It's been a good week. I am making the days count, not counting the days.....

Mi familia,
     Sooooo Hermana Busath got emergency transferred this week.)))))):
A sister had to go home early and we were the only trio in the
mission, so there were no other options. It was super sad- Hermana
Busath got transferred with only two weeks left in her mission. Which
could only mean that I will be staying another transfer here with
Hermana Smith. But I was so sad losing Hermana Busath, I feel like I
lost my best friend! Haha I've never cried losing a companion before,
but she and I were both pretty sad. I love her!
     However, I also really enjoy working with Hermana Smith. She and
I are different missionaries but we balance each other out perfectly.
And we've been companions already before, so we've got each other
figured out already. Serving one more transfer with her will mean we
will have served 1/3 of our missions together. Good thing I like her!
Haha. I'm really looking forward to this coming transfer with her-
we're going to do good things together. We both like to work.
     This week we had a lesson with Suzie again. She has begun to
recognize the spirit. She told us she has never felt as at peace as
she has as she has read the Book of Mormon and when we come, and how
in the past she would never have let anyone in, but said for some
reason she knew that God was with us, and that the message we carried
was true.
     Carlos is the best! I feel like he's our grandpa. At first glance
some may question teaching him, but when you start teaching him he's
amazing. He loves learning. It's never too late to find the gospel. We
invited him to come with his family with us to the Philadelphia temple
with his family.

     Mom, you'd be proud of me. I'm doing so well with the health
challenge. It's great. And having a gym here doesn't hurt. But when
the one cheat day comes, I use it well.(((:

     This week my highlight was spending time at the branch presidents
house. They are an amazing family. Because he lives in York it was the
first time we all got to sit down with him and talk about his vision
for the branch. Afterwards we knelt with their family in prayer, and
the spirit flooded the room. As I prayed I felt like this small little
group of people could change Spanish speaking Pennsylvania.

     I feel so blessed to be where I am. And so grateful to have
waited so long in my mission to be here when I'm a much more
experienced missionary- spiritually and with Spanish. When you near
the end of your mission you realize how much you have changed as a
missionary. Sometimes think back to your first area and just cringe,
or laugh. Haha. When I think back to Butler I wonder how I ever
managed to teach someone in Spanish. That one's still a mystery.
Anyway, the learning is still most definitely an every day thing, but
all that I have learned up to this point I am now able to apply now,
here, where I need it.
     I still have my moments of feeling inadequate. Those will never
go away, but that's what drives me to be better, so I'm okay with
that.
     What I've learned is we never need to worry about comparing
ourselves to anyone else. Because the Lord will never compare us with
anyone. He will only compare us to the potential he knows we hold
within ourselves. He knows exactly what each of us are capable of- as
missionaries, as members, as mothers, fathers, husbands, wives,
brothers, sisters- and that is the only expectation he holds us to.
Not any other standard that another person has established. I find
comfort knowing that God doesn't only judge us for our actions,
because it is part of our human nature, and an effect of the natural
man to make mistakes every day. But he also knows and judges us by our
hearts. He knows every detail about who you are, not just what you do.
So if we are every getting down on ourselves about how imperfect we
are, or what weaknesses we have, we can remember that God knows us,
perfectly. And He sees us for who we are now and who we are becoming,
not who we've been. That is the beauty of the Atonement of Jesus
Christ.
     The greatest lesson of all that I have learned here though, is
repentance. How to apply the atonement to my life every single day.
And I've seen that success in all things in life will depend on how I
apply it. Gaining an education will require constant effort, learning,
growing, and perhaps making mistakes. Marriage will be applying the
principles of forgiveness and repentance. Life is a constant
succession of correction. The opportunity to be corrected is a
blessing. Sometimes I feel like each of my flaws are so tangible
they're visible. And then I look at it as a chance to change. Before
my mission I don't think I could describe who I was. But today,
because all my weaknesses have been so exposed the last 15 months, I
know who I am. I am not serving a mission for myself, but the Lord has
allowed me to grow personally as I've put Him first, the people of
Pennsylvania second, and myself last. The more you lose yourself, the
more you find yourself.
     Missionaries are proof to me that God is capable of anything,
haha. If He is able to execute the work of salvation through an army
of 80,000 imperfect 19-22 year olds, He can do anything. Every
missionary offers something completely different. And God doesn't just
work through them despite their individual weaknesses, but works with
their weaknesses. Sometimes we are sent to people who need our
weaknesses.
     I'm reading in Alma right now, and it is just more evidence that
God has always worked through imperfect people, but is still able to
accomplish His purposes.

     So here's the end of my rant. It's been a good week. I am making
the days count, not counting the days. I've got a lot to do in the
next three months.

The church is true.

I love you!
Hermana Sears