Week 74

Buenas!!!

Hey guys guess what!! A week has already gone by! It felt like a blink and boom here we are on week 74 of my mission what the heck. Usually I start off by saying "my week was fantastic!" or "My week was fantastico" for those of you that prefer Spanish, but I wanted to start with a Spiritual thought just to keep you all on your toes!

I learned a lot this week about genuine love for the people in whom I see. I have realized a lot of the things that all of us do is centered and focused on the love we have for others. I love the scripture 1 John 4:7-9 because it mentions that God is love. I was taken back a little bit realizing that all our Father in Heaven does is show us love! We are guided everyday by Love and that is how we work. I also know that the Spirit testifies through love. I know as I go out and pray earnestly for that love for these people, I will get it.

Well, this week was a bit on the rougher side. I think it's natural to get that type of week every once in a while or it would just be unfair to come out on a mission you know? Unfortunately a lot of our lessons fell through and we were unable to meet with some of the people we thought were really wanting to change their lives. It's okay! We move forward and we keep working! I really have been able to see the benefits of remaining positive and pushing forward when things seem hard haha.

I have a pretty funny story that just really shows what is up in Nevada. We started the morning sending massive amounts of texts to members in our branch to see if someone could come to a lesson with us that these two guys were teaching. They are open to learning and developing their faith so it was really exciting. We got a member and we went to their house and boom no answer. Give them a call, instant hang up. We had confirmed with them the day before about our lesson as well. So while we were wallowing in sorrow we visited another one of our progressing friends, Alejandro (which I'll mention in a second) and we talked to him and yeah all good. Then we left and I had to stop by to go to the bathroom. We go to the gas station and after I'm done I come out and my companion goes, "yo, the guys we wanted to teach, one of them is hitting the slots here in the gas station." I Immediately wanted to see so we went over and lo and behold my boy is going crazy and losing all his money. We go over and are like home boys. What happened to the lesson we were going to have? He just stared at us while still playing the slot game, so we set up another appointment and they didn't answer again so that was sad. 

So, Alejandro. He is sooo awesome! I met him because the Elders had already been teaching him before I came and he is a super nice guy but like has a whole family completely catholic. So, we brought our branch president to a lesson with him so they could meet and that he could also build a relationship with the branch president. So we start talking and I explain the Book of Mormon again to him and stares blankly at me and just goes, "no entiendo." I'm like dang my Spanish sucks, but then the branch president in effect cracks his knuckles and just starts explaining everything in the first lesson. Alejandro understood every word and it was so awesome. Then we asked him if he knew that all of these things were true, hypothetically, would be baptized and make a covenant with Christ in His true church. He goes, "Pues, pienso que si." and immediately my heart just burst with excitement and I felt the Spirit so strong. It was so cool and now we are going to continue to work with him and help him gain a testimony of all these things!

It was a harder week, but I can't deny the miracles and absolute blessings I've seen. God works among all of us even when it is hard to find it. I like looking deeper into little blessings and things like that to brighten my day. I love this work and I don't want to give up now! I had a discussion with my companion just yesterday and he had some frustrations with me and my desire to be obedient. To be honest, I got upset because he said some hurtful things about my personality and my desires. I share this not to receive pity or help, but to tie it back to what I mentioned first. Love. I've never loved him more than I had before. I don't know how, but I know God does. I'm learning everyday and these hard moments are what helps me learn more. Stay obedient, what more can I say. Have a great week! Be safe and feel free to reach out!

1 John 4:7-9

  

Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. 

 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. 

 In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him

(not too many pics, sorry mom)