(Claire with her companion Sister B.)
This week, I studied a talk called "His Grace is Sufficient."
and I have learned so much about grace.
Before, I thought grace was what filled the gap between us and being enough.
But I loved that he taught "grace isn't about filling the gaps; it's about filling us."
He compared the grace and striving to become perfect to practicing the piano.
We need to continue trying and practicing, and we can't expect ourselves
to be a prodigy at first.
I needed to hear that, especially this week.
Thoughts of home and discouragement have been filling my head this week,
and to be honest, I have struggled with feelings of
inadequacy since I got here in Brazil.
But I felt so much peace, learning that God's grace is not something
that I will get far off in the future when
I've finished doing everything I could do.
I can receive His grace right now and be content with
progress in the right direction
rather than worrying about being a perfect missionary.
"When we understand grace, we understand that God is long-suffering,
that change is a process, and that repentance is a pattern in our lives.
When we understand grace, we understand that the blessings of
Christ's Atonement is continuous, and His strength is perfect in our weakness.
When we understand grace, we can, as it says in the Doctrine and Covenants,
"continue in patience until [we] are perfected" (D&C 67:13)."
I love you guys!
-Claire
PS. MOM! Jane and I agree you look like Gerard Way
from My Chemical Romance when you were younger in this (and ONLY this) photo.
It's the eyes and the bangs you used to have in the early 2000s.
Awesome!
