Monday, January 4, 2016

Hasta Ver, Chicago!

Hola mi querido familia y amigos!

Well I'll tell you what everyone, 18 months most certainly goes by way
too fast. I still can't believe that in just a couple days I will be
reunited with my family and friends back home. Heavenly Father is just
so good to me. I don't think I can even being to express the gratitude
and joy I feel to have had the privilege to serve the people of
Chicago as a representative of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

This past week I received news that a very sweet man that I had the
opportunity to serve and visit in my last area had passed away, and
this morning I attended his funeral service. I think one of my
favorite things about being a missionary is that we are blessed with
this gift to feel an extra special portion of the love that our
Heavenly Father has for His children. One of my most tender
experiences on my mission where I truly felt full of that love was
during a visit with this Hermano and his sweet wife. He expressed to
me a lot of struggles in his life during that time and I felt I could
relate, not because the things we had gone through were necessarily
similar but because we turned to the same source for help, our Savior
Jesus Christ. I just remember sharing my testimony with him of the
Atonement and how by the end of the visit we were both in tears. I
could go on and on, but I'm just so very thankful for the opportunity
that I had to get to know Arturo. It was so hard when I found out he
was not with us anymore, but I was comforted by the knowledge that I
will see him again. Please pray for la Familia Villegas.

Family and friends, more than anything else I want you all to know
that I have a strong testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ. I know
it is true with all my heart. I also know that our Heavenly Father and
Savior, Jesus Christ live and love us so deeply and individually. I
know that families are forever. I know that the Atonement of Jesus
Christ is real. He can help us in every detail of our lives. He can
heal us, He can shape us, He can make our hearts new, and He can make
us whole.

I love my mission and I wouldn't trade this time for anything in the
world. Serving is one of the best decisions I have ever made. At the
funeral this morning Arturo's mom spoke a little about charity and
gave a beautiful example. One of her callings is to direct the music
in sacrament meeting. After she fulfilled her calling and directed the
music this last Sunday someone came up to her and said that they
didn't know how she was able to do that with the news of her son
recently passing away. She said that charity is when you continue to
serve the Lord with all your heart, might, mind, and strength even in
the midst of trials; that you fulfill the labor to which you have been
called because you love the Lord and know the calling is divine. I
love Hermana Villegas. I truly feel that my past 18 months of service
has been a labor of love. There were plenty of times when I struggled
and even felt I couldn't go on, but I know that as I leaned on the
Savior, He helped me push forward to help Him bring this beautiful
message to the lives of our Heavenly Father's children and through
this He taught me about charity.

I look forward to telling you more about my mission in person! I love
you all so much and I look forward to seeing everyone this week.

Sigan fuertes y mantengan la sonrisa :)

Hermana Knowles

89 Para siempre Dios esté con Vos

1. Para siempre Dios esté con vos;
con Su voz él os sostenga;
con Su pueblo os mantenga.
Para siempre Dios esté con vos.

Hasta ver, hasta ver,
hasta vernos con el Rey,
hasta ver, hasta ver,
para siempre Dios esté con vos.

2. Para siempre Dios esté con vos;
con Sus brazos El os cubra;
Su amor El os descubra;
para siempre Dios esté con vos.

Hasta ver, hasta ver,
hasta vernos con el Rey,
hasta ver, hasta ver,
para siempre Dios esté con vos.

3. Para siempre Dios esté con vos;
cuando el temor os venga,
en Sus brazos él os tenga;
para siempre Dios esté con vos.

Hasta ver, hasta ver,
hasta vernos con el Rey,
hasta ver, hasta ver,
para siempre Dios esté con vos.

4. Para siempre Dios esté con vos;
que os guíe Su bandera;
que la muerte no os hiera;
para siempre Dios esté con vos.

Hasta ver, hasta ver,
hasta vernos con el Rey,
hasta ver, hasta ver,
para siempre Dios esté con vos.

One last Hurrah