hello everyone its time for a few short words of deep thought you ready for it????

i just want to share about 3 people we are working with or visiting...we will start with sister helen lopez..... 

helen lopez is a member of 2 years... she has had 3 strokes and has trouble walking and has very little movement in her left arm. she can walk but slowly and tires easily. she cant work and she is very very depressed. she has come back to church recently after a time period of not attending meetings.

next is sister soriano. she is also a stroke victem multiple times... she has no movement of her left arm... cant walk, has trouble speaking, has other health problems... has to be carried around by her husband (part member our investigator)... she is the happiest person ive met in a long time. she has come back to church also after a long period of not being able. our visits are full of joy and laughter...

next is tatay gregorio manzano. he is also a stroke victem. his last stoke left him unable to speak.. almost unable to walk or eat and just full of problems.... he came to churt for the first time in a long while due to medical problems. we often see him in his wheel chair ourside with his book of mormon or gospel principles manuel at his side. he cant communicate more than a nod up and down or side to side and pointing fingers. he is the only member in his family. he cries often in our visits... but to our surprise despite his difficulties walking and health pronblems... he found a way to push his wheel chair by himself to church this week the distance is maybe from our house to riverside elementary...

three different people,, 3 different but similar circumstances... and 3 different attitutes on life......

attitude is everything.. im completely convinced our own decision on what kind of an attitude we have on our challenges will greately determine not only our happiness in life but the things we will be able to achieve. sister soriano despite her challenges in communication and movement somehow is able to lift my spirits and encourage me to think positively and have more faith every time i visit her... tatay gregorios faith carried his crippled old body all the way to the church by himself... its just absolutely amazing to me.. . .  sister helen... is struggling( as we all do at times which is completely understandable especially with her circumstances ) and at church this sunday sister soriano and her were able to talk and sister soriano was even encouraging her to be more positive! 

when we have problems.... our attitude is a literal choice we make. noone can make our day bad or our hearts low, and noone can make a trial unbearable or problem un solvable. its all in our choice of how we look at it.....

i think about something in the scriptures... and its hope. i think if you have a good attitude or outlook on life a big part of it is the hope that is in you that things will get better and that it will all be alright. which is a result of the knowladge we have because of the gospel.... arent we a lucky people? 

anyways im going to do all i can to have a better attitude from now on.... i hope we can all live like sister soriano! 

love you elder landeen