The Windows Of Heaven

March 23, 2015

Dear Familia,

During my time here in Chile I've written my weekly letters in some pretty sketchy internet places, but I think this one tops them all. It's SO SLOW and there is no way to send photos, lo siento. However, patience is a beautiful attribute of Christ that I can never have enough of...ha, so in the end this shady little computer shack is a blessing in my life! 

The activity with Marcos and the YM was a slam dunk! At the end of the activity, one the of YM walked home with Marcos and when Marcos got home he told his mom, Monica, that he wants to be baptized! WAHOOOOO! The problem is that he's a teenage boy and he's NEVER in the house...ha, I guess this is where patience comes into play....patience and diligence. Also, this past Saturday we had a lesson with Monica, Franklin, and Paula about the temple with one of the Hermanas from the Relief Society (Hna. Veronica). We talked about the familia eterna and at the end of the lesson we asked Franklin and Monica about their feelings of getting married and being an eternal family! Monica said that she has always wanted to be married and that she knows she has to be married to obey God's commandments and be baptized (all of this was said while she was crying), and Franklin said that he doesn't see how a paper makes any difference, but if Monica wants to be baptized that bad he's not opposed to marriage! Oh how amazing is the Spirit and this amazing message! It literally changes lives! Please, oh please keep them in your prayers, and with the faith sufficiente we should be hearing wedding bells soon! Tonight we're going to the Bishop's house to have a FHE with Paula and her family and the Bishop's family. Our ward literally is SOOOO great! 

Victor and Graciela are still working towards the temple. The ward leaves this Friday and they still don't know if they're going to be able to go. We're passing by their house every day, but please keep them in your prayers. Satan is working SO hard! 

Spiritual Thought:

3 Nephi 24:10 

“Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in my house; and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of Hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing that there shall not be room enough to receive it.”

As a mission we've been challenged to talk about tithing in every lunch with the members because this is the biggest obstacle for the members to have a temple recommend. Before, I always thought of tithing as just another commandment, but now it's my absolute favorite!!! This week as I shared this scripture with Hna. Veronica (the sister that was in the lesson with Monica and Franklin) we were talking about temples and all the amazing experiences she's had in the temple (her husband passed away 20 years ago and wasn't a member). While I shared this scripture with her I realized that when the Lord says he will open the windows of Heaven he's talking about the temples. That through tithing we can build these wonderful houses of the Lord, but most importantly if we are full tithe payers we can enter the house of the Lord and receive AMAZING blessings! 

I know that the blessing of tithing are real and that by obeying this commandment we can be with our families forever! Our Heavenly Father is SO amazing!  

Fun Facts:

I lift water bottles for my weights in the morning...yes, I know how ghetto that is.

When it rains here there isn't really a fresh clean smell...more of a wet dog scent.

We have transfers this week and I'm terrified they're going to kick me out of the Promised Land!

I got the package this week!!!! THANK YOU SO MUCH!  Hna. Moreno loves all her goodies and is convinced that the life savers have some sort of drug because she says that when she has one she feels like she has to have another, and another! 

We used some life savers to teach a recent convert (15 years old) about how the atonement saves our eternal lives...pretty creative if you ask me :) 

Love, Hermana McKenna