Semana 24 en Kerman

On August 25, 2014, Hermana VanWie shared:
Querida Familia,

Transfer calls were on Saturday night, and I am staying in Kerman again with Hermana Jimenez! YAY! This week we had the wonderful opportunity to work in the Church’sVineyard in Madera. (They grow grapes for raisins that are then sent to areas with humanitarian needs throughout the world.  See video about the Vineyard project:  https://www.lds.org/media-library/video/2011-05-16-madera-volunteers?category=welfare&lang=eng)

 It was amazing! It was hard work, but it truly was a revelatory experience! My testimony of the 25-25-50 matrix increases each time I receive revelation. Hermana Jimenez and I made a point to talk about the references in the scriptures that talk about the Lord's vineyard before we went to work in the vineyard. We read in John 15:1-16 specifically. As we were at the vineyard, we learned through analogies of how we can work more effectively and harvest more people: There are a lot of different types of grapes--those that are really easy to find and others that are harder; others that are ready to pick and others that have gone bad. It is like us and our investigators when we are working in the Lord's vineyard of our mission. At times it is really easy to find prepared people, but other times it is harder and we find a lot who are not ready. There are also times that we have to work really, really hard to find those who are prepared, but it is worth it. 

There are other grapes that in order to find them we have to get dirty a little bit and give all of our effort to find them and bring them in. Most of the time, other people may have passed over them or did not see them. Others may look small and insignificant, but we should seek them out and rescue them as well. Sometimes, in order to help, we need to be at a higher level to know how to grab the grapes. In other words, we need to have our own conversion first in order to help and elevate others to this level of conversion. But, there are also others that require us to be at a lower level in order to see and help them. We must have humility in order to touch their hearts.  I loved working in the vineyard. I love working in the Lord's vineyard, here in the California Fresno Mission!! I love being a missionary. 

One of my favorite things about being a missionary is helping others to learn about the Atonement of Jesus Christ so that they can use it and change. We had an amazing lesson this week with a woman who we have been helping reactivate in the church again. We helped her son get baptized and she comes to church every week now. When we came to teach, she was glowing! As we talked and discussed how she has been doing, she told us the most exciting news! She is preparing to go to the temple to receive her endowment!!! She is so excited and so grateful that she is able to do that now. Words cannot describe how happy I was! I love seeing people progress in the gospel! I love families helping each other get on the right path and progressing on it. How grateful I am to have been able to witness this change over the past 5 months.

We also had a miracle on Sunday! One of our investigators, S came to church! And she brought a friend! And her grandfather stayed for Sacrament meeting. Then she stayed for all 3 hours and absolutely loved Primary! Her grandfather later explained to us that he originally only came to church for his granddaughter, but as he stepped foot into the church, something came over him and he felt more peace and happiness than he ever had in his whole life. He didn't want to leave. In this moment, his attitude changed. He then told us that they will be here every Sunday and he is not just coming to church for his granddaughter, but for himself.

I know that the Spirit testifies of what is true. I know that the grandfather felt the Spirit testifying that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the only true and living church here upon the face of the earth. I know that President Thomas S. Monson is a prophet and that he receives revelation from God on how to direct His work here on earth and in His church.
I know this is the work of Salvation! How grateful I am to be a part of it!

                Gracias por todo lo que hacen para apoyar la obra misional! Gracias por sus testimonios tambien! Los quiero mucho!  Que tengan una semana magnifica!

Con amor,

Hermana VanWie