Week #56: La voluntad del Señor

Howdy everybody! Hows it going? This week was crazy and one without much sleep. We welcomed in two new elders into our ward and house and it's been great! Elder Prado and Elder Ross are some awesome guys! 

Elder Ross is just starting his mission and it has reminded me a whole lot of my first little bit in the mission field. Sometimes I amaze myself and am a bit surprised that I'm still alive after this past year. But the Lords tender mercies are everywhere to be found, and its a straight miracle I haven't just passed out and died yet! As I was thinking a lot about Elder Ross and my past year, I started thinking about all the times I was really hoping for something and didn't get it. That happens a lot to us missionaries. We're constantly hoping for the best companion, in the best area, with the best members, with the best people to teach, and just the perfect situation to have a lot of success on our missions. But...we almost never get any of that. I jokingly thought to myself the other day "Man I'm gonna just have to change my desires if I wanna get what I want". I didn't really think about it, but then it hit me that that's exactly what I have to do to get what I want. I've learned that as we give up our own will, we all of a sudden become happier. Life starts working out in our favor, and we see the Lords hand in every step of the way. Our own desire will soon become equal to the desire of God, and then we "magically" start to get the things we want in our lives. We dont worry for ourselves, and for the things of the world, and for things that don't matter in the eternal perspective. We simply worry for the well-being of others and hope to help and serve those around us.

 It really is a simple formula to become happy and have joy during this life; forget ourselves and focus on God and Jesus Christ, and what they want. I can truly testify, from experience, that these blessings are promised to us when we obey God and do His work. 

"Quien soy yo, dice el Señor, para prometer y no cumplir" -DyC 58:31

Classic Braxton Style ~ with a Uruguayan spin

The new House Mates!
 Elder Prado, Elder Ross & his companion Elder Monge! 

Week 55: ¡La capilla!

¡Y! ¿Cómo estamos? Hope everyone is doing great! Another transfer down here in Salto. I'll be staying with my comp Elder Monge for another 6 weeks at least, but we'll be receiving two more elders in our ward...so Ill get to share our area and our house with another companionship! That will make for some great memories for sure!

This week was great! On Sunday we had great success with the people that we are teaching, because we had a lot who showed up to church! Ive been thinking about the importance of the members when we bring new people to church for their first time. As missionaries that is the only thing we want...members to help the people that wer ae teaching feel comfortable. As Im sure we've all experienced, sometimes you just can't feel the Spirit much in the sacrament meeting. Distractions from phones, chatting, people going in and out, and just lack of attention, can really ruin someones first experience with the church. Im finally understanding that we don't just simply "go to church"...we gather as a group of people once a week, to worship our Heavenly Father. Sometimes we get too comfortable with going to church and we forget that we are there to worship our Heavenly Father. Worshipping is the purpose of why we go to church, not just to see our neighbors and friends and chat a little with them and then to maybe plan a ward activity together. We meet at church to worship and praise God. When the members of a ward forget the reason of why we go to church, it creates a pretty bad first impression for the pèople that the missionaries work so hard to bring. If these people go to church with the desire to worship, and then show up to find something other than that, they leave and don't come back. Then the fault will fall upon the us, the members, for why that person didn't receive the gospel in that moment of their life. 

"And we did magnify our office unto the Lord, taking upon us the responsibility... otherwise their blood would come upon our garments, and we would not be found spotless at the last day." We have a responsibility as members of this church. To invite all to come to church to worship our Heavenly Father, and then to help them feel comfortable while doing it. I know that if we recognize the true reasons why we go to sacrament meeting every Sunday, it will become something far more meaningful and something impactful in our lives. We will not see it as just "going to church" rather, going to worship and give thanks to our God who loves us more than we could ever know. 

Week #54: No me importan los numeros

¡Hola hola todos! ¿Como andan buena gente? Man these weeks are flying by here! Feels like every other day Im in here writing an emails to you guys. This week was super fun! We went up to an area called Bella Union to work with the elders out there. They're from our zone, but about a 2 hour bus ride away. It's an area right on the border of Brazil and Argentina. It was awesome to go up there and we even got to go into Brazil for lunch. We ate at this little restaurant that was just like a Rodizio or Tucanos back home in Utah, except we were in Brazil and they were talking to us in Portuguese. It was some of the greatest food of my mission though, so I was pretty dang happy! 

This week I began to study a little bit more about Abinadi. I was studying how he spoke with such boldness and authority to King Noah and his servants and that he truly feared no man other than God. I was in the middle of reading in Mosiah about him when I realized something... Abinadi only had one convert when he completed his mission, Alma. I started to really realize, as missionaries, it doesn't matter how many people we baptize, the "numbers" we often talk about in the church, really don't matter much at all. What matters is the effort and desire we put in, doing the will of God. 

Abinadi did absouletly everything he was asked to do, and by doing that, he converted King Noahs servant, Alma. Alma went on to baptize a multitude of people and became a prophet. He organized the true church of Jesus Christ again in the land. Abinadi feared nothing and was able to convert just one person by doing that. By small and simple means,the Lord will bring about his great and grand purposes. I know when we just do our part to help the work of God progress around us, God will provide the means for miracles to happen.

 Hay que hacer nuestra parte no mas y veremos todos las bendiciones del mundo. Confiemos en Dios pues, y Èl nos ayudarà a superar todos los obstaculos de la vida para realizar esta gran obra. Sè que esta Iglesia es verdadera con todo mi corazon, y que cuando traemos almas a Cristo, hallaremos gozo y paz en la vida. Amo a cado uno de ustedes, tengan una buena semana. 

Week #53: El precio del gozo

Wow these weeks are flying by lately. Can't believe I'm writing another letter to y'all again. This past week was really good, but also full of challenges. Another investigator who was ready for baptism, dropped us. That wasn't fun at all. Honestly, just sad more than anything. 

We also had a conference down in Montevideo with President Dunford again, that was honestly so great! He talked strictly about the concept of joy. The difference between joy and happiness, and why as missionaries we're promised joy, but only based on our desires and actions to serve others.

 I was thinking a little bit about the past year of my life as a missionary. Its been the most impactful year of my life by a mile, but I asked myself if I've really been joyful. I began to think about all the experiences Ive had. For the past year, I've been living in a third world country, where I kill cockroaches ever night in my house for a solid ten minutes until we can't find anymore. I've used a bucket to go to the bathroom everyday. I've gone through trial after trial...learning a new language and trying to understand the people, and not to mention all the people who have no shame in making fun of me when I don't speak the language perfectly. I've had reject after reject from people who can't tolerate to talk to me for 10 minutes. Ive been sick, tired, worn down, and many times, my body literally just breaks down and I crash on my bed at night and immediately fall asleep. And somehow after all that, I love it all!! I don't want to go home and I wouldn't trade the past year of my life for anything in this world. It is a sacred two years for any missionary who serves with all his might, mind, and strength.

 I know that joy only comes through our Heavenly Father, and no where else. As we leave behind our own desires, we find something greater. It is a leap of faith for sure, but it's always worth it, and God will never forget the sacrifices we make for Him. "The greatest decision I ever made, was giving something up that I so dearly loved, for the God I loved even more." Joy is real and is obtainable for anyone in this world!

Birthday party for Elder Fernandez from Portugal! 

All the Zone Leaders at a conference this week.

Cutting some firewood...Uruguayo Style!