Hermana Lia Ludlam: Life Lessons from Mérida

A conference in Brisas. Hermanas Castro, Wilson, Lia, Oaxaca

Hola Familia,

We received cambios (transfers) last night and... Hna Oaxaca and I are staying together! Mi hija me va a matar. (I will be ending my mission with the companion I am currently training or in mission speak, My daughter is going to kill me.) I'm happy.

Things I've developed on my mission that weren't there before the mission:

When I have a question or don't know what to do, my first thought is: "Prayer."
I recognize answers to prayers and they are usually answered very quickly.
I "got" the importance of covenants and realized how essential they are and what they are in general and how much I could be drawing from them that I wasn't.
I am slower to nag. I still have the urge to do it, but I wait longer before interfering so people can fix their problems by themselves or let error be it's own teacher instead of me. I am better at judging at when my interference really is necessary. I'm less controlling.
I've learned how to make concrete plans to make things happen.
I'm good at identifying specific traits I want to improve and... improve them.
I learned how to think out loud. I'm less of a 'watch-everything-and-analyze-it-all-in-my-head'-type now. Instead I analyze things by talking with someone else, and it usually means I make better conclusions.
I'm able to recognize when I'm stressed and do things to de-stress.
How to remove myself from temptation instead of trying to resist it.
I am now uncomfortable in a state of unhappiness. I think I used to like to wallow in it a little, but now I quickly look for a way to get out of it as quickly as possible (usually with prayer) and spend very little time being unhappy.
I think the most important thing that I learned was grasping the idea of the "Obra de Salvacion." (Work of Salvation) I realized that basically, our whole job here on earth is to walk the specific path of covenants and ordinances that lead to eternal life, and then bring as many other hijos de Dios (children of God) as you can with you. Life in it's entirety gets put in perspective-- you realize why everything happens and how much everything else is really a distraction. I also realized that walking that path--- which includes keeping the commandments, making friendships, learning TRUTH, forming families, LOVING people-- is really the happiest way to live and the best investment for future eternal happiness. I don't want to work in any other Obra! (Can somebody sign me up to be a temple worker, a visiting teacher, and to accompany the missionaries?)