First Week in Caceras

Hola Mi Familia y Amigos,

Week one in Cacéres.... CHECK! This week has been crazy, the adjustment has been weird, and basically I have no idea what I´m doing... But the Lord´s got a plan and it´s all good!! Cacéres is BEAUTIFUL. It´s full of hills (That are just SO much fun to climb haha) and trees and houses and people and everyone is going about a million miles per hour.... basically the opposite of David! The ward is small, but our area is GIGANTIC. It´s been fun trying to learn it all haha! My hija is good too, we get along and are learning a lot from each other(:

This week we had the chance to hear from ELDER OAKS! He was in Panamá all week, and had a special conference with all the missionaries in Panamá City and the surrounding zones. What a blessing it was to be there. I have no doubt that he was/is called of God. We got to shake his hand... he looked each of us in the eye and said, ¨Hello Elder/Sister¨. When it was my turn, it couldn´t have lasted more than 3 seconds, but I went back to my seat in tears. The spirit was that strong. He spoke about a lot of things, but the thing that really stuck out to me was his counsel to teach the Plan of Salvation. He said that it should always come back to that. Whatever problem an investigator or less-active may have, stems from a lack of understanding or faith in the simple doctrine of the great Plan of Happiness. We are children of God, we have a purpose here on this earth, and we have a grand goal we are striving to achieve. I know that the plan of salvation is real and true!! I know it in my mind and I feel it in my heart. I´m grateful to be a missionary, and I´m grateful for what I´ve learned. It´s like a cloud has been lifted from my mind, and now I can see clearly. It all just makes sense! What a blessing it is to help other people reach that clarity as well.

Don´t take from granted the knowledge that you have. Don´t just know it, Believe it. Then take it one step further, and share it!! Write down the name of the first person that pops into your head, and then act! Talk to them, send the missionaries to them... give them a chance to feel this peace and happiness that we have obtained through the gospel of Jesus Christ. I love you all! I miss you all!! Tengan una semana increíble!!

Hermana Van Deusen