one act of LOVE at a time

Thank you to everyone for all of the letters! I'm sorry if I don't write back or takes me an eternity. Life here is so busy. Mostly the informative letters where you just tell me what's new in your life are the best! It's just a nice break every once in a while to remember that there is life after the mission and that someday I'll see you all again. :) Puts any hard things in perspective. 

Our English class group

Sorry...this week's letter will be short. I haven't organized any of my thoughts so it might not make any sense. Here I go:

This week... we invited Anna to be baptized! And...wait for it...she said yes! We don't have a date yet, because she wants to feel a little more ready first. But she said yes!! Her faith amazes me. I am realizing more and more that some people are just ready for the gospel and some people aren't. We're not here to shove the gospel down people's throats. We're just inviting people to come unto Christ and then they exercise their agency. And if they're ready, they'll accept it. If not, we planted a seed. They'll remember what the spirit felt like in the next life.

All the amazing Albanian kids! Ketjon, Marjana, Donald, and Domenick.

They all look like models or One Direction band members

I've said a million times to my sister (in a very sarcastic tone) PATIENCE IS A VIRTUE. But I never really thought about what a great virtue it is. I studied it this morning in personal study, and WOW. Patience is beyond not getting annoyed when someone is taking forever to get ready and you want to just leave the house. It is being accepting of God's works and his timing. It is being kind to yourself when you want to change in your character overnight and you aren't seeing it. We change ONE THOUGHT, ONE ACTION at a time. Here a little and there a little. Be gentle with yourself. You are a beloved child of a God.

Just remember that in this war the little things matter. The smiles. The kind words. The listening ear. The helping up the stairs. IT ALL MATTERS. "The telling blows against evil are struck ONE ACT OF LOVE at a time."

 

Cathedrals. We have 18 in Centreville alone (which just means downtown...where we live.)



Never even for a second think that the little things aren't doing any good. Emily Dickinson said "If I can stop one heart the breaking, I shall not live in vain. If I can ease one life the aching, or cool one pain, or help one fainting robin unto his nest again, I SHALL NOT LIVE IN VAIN."

We decorated our planners for our new transfer!! [Mom insert: her companionship was not transferred, but it was transfer day--she told me as we emailed back and forth]

The quote on the front says

"the telling blows against evil are struck one act of love at a time."

Everyone decorates their planners. :) They're really ugly planners.

So yesterday during lunch we just made ours pretty.

 

Go find one small thing you can do for someone else today. 

You make a difference. 

SO MUCH LOVE!!

Soeur Autumn Bradley