Monday, May 29, 2017

Summer is Here

Hola!
This week summer really got here; it was hot! Despite being out in the heat for several hours of the day, some great things happened!

First off, I guess I sent the wrong address last week? My real one is:

Hermana Carolyn Bettridge
15903 Yorktown Crossing Pkwy #1223
Houston, TX 77084
       
My mom sent us these glasses so we wore them in district meeting




In this area we teach free English classes at different schools. The parents of the kids in the district can go to the classes so they can better communicate with their kids' teachers. The school year ended, so we had a fun graduation party for them. They got diplomas and everything. I will send the pictures when I get them. One of our students, Imelda, is super cute and she spoke in front of everyone (in English!) about how much the class helped her. 

Also this week we got to go to the temple with Lesley! She is so amazing and was so happy to go! She got to do the baptisms for some of the names she found. Uvaldo (Yulieth's dad) got the priesthood yesterday! He was so happy! He will be able to baptize her this Saturday, and they are all so excited! I love serving in this ward, they are all so amazing and they do everything they can to help us out! Life is good ðŸ˜Š

But, the best thing that happened this week was that we had a fireside for the Spanish program! It was so good! Lesley spoke about her conversion. Albert from H3 also spoke and did a great job! I sang a song with Hermana Jones and Hermana Andreasen, and I got to see all of my friends and some people from the past wards I have served in. 

When we were at the fireside last night someone mentioned how before they met with missionaries they didn't understand why we need Christ or why He had to die. I think this is a common thought people have. The Atonement of Jesus Christ (when He suffered for our sins in Gethsemane, died on the cross, and was resurrected) is something I am still trying to understand; I don't think it is something anyone can really fully comprehend. 

Why we need a Savior

I know that before this life we lived with God as His spirit children. In His presence there was a limit to how much we could progress, so we had to leave for a time. (Just like how we can't stay in our parents' house forever! We eventually have to leave and go to school to learn and gain experience and eventually move out!) We also didn't have a physical body like Heavenly Father. So, Jesus Christ, under the direction of Heavenly Father, created the Earth. We read in the scriptures that He created the Earth in order to test us, to see if we would keep the commandments. (There is a lot in those statements. That is the purpose of the creation.) We can't see Heavenly Father or remember our pre earth life, so we have to walk by faith, this is part of the test! But, He has given us agency or "freewill," the freedom to choose if we're going to keep the commandments

This test of keeping the commandments began with our first parents on Earth, Adam and Eve. God placed them in the Garden of Eden and gave them two commandments: to multiply and replenish the earth (have kids), and to not eat of the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. So, they had this commandment to have kids, but before they ate of the fruit they had no knowledge of good or evil, they were like babies! They were also immortal. In the Book of Mormon we gain additional insight about Adam and Eve in 2 Nephi 2 we learn what would have happened if they hadn't eaten of the fruit.

22 And now, behold, if Adam had not transgressed he would not have fallen, but he would have remained in the garden of Eden. And all things which were created must have remained in the same state in which they were after they were created; and they must have remained forever, and had no end.

If they hadn't eaten of the fruit they would have remained in their immortal state. They would have never died.

23 And they would have had no children; wherefore they would have remained in a state of innocence, having no joy, for they knew no misery; doing no good, for they knew no sin.

That is huge! They weren't able to have children until they partook of the fruit. They were our first parents. We came to earth by receiving a physical body from our earthly parents. If they hadn't eaten of the fruit we wouldn't have been able to come to earth. 

God knew this was going to happen. (He knows everything!) This was all part of His plan, but they needed to choose for themselves. 

24 But behold, all things have been done in the wisdom of him who knoweth all things.
25 Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy.

When they ate misery and suffering entered the world. But, because of this, we are able to experience joy! If there was no bad we wouldn't know the good. Heavenly Father loves us and wants us to experience happiness, for this, He allows us to go through trials and hard times. 

This was all part of His plan, but there is a problem. When they ate of the fruit two deaths entered the world: physical death and spiritual death. Physical death: we all die physically. (Before they ate of the fruit there was no death.) Spiritual death: we sin and separate ourselves from God. (In the Garden they were in the presence of God because they didn't have sin. When they ate of the fruit they had transgressed, they were expelled from the Garden because they couldn't be in His presence anymore.)

We read in the scriptures that no unclean thing can be in the presence of God. But, we are not perfect. We make mistakes every day. Even if I decided to be perfect from this moment on I am not able to erase the things I have done in the past. With sin I am unclean. I am unable to be in God's presence again. 

For this, we need Jesus Christ. This is why He is our Savior. He literally saved us from spiritual and physical death. This was all part of Heavenly Father's plan for us, He knew we would make mistakes, so Christ was chosen before the foundation of the world to be our Savior so that we could all return to Heavenly Father's presence. Christ overcame physical death for all of us. He died, but was resurrected three days later. Because of that, one day we will all resurrect too. We will die and be separated from our physical bodies for a time, but eventually we will get them back (in their perfect form!) Christ also atoned for our sins and saved us from spiritual death. Before His death on the cross He went to the Garden of Gethsemane. There He took upon Himself all of our sins. He lived a sinless life and was perfect. For this reason, He was the only one worthy to be our Savior. He suffered and payed for our sins. He bled from every pore. More than just our sins, He felt every pain, sadness, sickness, and trial we have ever felt and ever will in our lives. He did all of this so He could understand perfectly how to help each one of us. If we accept His sacrifice into our lives we don't have to suffer and pay for our sins. If we accept this sacrifice and apply the Atonement into our lives we can be saved from our sins. In Alma 7 we read some of my favorite verses about the Atonement. 

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.

Words cannot describe the love I feel for my Savior, Jesus Christ. I know that He lives today. I know that I am nothing without Him. I know that because of what He did I am able to feel peace and joy in my life, despite all of the mistakes I have made. Because of Him we have second chances, and all that is wrong can be made right. 

There is an awesome video here that talks more about why we need a Savior and what the world would be like if He hadn't come.


I love you all and hope you have a great week!

Love,

Hermana Bettridge

Fotos: 


                                Us at the temple with Lesley and her friend, Lorie!


  1. My friends and I at the temple!


  1. More at the temple!

  1. Us at a member's graduation party! (That is Hermana Alvarez in the back, she is one of the best members here!)

  1. Hermana Black!

  1. Us at church with Uvaldo's kids


 Hermana Kiser!

 The best!

 Hna Calderon! I literally cried when I saw her ❤️ 

  1. Albert!

 
                                                                    Lesley!


Hermana Jones!

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