Let the Holy Spirit Guide

HOLY COW. This week has been so incredible!!! I will try to start from the beginning. (P.S. I HAVE 7 MONTHS WHAT THAT CANT BE REAL.)

So Tuesday my companion Hermana Salas and I traveled to Cusco - she had transfers and I had to go to pick up my new companion who I would be training. When I got to Cusco I died - OF JOY. MY COMPANION HERMANA WATTLES FROM THE CCM IS ALSO TRAINING AND I SAW HER IN CUSCO AND WE SPENT 3 DAYS TOGETHER. Seriously it was the best ever! I love her so much.

On Wednesday we received our hijas! I couldnt decide if I wanted a Latina or a North American but there were only 2 latinas and 4 North Americans so I figured it would be North American. Mi hija es la Hermana Barfuss! Ella es de Logan, Utah y es lo maximo! Tiene grandes deseos de trabajar y aprender. Su español esta mejorando y ella esta tratando cada dia a aprender mas palabras. It was the best/weirdest/scary feeling finding out who I would be training. Once we found out we had some training and then we were on our own! We had our first opportunity to plan and I realized really quickly just how hard it was going to be to train. I have to remember all over again how to be a missionary and start from the beginning! That night we went contacting in the plaza in Cusco and had some awesome experiences! We met a super cute family from Lima that at the end took a picture with us. Haha, it is the best when people take pictures with us because they get so excited about it.

On Thursday, Hermana Barfuss and I traveled back here to Puerto. My fifth time making the trip between Cusco and Puerto and it was the worst one yet. But not to worry, all is well and I am still alive.

Friday we were at home for a lot of the day! There was a lot to explain to her and we had our first weekly planning session! Then the tears came from mi hija. I could relate exactly to her - my first few days in the mission were so hard! You cant speak spanish, you cant understand anyone or anything, and there is SO much to learn. But she gave me an incredible example of someone who knows where to look FIRST for comfort when she asked for a Priesthood blessing for our zone leaders and then spent most of the night searching the scriptures. She is incredible and I am so grateful for her! She knows that the true source of happiness and comfort comes from our Savior and the fact that she can feel and understand that now will serve her well in her mission.

This week more than anything I learned, really learned, how to recognize and follow the Spirit. Long story short, another week of incredible MIRACLES. I felt the Spirit so strong this week and I know the Lord knew that it was what I needed. I was worried about training and knowing what to do and how to do it, but the Lord helped to receive personal revelation and to be guided by the true teacher, the Spirit! There were people we found this week that my companion and I before could never find. It was amazing. The Spirit is so incredible.

This week my testimony of Joseph Smith was also strengthened a lot. We met with a lady in the street on Saturday night who told us for years she had gone to church but had since left because she didnt understand Joseph Smith and felt like we in the church worship him. We explained about the Restoration and it was an incredible lesson! When we left we could see the relief in her eyes and I was so grateful for how the Spirit was able to guide my words and testify of her. But I still felt a little confused myself and wasnt sure how to explain that we dont worship Joseph Smith - we talk about him a lot because he played a fundamental role in the restoration of the Gospel and we are grateful to him. Well this morning my comp and I were reading the talk from last October conference by Neil L. Andersen titled "Joseph Smith" and it hit me! When we talk of Joseph Smith as a natural reaction we end up talking about the Savior. Everything Joseph Smith did points to the Savior! Everything that any prophet has ever done in history points to the Savior. So with reason we talk about Joseph Smith a lot because it leads us to reflect on Christ and rejoice in His power and His restored gospel. CHRIST IS CENTRAL IN ALL THINGS. And so it should be with our lives! We must put him at the top of all things. He is our Savior and He loves us so much! I felt His love more this week than ever. I know without any doubt in my heart, in my entire being, that CHRIST LIVES. He loves us so much, as does our Heavenly Father. When we accept and follow Him in our lives we are then able to achieve our true potential and become who each of us is designed to be.

I love this Gospel. I love my Savior. I love the Holy Ghost. I am incredibly grateful for Joseph Smith and all that the Savior was able to do through him. I love training. I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY. And I love all of you with all my heart.

Hermana Miceli. :)

My companion from the CCM Hermana Wattles (flower skirt) with our daughters!