Why Should We Think To Earn a Great Reward if We Now Shun the Fight?

Dearest Family-

I have a lot in my heart right now. This week has been the kind where time seemed irrelevant and God just used this week to spend time with me and teach me. Some lessons very hard- but He was there with me and miracles ensued. I am almost overcome with all the miracles that took place- innumerable. I have come to truly feel He is my Father, I truly feel sustained, heard and close with him and I have never been able to communicate so closely to the Infinite. 

This week me and sister harris taught at Zone training- we taught about having the courage and the faith to open our mouths in under the most uncomfortable, difficult circumstances- WE MUST OPEN OUR MOUTHS! this is something that has been the greatest struggle for me at the beginning of my mission- but it is something the Lord has worked with me on- and through other experiences my trust in Him has built so my courage to do that which is difficult has increased, so OYM'ing is now something I am passionate about and can teach and testify of without feeling like a hypocrite. well it went very well (the teaching) God was with us, and the Spirit was there. I cant believe how much i love teaching, administrating and speaking- i always feel a bit daunted when the calling comes initially- but then it drives me to my knees and causes me to rely fully on my Heavenly father and His Spirit and then I get to experience the miracle of feeling Him speak through me and enhance my words- i know its not me- I know its Him- and that's why I pray so earnestly for His Spirit to be with me.that is the purpose of great responsibilities being placed on our backs- growth. humility. faith. trust. realization we need Him, something higher than ourselves. then MIRACLES ENSUE and he NEVER LETS US FAIL WHEN WE DO IT HIS WAY! With our way there is no promise-

       I have more stories from this week than can be typed in a letter- but i will share a few

we received 2 media referrals. One woman, Linda, we brought a BOM to and a Bible and explained to her and testified of the BOM- we read 2 Ne 26:24, Hel 5:12, and 1Ne 3:7, explaining what they meant to me so she could feel the power of the book without us having to say a word- the power is in the BOM itself. her eyes welled with tears and she said, "I never knew, I never knew of this book. This is what I've been missing." and she cried and held the book to her heart. we both were overwhelmed by her sincere response and i thought- this is why i came out on my mission- to find those "who never knew" but are seeking. those words keep ringing in my ear...the spirit confirmed our message is true. Linda will be baptized one day- pray for it. Also I was on an exchange with a sister and we had the opportunity of doing a lot of OYMing we talked to EVERY PERSON GOD PLACED IN OUR PATH- well we were at the park and taught a woman about eternal families and the BOM, and got her info and she wanted to come to church. 

            Then as we were leaving, I saw 2 teenage girls sitting under a pavilion listening to loud music and one of them was smoking. the spirit urged me to talk to them- i resisted bc they were engaged in deep conversation and looked angry- it was very AWKWARD to interrupt them...but as we were fixing to leave, again the prompting came and i could not deny it and i thought about how I had just taught other missionaries to act even in awkward/uncomfortable situations, and i knew i had to follow through with my words- so i said, "sister- we have to go talk to those girls." we walk up- awkward -i am not normally awkward- but let me tell you- that was awkward- she breathed smoke in my face and looked at me like, "what do you want?" the only though that came was "just be real" so i was. I said, "i saw you guys sitting here and kept getting the feeling to talk to you. hows your day going?" they softened significantly- and we talked a bit- we found out they were 15 and came from very broken families- the only thought that came was to tell them they were daughters of God and He loves and knows them- I asked them if they ever talk to God? the one girl, Cheyenne, the one not spoken was very spiritual and lightened up the second we mentioned God's love for her- she just softened. She said," I pray every night." and from there we talked of prayer and God and how he helped me through hard teenage years, and got their numbers and hugged them each goodbye. 

         Well, later that day we were contacting a LA family and who should pull up in the car of the home we just walked to than Cheyenne in the car with her aunt, who we were coming to see! we were astonished to see her and she us! she ran out of the car (we were shocked how different she seemed and happy to see us) and said, "I told my aunt about you and here you are! how are you here?" and she threw her arms around me- i was so touched and in awe- the timing of it! if we hadn't opened our mouths and spoken to her earlier, we would've missed out on this miracle. 

    Earlier this week, we met with Takuya again (our Japanese investigator who had never heard of Christ) and he came to us and said, "My grandpa die last week. It's very hard- I'm not there with my family." i welled with tears, amazed how I could relate. he then thanked us for teaching him about family history because he said, it made him think of his grandpa while he was still alive, so he had been thinking of memories of him before he got the news he had passed away. then he turned to me and said, "Will you teach me how to pray? so i can feel near. Its very hard." oh- how i love that boy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! oh the spirit was so strong!!!!!!!!!!!! we taught him how to pray- we explained Christ's resurrection and how he would see His grandpa again. We showed him a video of Christ's life and Resurrection, after I asked him, "how do you feel? With tears in his eyes he said, "I feel better, because I know Christ knows me, and He knows my grandpa- so we know someone who knows us both. so we are closer." then he put his hand on his heart and cried. the most beautiful part was then when we asked him to pray- the first prayer he has ever prayed- we had the PRIVILEGE of teaching him and hearing that tender, heartfelt humble prayer, from a Japanese boy, who Heavenly Father has been longing to hear from for a long time i'm sure. i will never forget what he said in that prayer. it was the most beautiful thing i have ever heard. Every soul is great in the sight of God. These are a few of the things that took place this week. 

me and sister harris are together another transfer! we are training 2 new sisters coming in this transfer- i am so excited! also- taylor's fiance Mark now wants to take the discussions!!! Please pray for Mark- please- i have a vision for this family! Please pray for mark that he will have a soft heart and open mind and feel the spirit as we teach him and be baptized. I love you all. Yes- mom i will be calling on mothers day :) i love you. happy easter! what a wonderful season- Christ. new life, new starts, hope, and eternal life, bc of Christ.

Much Love, Sister Bertoldo