(Hermana S.) His Grace Is Sufficient

Hey family!

Another great week in the mission. I feel like the hardest weeks are the ones where we learn the most. It's been hard to really find the "chosen ones" this week, but I can't complain. The Spirit has been my constant companion. I feel like Parley P. Pratt, who said this after 25 years of almost constant missionary service:

“I have desired, after travelling for twenty-five or twenty-six years, mostly abroad, to stay at home and minister among the people of God, and take care of my family; but God’s will be done, and not mine. If it is the will of God that I should spend my days in proclaiming this Gospel and bearing testimony of these things, I shall think myself highly privileged and honored. And when the Spirit of God is upon me, I think it matters but very little what I suffer, what I sacrificed–whether I secure the honor or dishonor of men, or where I die, if it so be that I can keep the faith, fight the good fight, and finish my course with joy. I have all eternity before me, in which to enjoy myself.”

It's been a great week.

I learned a lot in leadership council this week. The theme was teaching by the Spirit. We are really trying to apply what we learned. We want to teach by the Spirit. I want to be just a conduit, nothing more.

This week while meditating, I realized all the things that still need to change about myself. I feel like the mission is the best place to do it, and the truth is that I have changed a lot in 17 months. However, time simply flies the mission. So many things to change, so little time.

I am immensely grateful for repentance and the sacrament. I had some special feeling yesterday and was purified by the Holy Spirit. I could understood the importance or going to sacrament meeting with a broken heart and contrite spirit. They Young Women's president asked us to teach their class and the theme of the class was the Atonement. I thought a lot about what I knew about the Atonement before the mission and if I'm really being honest, it was very little. I knew the "facts" but did not understand the doctrine and did not know how to apply it in my life. It made me so happy to able to teach the young women about the doctrine of the Atonement yesterday. Finally they understood; finally they can apply it in their lives.

I was reading this morning one of my favorites by Brad Wilcox, speeches "His Grace Is Sufficient." He gives an example of a little kid whose mom pays for piano lessons. The mom pays and asks for only one thing - practice! The practice doesn't repay even a little bit of what the mom hands over every lesson; it doesn't pay the piano teacher either. Sometimes the kid might complain, "Why do I have to practice? All the other kids are playing, I wanna go play... I'm going to be a pro baseball player anyway!" But by practicing, he shows the appreciation and love he has for his mom, the mom who has a vision of who he can really become. It's the same with the Atonement. The price has been paid. Whatever I do will never even begin to repay that price. His grace isn't just there to "make up the difference" between what I can do and Heavenly Father's high expectations. His grace makes ALL the difference. It is by his grace that I am saved. My obedience is just to show Him that I love Him and that I want to be who He wants me to be. He sees our true potential when we ourselves don't even have the slightest idea.

Love you all so much! Have a great week!

Hna. Snyder