The Plan of Salvation

This week was really great! We accomplished all of our goals! We haven't been able to do that for a very long time so it was really exciting when we reported our numbers last night and realized we accomplished everything.

We had a super fun activity this week with the youth in our branch.  The leaders put together a very special activity about the Plan of Salvation.  They asked us to invite any investigators, less actives, recent converts that were youth age.  We invited some recent converts that we are teaching that attend an English ward.  It was a very good turn out.  I know my ward back at home did an activity like this a long time ago.  The youth didn't know what was going to happen during the activity.  All they knew was that they were going on a "vacation to Hawaii".  The activity started on a plane.  Everyone was on the plane heading to Hawaii and then the plane crashed and everyone "died".  We went to all of the three kingdoms, the Telestial, Terrestrial, and Celestial.  It was really neat.  The decorated the Celestial room so nice. It was all white and they had some people in our branch that work at the temple in the room with their temple clothes.  At the end of that activity they asked us to talk about the whole plan of salvation with the youth.  We basically just taught them the lesson that we teach.  It was such a good experience.  I could tell the youth really felt the spirit. They had a lot of questions but understood this is the path we need to take.  We can all make it to the Celestial Kingdom to live with our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.  It is all possible through the Atonement of Jesus Christ. 

On Saturday we had a Spanish Leadership training meeting in Provo with all the missionaries in the mission that are Spanish speaking.  That meeting was amazing!! We had a seventy come to speak to us, Elder Clark.  He said so many amazing things on how we can better work with Hispanics.  He said something that really hit me.  He said "We need to spend time with the people that really want the Gospel", we need to help them with their commitments.  A lot of them can't read and a lot of them don't have that much education....we need to help them.  They want something in their life that will bring them such happiness, we need to help them get there and progress".  He said "They need to learn to love the Book of Mormon".  They need to know that they can trust you.  It was such amazing meeting to be able to talk about Spanish work and how we can better help the Hispanics we are teachings and how we can in general bring forth more work.  It was so nice to be able to see everyone.  I saw all of my old companions that are still here Sister Bumstead, Sister Smith, Sister Figueroa, and I got to see Sister Derges and Sister Sablan (my MTC buddies), and a lot of Elders that I have served with before.  It is so nice to be able to catch up with everyone.

Later that night we had a really great lesson with a less active family we are teaching.  They have 4 little kids that are so cute.  We read The Book of Mormon with them and talked about the importance of reading together as a family.  One of the daughter's who is 7 started talking to us...she said "I love Jesus, I know that he helps each of us....I feel so happy when I read the Book of Mormon, it makes me feel more close to Jesus".  It was so sweet, her simple testimony touched us all.  She's only 7 but she gets it.  I almost cried when she shared that.  Little kids testimonies are some of the best!

Well it was a great week! Next week we have transfers....I have no idea what will happen.  All I know is I need to serve like its my last week here just in case if it actually is.  I have loved serving here in American Fork.  Only the Lord knows what is best to happen for next transfer.

Thanks for all the love and support.  I love you all.

Hermana Veronica Garces