Week 4- Chick-fil-a, oh ya and Faith

This is the last week of the transfer! We cant believe it!

This transfer was a 5 week transfer instead of 6. Something having to do with the Creole elders and their schedule.

This week we discovered a Chick-fil-a RIGHT across from our apartment! We never knew it was there because its on a college campus in their food court! But we were pretty excited to say the least!!

This week President and Sister Anderson came to our apartment for cleaning checks and interviews. We are pretty excited over here in Miami because it has been confirmed by them that all of the sisters will play a large role in the temple opening!!! We are so excited for the temple to open! We are excited to see how the work will begin to progress because of it! The VIP open house is from March 26-28. Then the open house for everyone is March 29-April 19. The cultural event is on May 3, and the dedication on the 4th!

This week has been slow again. Some nights we get home to go over our day and look at our numbers and think how could we have worked so hard but have nothing? We are keeping the faith though and working really hard. Our area is mixed spanish and english but mostly you just assume everyone speaks spanish. We have been doing some harvesting in middle class areas and have found that the english/american people are well...pretty awful to us. I have gained such a strong love for the Latin culture and the love they have for everyone.

This week faith has been the topic of most of my thoughts. How do I keep the faith when I haven't had the opportunity to see any success yet? And why aren't I having success? Are we not having enough faith? Today while reading in Ether 12, I gained a greater understanding that really nothing can happen unless we have faith. It is by faith that miracles are brought to pass and it is by faith that all things are fulfilled. Ether 12:4 "Wherefore, whoso believeth in God might with surety hope for a better world, yea even a place at the right hand of God, which hope cometh of faith, maketh an anchor to the souls of men, which would make them sure and steadfast always abounding in good works. being led to glorify God." Ether 12:6 "And now, I, Moroni, would speak somewhat concerning these things; I would show unto the world that faith is things which are hoped for and not seen; wherefore, dispute not because ye see not, for ye receive no witness until after the trial of your faith." Ether 12:9 "Wherefore, ye may also have hope, and be partakers of the gift, if ye will but have have faith."
After my reading I felt I had a better understanding of the importance of faith and what faith is but I didn't really know how to gain the faith that is being talked about. I then remembered a talk that we read in the MTC called Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ by Gene R. Cook and my notes from it answered all my questions. The question Gene R. Cook answers is- how do we exercise faith in order to resolve lifes challenges?
1. Be Believing - How much evidence do you require before you act in faith? - 1 Nephi 17:45  
2. Commit yourself - decide, commit, exercise faith - be truly committed and you will see the Lord revealed on your behalf - you can literally cause things to work for your good both in your life and in the lives of others if you are full of faith in the Lord. - Consider Nephi as we went to get the plated from Laban. He believed, he committed, and he and the Lord did it. 
 3. Do your part - after a man has truly sacrificed and done all in his power, God will come and save him in his time of need. - man must not only pay the price that Lord requires but search for what currency it will be required. The sacrifice most often required is our own personal sins. 
 4. Pray - How often are you wondering in the darkness believing before you think to pray? - Pray,believing you will have your righteous desires, and they will, in the Lords time but given to you. 5. Expect trials of your faith - He will try you again and again and again until YOU know you will serve Him at all cost. - Its all about attitude. 
 6. Expect the Lord to act - Sometimes when a prayer seems to go unanswered it is because it is being answered in a greater way than we can perceive it. When we face these trials we must double our faith lest we lose it. - Be submissive, humble, and patient and the Lord will deliver to you that which will be for your best good. May we all continue to press forward with joyfulness and faith! 

My love to you all!
 XOXO HERMANA KOUTZ