Kalmobo Branch is Growing!

March 23, 2015

Hey Family and Friends,

Thanks for the updates on basketball Dad!!!! Sorry that BYU lost. Baptisms this week have added many new members to the Kalmobo Branch, 9!!! BOOOM baby!! Success!!! I'll send you a picture :) :) We did have a PRIME investigator get a hold of some anti –Mormon stuff right before her baptism. So sad. It’s crazy what people can read on the internet. But the Church is still true and hopefully she’ll work through her issues.

Well this week has been great!!! I have learned a lot. I have been studying a talk called “Swallowed Up in the Will of the Father”, by Neal A Maxwell. EASILY the best talk I have ever read and studied. I love what he teaches about consecration. It’s hard to be 100% consecrated but it’s a law of God and we can do it! Love Mosiah 5:13! When we are spiritually minded, our thoughts align with the will of the Father and when we are carnally minded our thoughts align with another master, specifically the natural man. It leads to a temporary happiness but not eternal joy. When our desires and hearts match the Father’s, we won’t be far from him.  

I love that a mission is a unique place and experience where we get the chance to truly test our ability to be consecrated. We learn what we are truly willing to give to the Father. It made me look at the difference between Laman and Lemuel (unwilling) and Nephi (always willing). The parable of the lost sheep also reminds me of consecration. Sometimes we get off track, when we are unwilling to be consecrated and get lost, maybe even searching for something good but forgetting what is best to strive for. The Lord requires more than just being good people for us. He requires absolute devotion and to be anxiously engaged in a good cause.

SELFLESSNESS is KEY as we strive to consecrate ourselves to the Father. When we learn to love those around us, we learn to love the Father. Honestly sometimes I have the tendency to not fully understand the Father when I see how hard people’s lives around me but I’m learning to TRULY trust the Father WITH my life and with the people here in Africa. I love in the Restoration film when Emma asks Joseph, “Do you ever think the Lord asks too much?" And Joseph Smith’s answer was, "I never let myself." I promise to never let myself think that the Lord asks too much of myself or too much of other people.

Consecration is the KEY to happiness. Truly I feel the most joy as a missionary when I increase in my consecration. I am not a perfect missionary, far from where I would like to be but when I really try to align my will to the Father’s, I feel joy beyond any joy that I have ever felt. You can truly make it through any trial if you just consecrate yourselves.

Before my mission, I thought to myself, “I hope I don’t come back weird, I don’t want to come back changed. But I’m learning to dismiss those thoughts. I want to change. And I know the changes that are taking place in me are bringing me true joy and peace. I’m so grateful to be able to serve a mission. I’m grateful for the lessons I’m learning from the good people here. I’m grateful for the love of my Heavenly Father and I want to please Him. I Love you all!!!!

Sister Falco!