How have we been? Can I first say, did this week seem ridiculously long to anyone else or just me?
Anyway, this letter is a little odd. I have not really felt the ability to put it into a formal series of events kind of thing with paragraphs and all that jazz, so instead we have classifications of items of the week and their details specific to each event. This will not be a normal thing, I don't think, but you know me - sometimes the thoughts come in different ways. :)
How I'm feeling: at peace
Miracle: learning the truth of forgiveness and humility by my experience.
So here is the deal, long story long cause we don't know how to make em short. :) I have been taught the doctrine of forgiveness since I could breathe, but that does not mean I have always been mature enough to understand it in anywhere near all its forms. Here I was given the opportunity to learn of forgiveness in a way I had never before. I learned to apply the Atonement differently than before. I learned to be humble in a different way than before. I learned truly the peace and comfort felt when we truly humble ourselves and forgive even when it seems --and maybe is-- that the other person is the one who should really be apologizing.
This is something I had come to mind last night, that Dad specifically has taught me this principle by his example all my life. I remember as a kid, Dad would do something to bother me and get under my skin just to mess or play with me. Goodness gracious I was some sight to behold as a child. (Do not disrespect your parents like I did, okay?) I would throw the biggest fit and tantrum, stomp off and go pout in my room. Then, a few minutes later after I had sat and simmered for a while, who would come knocking on my door with a, "Karra Leanne...I'm sorry"? Every time. Not until I got a little older did I start to learn a little bit about apologizing, but now I see those lessons that Dad taught me from when I was young, that even though he wasn't at fault (yeah, he was being annoying --out of love-- but that is still no excuse for how I would act...#lineuponline) he was humble enough to say sorry and forgive me for how I acted without my even asking for forgiveness. I remember he would leave my room after apologizing and I would sit there and think. I remember always feeling this little twinge of guilt and probably some remorse in those moments.
I have been blessed with examples of humbly forgiving and have slowly been being prepared to learn this concept by personal application. I still have a long imperfect way to go with this new way of "fixing" problems, but I was thinking last night about how much easier life will be in living this way! Honestly I was baffled at the thought of potential problems being fixed simply by choosing to drop the pride, and apologize and forgive --whether it is your "fault" or not, whether you feel the other person should apologize first or not, whatever it is. It truly is, for me, part of choosing to fully trust in God. If we really have been hurt or an injustice has been committed against us, if we trust Him we can know He will take care of the justice in His time and His way while trusting that He will compensate for all our losses as He has promised us. I have learned if there are things to "fix" that He will fix them in His time as long as we are doing as He teaches us. If we live as He would live, we will find ourselves becoming more like Him and feeling more at peace.
Anyway, that is my novel about how I learned I need to apply humility in more than one category of my life and that forgiveness truly is the key.
Miracle: finding a new investigator who is just golden #highhopes #noloweredexpectationsoverhere #scaredtoletthemgo #doingitanyway #faith
She was a referral who we met with on Wednesday. Goodness gracious. Can you say white and ready to harvest?? Cause I can! That was amazing. The Spirit was the strongest and most consistent throughout the whole lesson that I have ever felt. My whole mission I have not had a lesson where the Spirit was that constant and that strong. It was just raging! We will be seeing her again soon. :)
What made me laugh: the look on the elders' faces when we learned we were in the same project building --and the same floor even-- where they thought they were going to die about a week ago. Their faces were hilarious. #yeswewalkedreallyquickly
Tender mercy: receiving revelation as to a question I had from my scripture study last July. I had made a note of the question in my post-mish study list and yesterday during third hour I got my answer! The Spirit even reminded me of the question. I had this clear thought and understanding flow and then I had the question prompt my mind and I realized this was the answer. God is so cool.
Tender mercy: new missionary schedule and a bomb devotional. That is the encouragement I was needing. That is what I'm talking about. #yesBednarandOaks #gametime #moreexercisetime #thankyou #notgonnagetgordita #solobromeo #butreally
Tender mercy: awesome new background that gives me the motivation I need at times and also reminds me of home #iseverypictureusedbythechurchtakeninutah?
Tender mercy: the opportunity I have for my testimony and personal conviction to be strengthened in testifying to others as we teach.
This week specifically as I testified of being a servant of God, then teaching Sunday school and receiving the inspiration to ask, "How would you live your life if you knew that your Heavenly Father loves you?" The conclusion we came to was that we would live out of our reciprocated --but ever imperfect-- love for Him and because of that love keep His commandments and strive to prepare to meet Him. We would have more hope. We would live better. If we truly understood and knew of His love for us we would love Him the same and that love would motivate us to live very different lives. #charity
I have prayed for this gift all my mission. Charity we cannot possess. It possesses us. When we understand Him - His love, His plan, His ways - then we trust Him. Then we truly begin to take His image in our countenances. To bring this full circle again, how can the servant know the Master whom he has not served? It doesn't stop after the mission. It goes into eternity.
Tender mercy: understanding how the Lord teaches me
Tender mercy: blessed with the chance to talk with my spanish women for a few hours. I love spanish and I love the spanish people. #bestmission #bestlanguage
Tender mercy: my new motto from our new investigators: "He's [God] taught me to fight... on my knees"
Chastisement: #whomtheLordlovethHechasteneth Apparently Mom was always right and I do show everything on my face. Oops. Gosh dang it. I tried. There were a few times I did really well though, I can admit that!
Aquí estamos. I love you so much, mi familia!! I hope this week is great and filled with spirit and fun! Love you :)
Mucho amor,
Hermana Karra Gourley
PICTURES:
OH MY GOODNESS. SMOOTHIE STORY. This first picture. We made a smoothie in this bullet type thing we have. Well, we COULD NOT get the lid off! We seriously could not!! So....we walked over to the elders' apartment (Firl and Chhay) and Elder Firl just.....whoop. It was off. Like nothing!! We were so frustrated. Ugh. Haha. But we had been making crepes so we gave them some. This picture was after we finally had our smoothie. Haha 😂😂
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