La Oración de Un Niño

Holaaa mi gente!

DC is wet and cold this week but still, we had such an amazing week. I feel lame cause I say that every week but seriously, missionary work is amazing. Sometimes when I think about going home it really breaks my heart, the joy and spirit felt with my sacred calling is like nothing else. 

Today I wanted to talk about prayer. We have an investigator that has a CRAZY 3 year old son. I mean it when I say he is crazy. He has...

• Forced Hermana Bertagnolli and I to chase him ON THE PULPIT, DURING SACRAMENT.
• Punched Hermana Hasek in the face.
• Thrown a slobbery sucker at Hermana Hasek that hit her in the jaw.
• Pulls my hair every time he sees me.
• Rips pamphlets out of our bags and takes everything out of them.

The list goes on and on. Basically he is a really naughty child and does not listen to his mother no matter what she does. It can be a little stressful during lessons but we do our best to stay calm, bring toys to distract him and sometimes it works. Most of the time though, it doesn't. So, back to prayer. This crazy three year old has suddenly started to fold his arms, close his eyes and say prayers with us in our lessons. Which is a miracle because he never sits still for more then 2 seconds at a time.

This week we were having a lesson and the 3 year old's mom was frustrated with herself. She has tried for months to keep certain commandments that have been very difficult for her to keep. She felt unworthy and discouraged with herself. She even questioned her ability to be a good mother. She expressed that she has prayed as we instructed but that she didn't feel like God was answering or listening to her. Hermana Hasek and I shared the blessings of Christ's atonement with her and the spirit was so strong. We promised her that the Lord and her children see her sacrifices and efforts and that having the gospel in their lives will bring them unity and peace. Afterwards we offered a prayer to which I call out to her 3 year old, "Oración! The 3 year old drops what he is doing, sits down, folds his arms and bows his head for the prayer. And he stays like that the whole time. His mothers eyes were filled with tears and she looked at him. Even little Edwin can feel the importance of personally communicating with Heavenly Father through prayer. It is the only time he willingly will sit still and be silent. The hermana then realized God is listening to her prayers but she was just then realizing it.

My testimony of sincere prayer has grown so much on my mission. Hearing others pray for the first time is something so special. I have heard the most sincere and humble prayers on my mission. We have taught people the proper order of prayer. I love that we can all personally go to the Lord with our pain, fears and sorrow. Along with that we can also go to Him in moments of excitement and joy. He is there listening to it all and most of all, He cares. We can speak what we are really feeling. Nothing recited or memorized, just a conversation with our loving Father in Heaven. This being said He also answers prayers in His time and in His way. Not in our time and our way. I have learned that the hard way. But what is required of us when we pray? Elder J. Devn Cornish said in the October 2011 General Conference:

"We must not imagine that any kind of prayer, no matter how sincere, will be very effective if all we do is to say the prayer. We must not only say our prayers; we must also live them. The Lord is much more pleased with the person who prays and then goes to work than with the person who only prays. Much like medicine, prayer works only when we use it as directed.

When I say that prayer is a sweet privilege, it is not just because I am grateful to be able to talk to Heavenly Father and to feel His Spirit when I pray. It is also because He actually answers and speaks to us. Of course, the way He speaks to us is usually not with a voice we hear. President Boyd K. Packer explained: 

“That sweet, quiet voice of inspiration comes more as a feeling than it does as a sound. Pure intelligence can be spoken into the mind. … This guidance comes as thoughts, as feelings through promptings and impressions”

I have personally experienced this and have witness others do so as well. I know we can all receive guidance from God through prayer.

One more story with this sister! She has been studying for her drivers license test and was stressed all week about it. We felt impressed to promise her that she would pass the test if she studied the manual and read one verse in the Book of Mormon either before or after studying. She still was stressed and called us Friday after her test. "Hermanas, I didn't study very much so I knew I wouldn't pass the test... but every time I got worried I read the Book of Mormon and.... I PASSED MY TEST!" She was so excited and we were celebrating over the phone with her. It was so awesome!

I gained a really strong testimony this week of serving when we are in need. To focus on others in times when I have felt lonely, sad or discouraged I have been filled with love, joy and peace. If you are feeling sad go out and serve someone. The joy is contagious! A sweet friend sent this quote last week that I love, "When you're drowning in fear, doubt, or discouragement; don't forget your lifeguard walks on water."

Les quiero,

Hermana Tapia