Perfect Eternal Potential

September 11, 2020

Perfect Eternal Potential

Liliana's Baptism

Hola todos!

Hoping everyone is happy and healthy back home. It was seriously an amazing week here in Kirkland, probably my favorite yet!

All the long afternoons and busy exchanges were worth it this week because of our sweet friend Liliana! Liliana is a tiny Colombian that teaches preschool in Redmond, is fluent in both Japanese and Spanish, loves to dance and show us her dance moves during our lessons, and calls us her beloved "hijas". We've taught her for almost a month and a half and we've loved having a front row to watch her testimony grow. Liliana has already scheduled a night to teach us some Colombian cooking and has even asked when she can meet my family! She is such an amazing person and I already love her so much!! I know that one of the reasons I was called to this mission at this time was to meet and teach Liliana.

We finished our last lesson with Liliana earlier this week and a few days later she had her baptismal interview with our spanish speaking Elders. The interview was over Zoom and my companions and I had the unique and unexpected opportunity to be there during her interview to listen in! This was such a cool experience to listen to how strong and genuine Liliana's testimony had already become during her conversion process. All of us couldn't stop smiling the entire time as she committed to being baptized that coming Sunday. We asked her how she felt after the Elder congratulated her on passing and she just put her hands on her face beginning to cry. That led the rest of us to tear up as she told us that she had never felt so loved by her Heavenly Father and was so ready to start her journey back to Him. This easily was one of my favorite moments I've had on my mission so far. My heart almost burst out of love and excitement for Liliana.

This spiritual high continued on to Sunday for Liliana's baptismal service. She walked in with her best outfit, all dressed in white, holding bundles of flowers for each of us missionaries and for the members of our ward that have helped teach her. The Spirit was super strong during the entire service and I could see her countenance change as she was baptized and received the Holy Ghost. It was seriously such a blessing to teach her and experience such a sweet and firm conversion process take place in one of my investigators so early on in my mission! The Church gained an amazing member this past Sunday.

Now that I'm done bragging about Liliana….;) the rest of the week was pretty solid! We were busy with more exchanges and I did a fair share of driving around the mission. It's always fun to get a tour of all the areas once in a while! For our creative finding this week we've been spending time at the local Hispanic market to talk to more people and it is a ton of fun. It's basically walking around a mini Rancho market and trying to fit in as the only gringas hahah! It's awesome. We ate some awesome food this week too. We were fed yummy Colombian arepas by one of our investigators and tried an awesome local fish and chips place down at Juanita Beach. A good week is always made better with some good food!!

To end my weekly I want to share a quick thought that has been running through my head during my personal studies! I've been reading in 3 Nephi during the personal ministry of Christ and these chapters are just full of amazing stuff. If you ever want something uplifting and straight forward to read, I recommend these chapters! One verse that especially stuck out to me was 3 Nephi 12:48:

"Therefore I would that ye should be perfect even as I, or your Father who is in heaven is perfect."

At first when I read this, I almost dismissed it completely. I thought to myself that there's no way I could be perfect like Jesus Christ so why even try? But I continued to think about this the rest of the day and came to realize that there was something better I could take from this. I think this sermon that Christ taught the Nephites was not to encourage immediate perfection but to explain the perfect potential that each of us have when we choose to follow Him. One day we will all return to the presence of our Heavenly Father and be given the chance to "be perfect even as" Christ is, as eternal and angelic beings! Reading and pondering this scripture was a great reminder that if all of us actively choose to follow Him every day, we will all be given the blessing of becoming perfect celestial beings that stand side by side with Jesus Christ, Heavenly Father and our eternal families. That is the greatest blessing I could even think of! So as all of you go throughout your lives this week, I encourage all of you to think about 3 Nephi 12:48! Remember that it's not perfection that you have to strive towards but instead have a constant effort to develop and strengthen your Christlike attributes. None of us are perfect but we all have perfect eternal potential!

I love you all and am so grateful for all the support I receive! You are all the best for reading along and encouraging me throughout my missionary efforts. Have the best week ever!!

As always, sending so much love from sunny Seattle!

Difícil es bueno.

Xoxoxo Hermana Christensen