This week flew by! It seems like just a couple days ago I was writing about my first week in Mexico.
I have learned a lot this week about my duty as a missionary. It is kind of hard for me to get the courage to contact people in the street and ask if they would be willing to meet with us and learn more about Jesus Christ and His teachings. It is so much easier to say ´Buenas tardes´and just let them go by! But I realized this week, that that is exactly what I shouldn´t be doing. I have felt so much peace, happiness, and even joy from the blessings of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and there is no reason that I shouldn´t want to share that with others. I have gotten better this week at getting the courage to speak to people and bear simple testimony about God´s love for us, and the blessings that can come from this restored Gospel of Jesus Christ.
On a less formal note, every night when we get back from our proselyting, it has become habit for me to drop my bags in our study room, then begin the search for cucarachas (cockroaches) in the kitchen. Its normal to find about 5, and so sometimes I get the courage to kill 1, maybe 2; but most times I say, "Elder Velez, tengo un trabajo para Ud.! " And then he kills them, then I sweep the dead devil up and put it in the garbage. It is a nice little system. I repay Elder Velez for his services in quesadillas.
We had some really good lessons this week! We stay busy with visiting less actives, having lessons with investigators, and doing contacting in the streets. But I´d like to share a short experience I had in one lesson with a great lady. She has two young kids, and her husband serves in the military. We were able to share a lesson about faith in Jesus Christ. I was able to testify of the blessings that come from having faith in Jesus Christ. I know that as we show our faith, He will bless us. He always has His hand extended, we just have to come to Him.
I also had a really neat experience in sharing a spiritual thought with a sister in our area after eating lunch in her home. I shared Mosiah 4:9, which describes that we simply must believe in God, and believe that He knows better than we do. As humans, we tend to rely so much on ourselves. But we must humble enough to recognize that God knows better than we do. God has a plan for each and every one of us. All we have to do, as the scripture says is believe in Him. Believe Him. Believe He has a plan for you. He will bless you as you do that, I promise you. I have seen the blessings from doing so in my own life. So much happiness in relying on God!!
We had Stake Conference this weekend which was way good! Elder Ortiz from the Area Seventy spoke, as well as President Velez and his wife. We had an adult meeting on Saturday night, and then the normal one on Sunday. It was really really cool because the whole focus was on missionary work, ESPECIALLY member missionary work. I want to share a couple paraphrased and (attempted) translated quotes. ´Missionary service allows us to feel the love that God has for each of His children´. President Velez talked about all of the RMs (returned missionaries) in our stake, speaking directly to them. He was relatively straight forward when he said, "Great, you´re a returned missionary. What are you doing today to continue this work?.....Members have an equal duty to do their part to share the Gospel with others....Missionary work is not completed in this world until the Second Coming of Jesus Christ." Elder Ortiz talked about the importance of having members work with missionaries in going to lessons with investigators, and loving the investigators. That is so huge. If members don't do their part, so often the investigators don´t feel included. The work is supposed to be hastening, we live in the last dispensation. What are we all doing to be a part of hastening the work? It is our duty to share the Gospel with others. We should want to share the blessings we have with others. We have no right to deprive people of the blessings of this Gospel. D&C 123:12 says,
´For there are many yet on the earth among all sects, parties, and denominations, who are blinded by the subtle craftiness of men, whereby they lie in wait to deceive, and who are only kept from the truth because they know not where to find it—´.
I promise you that you strive to come closer to God you will be blessed! For those of you reading this who are members, share your beliefs with others. It is not just a suggestion from God, it is a commandment. And a blessing. For those of you who aren´t members and always dread reading me saying these weird things about what I believe: yes I know they are weird. But I know that they are true. God loves you. Jesus Christ is the Savior. He died for us so that we can be clean and be happy, not just in this life, but forever!
Love you all! Have an awesome week. Seek to find God´s love for you each day this week.
Elder Daines
"I've still got it."
"The missionaries in my ward (area)."
"My companions Elder Velez, & Elder Henderson"
"First haircut in the field! At home!"
"I felt so cool walking through here!"
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