Hermana Bettridge in Houston: La Expiación de Jesucristo

Hola familia y amigos!

This week we had a worldwide broadcast and found out there will be changes to our schedule. Basically we get an extra half hour in the morning and at night and our prep day is two hours longer! So I am super excited! We also spread out our studies throughout the day instead of doing everything in the morning.

Us at the temple with Carol

This week we went to the temple with Carol! She was baptized for her mom and grandmas. Carol is the best! She was called to lead the music in Relief Society and is super cute! We took her to a lesson with us that started to go kind of bad and the lady was telling us why she thought the Book of Mormon was false and Carol testified about how the Book of Mormon has changed her life and brought her peace and how she knows it is the word of God. It was so sweet!

One of my favorite investigators ever, Rose, moved out of our mission this week. I was super sad! She started reading the Book of Mormon and without us even teaching her chastity she told us she knew she had to "stop shacking up with her man." He wanted to get married, but she decided to break up with him and move out. She is super excited to get baptized on February 25th! I am excited for the missionaries in the east mission that are going to work with her now!

We are teaching a newish family, the Gallegos. Their grandma is a member of the church that lives in la fábrica. ("The factory." What the Spanish wards call Utah because most missionaries are from Utah.) We taught them the Restoration and the mom told us she knows Joseph Smith is a prophet. They started reading the Book of Mormon as a family. ❤️

This month I have really been thinking about the atonement. (I mean, missionaries think about the atonement everyday, but I have been thinking about it extra and trying to apply it to my life!) The atonement is when Christ suffered in the Garden of Gethsemane, when He died on the cross, and when He resurrected. Our district leader gave us an assignment to apply the atonement to our lives and we have been talking about it every district meeting this month. Something I have come to realize is that Christ did not live a perfect life. He was perfect and lived perfectly! But, He had to go through so much, every bad thing you can think of! One of my favorite scriptures in the Book of Mormon is Alma 7: 11-13

11 And he shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will take upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people.

12 And he will take upon him death, that he may loose the bands of death which bind his people; and he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities.

13 Now the Spirit knoweth all things; nevertheless the Son of God suffereth according to the flesh that he might take upon him the sins of his people, that he might blot out their transgressions according to the power of his deliverance; and now behold, this is the testimony which is in me.

He went through everything so that He could know how to help us. When we realize our own nothingness and our dependence on Christ we can realize our true potential! I am a product of the atonement of Jesus Christ. I am far from perfect. I make mistakes every day. But, because of what Christ did for me, I can repent and change every day to become more of what He knows I can be! Christ was able to go through it all because He realized who He was, God' son.

Que tengan una buena semana! (Have a good week!)

Love,

Hermana Bettridge

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