Tuesday, April 26, 2016

4/26/2016

Hi everyone,

Well, this week has been.. well haha its over and we made it through so thats what counts right? I have to say there are a lot of mixed emotions writing this email. However, if I've learned anything while being out on the mission it's that, God has a plan and He always, only wants the best for us. The strongest testimony I have of this has been my mission. I fought so hard promptings to go on a mission.. terrified and really just believing I couldn't do it, and without any desires to even try. However, the Lord in His infinite patience.. and mercy, waited, and waited, and waited until I finally quit fighting and decided to go forward with my eyes shut trying to have faith. And I am, and will be eternally grateful for the time He allowed me to be in the beautiful country of Paraguay. For the people I met, the love I felt and the many lessons I learned. I will miss it with all my heart, but I know, that God knows why and that, is enough for me.

Thank you all for all of your love, for your support, for your prayers and for your examples throughout this journey. I know that I could not have done it without you all.

Love
Marissa

Monday, April 18, 2016

week 53 (4/18/2016)

Hi everyone! 

I hope you all had a great week... sorry I have very little time haha but I would just like to share a little story about the sister that I have attached a photo of us with. (don't mind our faces yes we just woke up). This sister, shared a great lesson this week with us.
 It was her birthday on Wednesday. She wasn't expecting to celebrate it, their family has been going through some hard times and she has been feeling fairly alone. However, they surprised her with bringing the whole family to her house and sharing dinner together. It came time for presents and her great granddaughter ran up to her extremely excited! 
She said "grandma grandma! this is from me" and gave her a little box wrapped up in wrapping paper. The sister said "ohh, thank you darling" and set it to the side. Her granddaughter said "no grandma! look at it now, look at it! Its for you I got it for you." So the sister carefully opened up the match box covered in wrapping paper to find 3 little coins, about the same worth as a penny in the states. She looked at her granddaughter and said that she had the biggest grin on her face and she said "I got it for you grandma." The sister broke into tears, and said.. it may not have been a lot, but it was all that she had, and she gave it to me. It meant more than anything else anyone could have given to me. 

I thought about how that applies to our father in heaven... a lot of the time we really don't have much to offer, we can't really give much.... but to Him, it doesn't matter the beauty or how big the gift is, just that we give to Him what we can. 

I know, just like this sister receiving a gift from her granddaughter was brought to tears with gratitude and joy, that our father in heaven is so full of love and is so happy when we give the little that we can. Whether it be time, or our talents. 

I hope you all have a great week!! 
I miss and love you all :) 

Don't ever give up :) 

With love, 
Hermana Speakman 


Monday, April 11, 2016

week 52 (4/11/2016)

Hey everyone! 
I hope you all had a great week!
We had another week with ups and downs, but it has ended with great lessons learned. 
 
This week, we had the opportunity to study a lot about the Plan of Salvation, or the plan that our Father in Heaven created for us that responds to three main questions; "Where did I come from?", "Why am I here?", and "Where will I go after this life?". This week we focused more on the second question... "why am I here on this earth?".  A question that I have personally asked a lot of times and I am sure many others have as well. This week I was able to understand a little bit better why I am here on this earth and why we have hard times and trials in this life. 
This life is not our final destination, this life is a time of testing, a time to learn, and more importantly a time to enjoy. One of the hardest things is finding joy in the rough moments. 
Its reacting with faith and trust, being calm before the storm that looks to destroy us. This week I was able to observe how things happen, how trials come, then the "storms" that try to demolish us... but I witnessed, how we react makes all the difference. 
I was able to learn this through the example of some less active members in our ward. These members are some of the strongest, sweetest and tender hearted people I have met.  They have been through trials that, had I passed through I am almost certain I would have come out a lot more hard hearted and meaner than they did. They are always smiling, always loving, looking out for others and for each other. They think of the Lord in all things and try their best to trust in him. 
As I have been around them and gotten to know them more, I have learned a precious truth more fully... Our attitude, and our reactions make all the difference. They chose, to be happy. They chose to have faith, they chose not to let it knock them down but to keep moving forward. 
 
I know its hard, I've made the mistake plenty of times to just get mad, to choose to be mad because I felt I had the right because of the trials I was passing.  But I know now, that though it may be hard.. it is possible to choose to be happy. To continue forward, smiling and laughing. To love others and serve them. And to trust in God in all things!
 
I hope you all have a great week this week!
I love you all!! miss you!! 
 
love, 
Hermana Speakman
 
 
 
 

Monday, April 4, 2016

week 51 (4/4/2016)

                                                        Attending the
                                     AsunciĆ³n Paraguay Temple

                           Companion recovering from surgery and Marissa battling                                                 a few aliments herself.  Both pressing forward in the work of the Lord.   (:



           Job 13:15 Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him