Opposition In All Things

 Hello everyone!! I had such a great week this week! Today I really needed a break from my phone though so today's weekly will be a little shorter.

First off I just wanted to share a talk that was sent to me this week that was absolute fire! (So grateful for great friends out here on the mission that help me learn and grown!) It is called The Transforming Power of Faith and Character by Elder Richard G. Scott! I highlighted the whole talk almost! If you get a chance, please read it! It is so good and I just want to share it with everyone I love because it brought so much joy into my life and I want you all to feel that same joy!!! Here are some of the things I especially liked:

-Recognize that when the challenges intended to be growth opportunities come,  . . .find ways, as prompted by the Holy Ghost, to overcome them in ways that are productive and character building. (We are going to experience so many trials and challenges in life, but I have such a strong testimony that as we partner with God and keep the Holy Ghost as our companion we will be able to receive strength to turn those trials into learning experiences and character growth)

-We become what we want to be by consistently being what we want to become each day

-Every time you try your faith- that is, act in worthiness on an impression-you will receive the confirming evidence of the Spirit

-The bedrock of character is integrity. Worthy character will strengthen your capacity to recognize the direction of the Spirit and to be obedient to it. Your consistent exercise of faith builds strong character. A secure foundation for your growing character is laid by making Jesus Christ and His teachings the center of your life.

-Nobel character is like a treasured porcelain made of select raw materials, formed with faith, carefully crafted by consistent righteous acts, and fired in the furnace of uplifting experience.

-A consistent, righteous life produces an inner power and strength that can be permanently resistant to the eroding influence of sin and transgression.

-You get what you pay for in obedience, in faith in Jesus Christ, in diligent application of the truths you learn. What you get is the molding of character, the growth in capacity, and the successful completion of your mortal purpose to be proven and to have joy.

-I have personally verified that concepts like faith, prayer, love, and humility hold no great significance and produce no miracles until they become a living part of us  through our own experience, aided by the sweet prompting of the Holy Spirit. In early life I found that I could learn gospel teachings intellectually and, through the power of reason and analysis, recognize that they were of significant value. But their enormous power and ability to stretch me beyond the limits of my imagination and capacity did not become reality until patient, consistent practice allowed the Holy Spirit to distill and expand their meaning in my heart. I found that while I was sincerely serving others, God forged my personal character. He engendered a growing capacity to recognize the direction of the Spirit. The genius of the gospel plan is that by doing those things the Lord counsels us to do, we are given every understanding and every capacity necessary to provide peace and rich fulfillment in this life. Likewise, we gain the preparation necessary for eternal happiness in the presence of the Lord.

-A testimony grows from understanding truth distilled from prayer and the pondering of scriptural doctrine. It is nurtured by living those truths with faith anchored in the secure confidence that the promised results will be obtained.

-As your testimony is fortified, Satan will try harder to tempt you. Resist his efforts. You will become stronger and his influence on you weaker.

-[Satan] cannot take away any blessing that has been earned. He cannot alter character that has been woven from righteous decisions. He has no power to destroy the eternal blonds forged in a holy temple between a husband, wife, and children. He cannot quench true faith. He cannot take away your testimony. Yes, these things can be lost by succumbing to his temptations. But he has no power in and of himself to destroy them.

Ahhhh all of those are so good and that is only like half of what I took away from that talk! Soooo good! I hope you get a chance to study it for yourself! I would love to hear what you liked and took away from it!

This week was full of some low lows but that allowed, through lots of prayer and patience, for some really high and happy highs! This Sunday was such a blessing for me as I was able to bond more with a young family in our branch! As they left the building after church, I couldn't help but cry because of the love I could feel for them, love from me as well as from Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ! I love the blessing we get as missionaries to be representatives of Christ!! It comes with great responsibility and even greater blessings, miracles, and experiences!

Love you all and hope you are able to include Christ and the Holy Ghost in your lives every day this week!💗

Sora Acton

We had our District Activity this week!

We went up to Bucharest and helped at

the Romexpo! It was fun to see my friend

Ioana again and to help her out with all 

the clothes sorting!

Yummy night time snack!

Dinner at Sora Latinu's, she is so sweet💗

and fed us delicious food!

Pretty sunset view from our apartment

Alexandru's dog!

Group picture with Alexandru! He is always

so happy and brightens my day!