Week 48 - "I knew God didn't want me to feel bad forever, so I thought of how I needed to improve, prayed and asked disculpe [forgiveness], then I immediately felt the Spirit confirming the rightness of what I had just finished. I love how the Atonement works. I love the warmth and security I can feel through His powerful arms."

June 30, 2014 

Beautiful Hermana Castleton

Changes. Hermana Jerez and I don't have them. But Elder Bermeo did. I am glad that he changed his attitude toward the end because I know I will miss him. Despite all the nasty comments and the difficult trials he pushed me through, I will miss him. Sweet, right? Cool things happen when you use the atonement!

Soy Argentina!

Chile played again. I got bored. Here is Jerez y yo [Hermana Jerez and me]

Marianela, Millaray, I and Hermana Cabero outside the temple.
Whoa, they finally went!

That is the theme for this week. The Atonement. I make mistakes. Surprise! I am not perfect. Did you know that misioneries are people too and that we need the atonement? Well, in case you thought oposite, here is a newsflash. We have learned a lot of this topic this week because we were told in many ways the manner in which we need to be better. One of these ´darse cuenta´ moments was while in a lesson with Monica. We hadn't realized we had slacked off a bit with the lessons with her and Tamara. It wasn't that we weren't being misioneries, we just lost our focus like the young adults with 20 years that we are. I felt super guilty and lame after that visit. I wanted to deny everything she told us, but I listened and really noticed the truthfulness of everything she told us. I humbled myself, knowing I needed to swallow the nasty truth, and promised we would focus ourselves. Of course, it wasn't completely our fault and sometimes Monica's or sometimes Tami's but I know how I need to change and accepted her advice without a rebellion. On the way to another cita, I felt cualquier guilt for everything I hadn't done. I wanted to curl up in the fetel posicion in the street and wallow in my pity. But I knew God didn't want me to feel bad forever, so I thought of how I needed to improve, prayed and asked disculpe [forgiveness], then I immediately felt the Spirit confirming the rightness of what I had just

finished. I love how the Atonement works. I love the warmth and security I can feel through His powerful arms. He can shield me from myself. He can shield me from the world, from the temptations, from the hate, from the comments of the drunk men, He is All Powerful and he loves me. He just

Recognize the young man, second foto in the top row from the
left corner? Elder Castleton!! [My Dad]

expects us to come to Him for that protection. He can't do everything on His own. He needs our part to make the atonement work. I implore you, each and every one, to repent. Don't procrastinate your time of repentance. Don't wait. Don't tell yourself you will repent tomorrow. Let yourself feel free and clean from whatever part of the world TODAY. Now. God has told us, the prophets have warned us and we are warned constantly by the scriptures that the day of the Lord is at hand. We cannot enter into the presence of God if we aren't repented. We can enter imperfect, but only through the witness and power of Jesus Christ. 

We made Pan Amasado (dad, I finally have the receta,
we'll make it for reals when I return!)

And cheesecake. It has made me quite famous in the
mision and the barrio. Cool beans

Elder Schildan from Idaho, one of my favorites of my mision.
Elder Papas (Elder Potatoes)

Open up yourself to God. Let yourself be cleaned through His blood and His sacrifice. He bled for you too. Don't waste the moments he suffered in the garden because of your pride. Be humble, let Him help you. Be HAPPY through His gospel! I love you and hope you understood my experience because I don't have time to reread through it. Heh.

I love you

Hermana Castleton