Tuesday, February 11, 2014

What I learned from a Visa Waiter

Our life plans are not what we expect. Rarely do plans work out. Heavenly Father is watching though to see how we react to what happens to us.

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Sister Guertler and I hold up the Shield of Fath
and the Sword of Righteousness!
For the last 6 weeks, I've been companions with Sister Guertler. She and I have had a lot of amazing memories together, taught a ton of lessons, and done the Lord's work.We were quite the pair. What makes Sister Guertler different is that her plans were changed drastically by coming to the Arizona Mesa Mission. Her mission call was actually to Juiz De Fora, Brazil. She was, what we refer to in missionary terms as, a "visa waiter". Her visa to be able to live in Brazil for 18 months had not come yet. She had gone through the language training for Portuguese at the missionary training center, expecting to get her visa in the MTC. Well, it didn't come. She was reassigned here to the Arizona Mesa Mission. But you know, her attitude was a complete trust that the Lord knew what He was doing and she was perfectly fine with staying in Mesa for her whole mission if that was His will. Last Thursday, however, she got exciting news that her visa had come and is currently on her way to, if not already in, Brazil.

What I learned from Sister Guertler's attitude was empowering. When we turn our life over to the will of the Lord, accept that He really does know best, then things do get better.

I think of Joseph of Egypt. He was sold into slavery by his brothers, put to work for Potipher, cast into prison due to false accusations and whole lot of other trials, but he never lost his faith. He trusted that as long as he was faithful to the commandments, he would be okay. We all need to develop this attitude. We need to realize that things will be okay as long as we are living the commandments and doing our best. Even when we fall, we have the atonement of Jesus Christ. Through that, all of our weaknesses can get better and we can learn and grow from our mistakes.

Patience allows life time to fall in place.By abiding by the Lord's laws, we are blessed immensely. By accepting His will, we see miracles. Sister Guertler showed me that with her faith that her visa would come when the Lord needed her to go, until then, she was an Arizona Mesa Missionary. She and I worked and had success. We never gave up and never slacked because she was "only a visa waiter". This attitude was incredible and admirable. I have been blessed to learn and grow for my experience and wish Sister Guertler all the best as she starts her new adventure in Brazil!

Remember: Heavenly Father has a plan, you just have to be patient, press forward, be patient, and wathc the beauty of life unfold before you!




I love you all!

Love,
Sister Mackenzie Esmond

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