trio life or tree of life?

Minnehaha Falls.

Hola!

I'm alive! I have only hit my head on the top bunk a dozen times, I'm doing great!

We were talking about trio life this week and Hna Hudman thought we were saying tree of life the whole time, hence the title.

There are a lot of pros and cons about being in a trio:

Pros:
-we are a walking rule of three
-there's always someone to talk to when your companion is in the shower
-busy work is faster
-more mouths to eat the mounds of food we're fed
-two other witnesses to the truth
-a looooot of new ideas
-personal revelation x3
-three minds to remember all the things we forget

Cons:
-sitting at a two person table
-couch sizes in lessons
-always being asked if a missionary is missing or when our other companion is arriving
-we just confuse everyone basically
-three minds that forget all the things we need to remember

It's been about a week and a half and I have already learned so much. I can't get over it.

I think the biggest lesson being wow I love the people of Minnesota, all of them! Now I know it's only taken me about 9 months to realize it, but hear me out.

Last week was pretty hard. I got here with a willing atttitude but I held myself back a little. I had a few thoughts similar to, "there is no way I am ever going to love these people as much as I loved the people of my last area." Wow was I wrong. The people here are amazing. Despite my doubts at first, I quickly realized that these people are my family! I don't have a ton to say yet (lucky you) but let me tell you a bit about a few people that I am crazy about so far.

Glinda- Huge miracle. We knocked her door looking for her brother and sister in law but instead we found a woman who called herself, "linda with a g." She is incredible. We have met with her a few times and she is so willing and ready. She told us she wants to change into someone who can be right with God. Glinda is going through a lot but she is also being very blessed. Sometimes she wakes up in the middle of the night and can't fall back asleep so she listens to the book of mormon to find comfort.

Ely and Fabiola- Giant miracle. Ely is a recent convert of about three weeks now. She is so excited about the gospel, it's inspiring to watch. She is getting ready to go to the temple for baptisms and she found her grandma's name and became even more excited than she was before. Fabiola is her sister who isn't a member but she wants to be. She has basically learned everything she needs to and has such a strong tedtimony. She answered one of Ely's questions during the lesson, then told us she wants to serve a mission and we were like alright, we can help you make that dream a reality! Sooooo cooooool.

Lisette and fam- Enormous miracle. Lisette has been a member her whole life but she has been inactive for about 10 years. A few weeks ago she just showed up. We got talking to her and turns out she has a different phone number and address so basically she could've hid from the missionaries forever... She has the cutest fam and a fiance who all want to learn more about the gospel. She told us last week she asked her family if they would help her keep the sabbath day holy and they were all completely willing and turned on a church movie, how amazing?

The biggest thing these people have in common is that they are willing to change. Having that desire and being willing is so key.

DyC 64:34 says, Behold, the Lord requireth the heart and a willing mind; and the willing and obedient shall eat the good of the land of Zion in these last days.

The scriptures say thay when we are WILLING and OBEDIENT we will be so blessed. No wonder our investigators are living miracles. They are so willing to be obedient!

This month as a zone we are focusing on obedience and I am loving it. We are sacraficing something each week that will help us be more obedient. I read a talk that gave me a new perspective on the relationship between love and obedience. It's called The Love of God by Elder Uchtdorf I would encourage everyone to give it a read.

I loved this quote that says, "We can proclaim publicly that we love Him. Nevertheless, if we don’t obey Him, all is in vain, for “he that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.”
We increase our love for our Heavenly Father and demonstrate that love by aligning our thoughts and actions with God’s word. His pure love directs and encourages us to become more pure and holy. It inspires us to walk in righteousness—not out of fear or obligation but out of an earnest desire to become even more like Him because we love Him."

Basically what I got was that love and obedience flow in a never ending cycle.

We increase our love of God by being obedient and we are more obedient when we obey out of love.

So how do we love more?
Be obedient

How do we be more obedient?
Love God

Easier said then done right? Let's work on it together (:

For all of you still here with me, thanks for the support. I love you all.

Quote of the week: "stop saying the deer hit you, we all know you hit the deer.." (yes I am still being haunted)

xoxo Hermana Hanson