that Thomas S. Monson is the Prophet of God on the earth and that he really does speak for God. I know that if we follow his words we will ALWAYS be guided and protected. I know that this is the path that God has put on the earth and I know that we must follow it with all our heart, might, mind and strength, keep our covenants and endure to the end always! I know that the Book of Mormon is the word of God and I know that a man really comes closer to God by following its precepts more than any other book on the earth. It is the most perfect book that God has given us. I know that it holds the answers to all our questions! I know that God has amazing things prepared for us!! I know that if we put in all our effort and do our very best, God will make up the rest!! I know that there is no other way to heaven or to eternal happiness. We can only go through our Savior and His gospel to obtain these great gifts! I know that we must share this knowledge and joy with everyone we know and love! We cannot keep such great gifts to ourselves!! 

I know God hears and answers prayers and I know that God can do all things and work miracles in our lives and the lives of others, but only if we have faith and show our faith in God! I know that all these things are true and I pray that we can all strive to live them in our lives and work with all our effort to reach the Celestial Kingdom. I share all these things and come to an end of my writings and I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

This mission has changed my life and I now know that I am a woman of great faith instead of the woman of little faith that I was before. I hope to continue to be an instrument in the hands of the Lord to bring about His great purposes in this world. 

I love you all! I can't wait to see each of you!!

Love,

Hermana Lutze

Sea Mormon Sea Feliz!!! Spread the Happiness!!

Week 79

Querida Hermana Lutze,

I can't believe I'm writing my very last letter to you!!! Nor that I'm saying that we will see you Thursday. Honestly, it feels like we were just at the airport dropping you off!!! This past week was full of work at work and at home. I'm still trying to recover the yard from the winter-cleaning up leaves, trimming plants and bushes. Papa and I went to hear Dad sing with the Millennial Choir on Friday. They were incredible. I have to say I felt the Spirit stronger listening to them than I do with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. My favorite songs were "How Great Thou Art", "Be Still My Soul", "Come, Come Ye Saints", and "Love at Home." I love music. There's such a powerful spirit of testimony through song. I hope you can involve yourself in some way with music when you return home! Hannah is finishing up this semester and we meet with the Accessibility office on Wednesday to see what help we can get her next fall. Natalie participated in her guitar concert on Friday. I'm sure it was great. Unfortunately I was up at Dad's concert and didn't get to hear them. She's quite good on the piano and the guitar. Jakob's busy  playing soccer and some reffing of soccer. We enjoyed coloring Easter eggs yesterday and Easter egg hunts. We even had one for the adults this year. It was really fun! Natalie, Amanda, and Michelle hid the eggs for us! I was released today from my calling. We will see what my future holds. I was sustained just before you left and released just before you returned home. :) I'm really sad. I loved this calling! Thursday we will pick you up and go out to dinner and you will be released by President Christofferson that evening at 7:00. 

My last spiritual thought to you surrounds the concept of enduring well! In the words of Paul in 2 Timothy 4:7 "I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith." I know you can say all of that about your mission. Congratulations for returning with honor! It's an incredible feeling to know that you served with all of your heart, might, mind, and strength. There are such great promises for enduring patiently with faith to the end. A review of the scriptures in relation to the word 'endure' is instructive...We are promised eternal life, we will be saved, crowned with glory, receive glorious revelations, inherit the kingdom of God, and will in nowise be cast out. I love James 5:11, "Behold, we count them happy which endure." I know I felt that way as I returned home after serving an honorable mission.

I love you! We'll see you Thursday!

Love,

Mom

Week 78 (The Rooster in the Tree)

Queridos,

Monday we had a blast with Hna Holman and Hna Pira! We ate crepes and walked around the city! It was a fun and beautiful day!

Tuesday we had an awesome capacitacion de Zona! However, it was very very very long!! We were there from 10 until 5. Presidente taught us some great things that are going to help us be expert teachers!! It's a whole new way of reading and presenting scriptures!

Wednesday was awesome!! We found a new family to teach!! We found a lovely old couple that want to be together forever! AND we got a rooster out of a tree with prayer! I will tell you all about it at the end.

Thursday we had another great day! The Lord is truly blessing us with great days! We found two new families and one of these families is amazing!! They really want to find the truth and they want the best for their two little girls! Obviously the best is the restored gospel of Jesus Christ!

Friday we went and saw David again. (I don't know if you remember him?) The point is that he began to drink again. We went and saw him and he was so sad and devastated, but now he really wants to listen to us and really wants to be baptized!! It's amazing how the Lord works!! He humbled David enough to really give us the opportunity to help him!  

Saturday was awesome and interesting! We taught two young women and we found out that they are Lesbian (Actually we already knew! We just didn't tell them). It was so interesting to relate the gospel to the struggles of these two girls. I hope we can help them obtain the happiness that God wants for each and every one of us :). 

Sunday was great as well!! David went to church and also one of the new families! (Elena y Diego) They felt really good in church! It was a great day!

Well, now for the story about the rooster. So we went to visit one of our investigators-Fransisca. She has a rooster that she sold to a young boy. However, when she sold her rooster it flew up on a house and wouldn't come down! (I think he knew what was  going on!) It had been up there for 3 days now! So at first we tried to get it down. We threw rocks and it eventually got off the roof!!! Yes!! ...................but then it flew up in the treee!!!!! No......................... So we told her, "Look, we are going to say a prayer and teach you and when we finish, the rooster will come down. She didn't believe us. She thought we were crazy, but she let us teach her. We said a prayer to start and I have NEVER in my life prayed for a rooster to come down, but there is a first for everything! I prayed with all my might and faith. Then we taught her and as we were saying the closing prayer, all I could think was "Oh Heavenly Father, I know you have power over all things. Please do this tiny thing for us. Please bring down this rooster!" and the very moment that my companion said Amen,..........................the rooster came flying down!!! So we chased it and caught it and gave it to the young boy!! It was so funny and such an amazing experience!! 

I truly know that prayer with faith brings miracles!! I know God listens to us and answers our prayers! I know that when we are obedient, we have the power to call down upon us whatever blessing we may need from God.... We can even make a rooster come down from a tree. I know that if you will pray with sincerity and act in faith, doubting nothing and obeying everything, God will always give you what you need! 

So how many people do you need to get a rooster down from a tree? Only two missionaries with the prayer of faith and the will of God on their side ;).

I love you all so much!! I hope you can all pray more fervently and obey more perfectly to receive all the answers to your prayers!!

Love you all so much! See you soon!

Hermana Lutze

Week 78

Querida Hermana Lutze,

I know you're working hard to the end and you are blessing lives because of it. This past week was Spring break for the kids. Natalie enjoyed her time reading and visiting with friends. She also took the ACT on Saturday for the first time. Jakob spent the week with Christopher here at our house while the Russells were in St. George. They had a great time together-cooking, doing jobs, playing video games, watching movies, and swimming. Hannah and I went to her neuropsych appointment and learned where we need to go from here for help. We have a plan! I also spent a lot of time with her and Natalie shopping... getting ready for our cruise! Dad and I went on a date Friday night to see a play at the Off Broadway Theater. We saw Cutie and the Beast. It was really funny! We went to dinner afterwards! I've also spent a ton of time in the yard this week and have at least two more days out there before spring clean up is complete. It snowed a couple of inches last night!!! Wild Utah spring weather is here! The Russells are coming over today to help celebrate Dad's 53rd birthday! 

I've been thinking about ancestors this week especially on Dad's side and felt impressed that I should pray to find them. So yesterday I was with Natalie at DI and Manuela, a lady that works there, mouthed to me 'cute hair' and waved me over. We discussed hair for awhile and as she spoke I could tell she was from another country. I guessed Germany and was right. I then told her Dad's family is from Prussia (Poland). She then told me to pray to find his ancestors! (It was surreal to meet a German woman and have her tell me to pray to find Dad's ancestors on the same day I'd been thinking that very thing.) She said when they've accepted the gospel they will find you to have their ordinances done. At the end of our conversation she asked if I needed a hug. She stood and gave me the best hug. I LOVE how the gospel makes us immediate sisters! Now there is someone that is leading out in Christ-like love!

I love you! Make the most of your last days in the mission!

Love,

Mom

Week 77 (Prayer and Service)

Queridos,

Well another great week has gone by so fast!! I can't believe it! Time flies when you are working hard and having fun!! 

Monday we went to Centro again to eat more crepes and  just spend time together!

Tuesday was really, really windy!! We were covered in dirt!! I had a wonderful exfoliant facial mask of dirt. I've heard it's really healthy for your skin along with the sun ;). We found some amazing new investigators! The hard part is getting them to progress ;). But we are still working on it!

Wednesday was a great day!! We worked with Rosa and Julio to start their negocio so they can get married! We went and visited our wonder child Valery who I hope will be baptized at the end of April! She really wants to be baptized!

Thursday we had a great lesson with una Hermana that I really hope progresses!! She is very open. I love how the Lord works. He always guides us to someone  that could accept and then guides us to someone that really wants to hear the gospel. This Hermana is incredible, however, her daughter is passing though many problems and she is the real chosen one in this home. The Lord works in mysterious ways!

Friday was a good day as well! We helped with the negocio de Julio y Rosa. We found a wonderful new investigator that has so many great questions! We taught Hermano Juan. He is the Catholic husband of a member. However, slowly but surely, he is starting to see the truth! I hope  he can accept the truth in his life and live in peace and happiness with his family!

Saturday and Sunday were amazing for the Conferencia General!! All the talks were so amazing! We really must learn to love our Heavenly Father and obey him for love and love to obey. We have a lot of hard things that are going to come, so we really need to be prepared!

Sunday we had quite the adventure! We stepped out our door and we shut it. When we went to put the key in to lock it............it didn't go in!! We couldn't lock or unlock our door!! And we couldn't attend to it until the night time. We went with our Mission Leader and called a cerrajero and he had to take the lock out and put in a new one! When he took the lock out he laughed because it was filled with Kola Loca! Or super glue! We couldn't believe it! Who would be so bad to put super glue in our key hole!? It was quite the adventure and now looking back it is funny :)

This week I came to a great realization! I was reading in  Alma 34

18 Yea, cry unto him for mercy; for he is mighty to save.

19 Yea, humble yourselves, and continue in prayer untohim.

20 Cry unto him when ye are in your fields, yea, over all your flocks.

21 Cry unto him in your houses, yea, over all yourhousehold, both morning, mid-day, and evening.

22 Yea, cry unto him against the power of your enemies.

23 Yea, cry unto him against the devil, who is an enemy to all righteousness.

24 Cry unto him over the crops of your fields, that ye may prosper in them.

25 Cry over the flocks of your fields, that they may increase.

26 But this is not all; ye must pour out your souls in yourclosets, and your secret places, and in your wilderness.

27 Yea, and when you do not cry unto the Lord, let yourhearts be full, drawn out in prayer unto him continuallyfor your welfare, and also for the welfare of those who arearound you.

28 And now behold, my beloved brethren, I say unto you, do not suppose that this is all; for after ye have done all these things, if ye turn away the needy, and the naked, and visit not the sick and afflicted, and impart of your substance, if ye have, to those who stand in need—I say unto you, if ye do not any of these things, behold, your prayer is vain, and availeth you nothing, and ye are as hypocrites who do deny the faith.

I love this part that tells us that we can and should pray for every aspect of our lives. However, I especially love verse 28. It tells us that if we do not serve others our prayers are in vain. I learned this day that in order to have my prayers answered, I have to be the answer to someone else's prayer. So, if I want lots of answers to my prayers, I have to serve many and be the answer to the prayers of many! We don't gain anything for doing nothing. We have to act and serve and love our neighbor - the members and the non members. I invite you all to meditate on this passage this week and look for how you can be the answer to the prayer of someone else. I invite you all to seek the guidance of the Holy Ghost, as was mentioned in General Conference, to help you know who to serve, when to serve and how to serve. I promise you that as you seek to fulfill your part that God will do the rest. I promise that you will feel more joy and purpose in your life and you will be able to receive the blessings that you are asking for from God.

Well, I love you all!! Hope you are all well! And see you soon!

Love,

Hermana Lutze

Week 77

Querida Hermana Lutze,

So little time and so much to do!!!! I'm sure you're feeling that way right now. There wasn't enough time in the day for me at the end of my mission. I hope this finds you well! Life here is the usual crazy. I've been working hard in the yard and on  the itinerary for our trip in June. We really enjoyed General Conference this weekend. Marissa and Hannah came over Saturday morning and watched with us. We did Pizzart for lunch. Pretty cool pizza art! Dad's always so creative! Kylie, Hannah's roommate came over between sessions and Mandy, Hannah's other roommate, came over after the 2nd session. They all helped in the yard for a little bit and then I took them all out for dinner at Zupa's while Dad and Jakob attended the Priesthood session. Sunday we still had Mandy and Kylie with us. Amanda left to attend the afternoon session with her parents at Temple Square and then brought them by on their way home to meet us. It was fun to meet her family. They ended up having dinner with us-an extra five people and we still had lots of leftovers. It felt a little like feeding the 5000 with leftovers!!!! 

We had a great Presidency meeting on Wednesday. It's really fun to realize after the fact that you've been receiving personal revelation during the week. I had been really impressed with two scriptures that unknowingly went perfectly with a scripture that I'd sent to Lorrie a month or so ago. We are meeting with the RS presidents shortly and talking to them about teaching. Lorrie had already planned on using Mosiah 23:18-nourish pertaining to righteousness. The two additional scriptures I found were Helaman 11:23 - true points of doctrine due to personal revelation and Helaman 13:29-will ye suffer yourselves to be led by foolish and blind guides? It's our choice-do we listen to the prophet and apostles and receive true doctrine because they receive revelation or do we choose to follow foolish and blind guides-whatever or whomever those are... In addition two portions of Handbook 2 were given to me through the Spirit - 9.1.2 in which we are told as RS leaders to look after the spiritual welfare and salvation of all the female members of the Church and in 3.2.1 we learn that when we are converted and growing spiritually we then help others become converted and grow spiritually. As leaders we must prepare spiritually in order to receive the revelation we need in our callings. I'm so grateful for this personal revelation that I was given! 

General Conference was so uplifting! We'll see you in a couple of weeks! I can't believe I'm saying that!

Love,

Mom