Querida Familia y Amigos,
Hola from Federal Way. Things are definitely different here, but it is still a joy to serve here. Like I said last week, we are serving in the Redondo Ward which has a Spanish group but is not yet it's own branch. Our area covers the whole Federal Way Stake which includes parts of Kent, Auburn and Tacoma. We live with the Jarvis family, members of our ward, in their basement.
I love my new companion, Hermana Melton. We're tocayas (we have the same first name). She has so much faith and is an excellent missionary. Next week she will have one year as a missionary. When she was a little girl, she lived with her grandmothers in Mexico so she speaks Spanish fluently and we speak Spanish most of the time. She helps me so much. She also has a great love for the people and the gospel. She is an example to me of being completely focused on the work. I love being her companion.
This week I was reading Alma 26:27-30. It was already highlighted in my scriptures and I remember when we talked about it in the MTC. At that time I had not experienced all the things that it talks about there: we have been amongst them, we have traveled house in house, we have entered their homes, we have taught them, we have instructed them in their streets and on their hills, they have thrown us out, we have been the objects of their jokes, they have smited us on the cheeks (haha). But now, months later, I have experienced them and the promise that if we are patient in all of our afflictions we will be given success in bringing souls unto Christ has new meaning to me. The work here in Federal Way has been pretty slow for quite a while. It is requiring all of our faith to go forward knowing that "the field, already to harvest." It is requiring all of our effort to qualify for and recognize the whisperings of the Spirit so we can be lead to those who are prepared right now to accept the gospel. The scriptures have a new meaning to us as missionaries. Before I read them from the point of view of the multitudes. But now as a missionary, we have a similar calling as the prophets and I empathize with their circumstances. I love the scriptures.
I was also reading Alma 27:6-10 this week and I love the true repentance of the people of Anti-Nephi-Lehi. These people had been murderers in their past life but they had been changed by the gospel of Jesus Christ. They were grateful (Alma 24:7-10) for all of the blessings they had received and they could not even bare the idea of turning back to their old ways. In Alma 27:6-10 we learn that when faced by an army of Lamanites they saw two options: die or go to the land of the Nephites to be their slaves. It is interesting to me that although they had previously been great warriors, no where do they even mention the possibility of taking up arms against the Lamanites. They had truly repented and because of this, they did not fear death nor slavery (Alma 27:28; Alma 28:11-12). I love their story and I think that it can be applied to whatever weakness we have, whether it is pride, laziness, poor language, poor entertainment choices, whatever. I know The Book of Mormon is the word of God it testifies of Jesus Christ.
Con amor,
Hermana Kinghorn
