Where do I even start? This week was filled with so many lessons, so many things to learn, I have been so blessed.
This week there was city elections here in Juayua. Here the elections are super crazy! Tons of people go around and promise the world, free donut Friday and all that jazz. Oh, and they host parties in front of our house until two in the morning! #notcool. But they are over now, which is awesome! They do their voting on Sunday so yesterday we had an amazing church attendance… it was about half of what it normally is…. Also, to stay clear of all the political crazies we had to come home early, but it is all good.
This week we were also blessed with two earthquakes!! My companion and I were sitting teaching a lesson when suddenly everything started to shake! The poor sister kind of freaked out but I thought it was just the coolest thing ever…. the other earthquake was that night around one in the morning… that was a little less cool because it woke me up and I thought the world was ending. Oh, and the city went without running water for a day and a half!! We still don’t know why… But, once again, no worries. The Lord protects his missionaries.
This week was filled with so many opportunities to learn. We met with a lot of negative, honestly quite rude people who…. well let’s just say that it is not their time yet. But, there were so many times when I felt overwhelmed or, the people would ask a hard, really blunt question, and the Lord would just fill me with the spirit and let me know that everything would be okay. A lot of people get on us about the Book of Mormon, and use a lot of biblical references and stories that I have never heard of. I really have come to recognize that I don’t know the bible very well. But, at the same time, the Lord has strengthened my testimony so much of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon. I know that it is true and can withstand any argument that people can make about the church. But its purpose is not to argue, it is to testify of the truth.
I have really tried to focus on the spirit as I study and this week I found a couple verses that really hit me hard. The first is in Mosiah 13:11, when Abinadi is talking about obedience. I find it interesting to see that he points out that the priests know the rules and commandments of the Lord but the difference is that they have not “written them on their hearts.” I think that this is the difference between obedience and consecration. Anyone can be obedient… but obedience does not make someone consecrated. When the laws of obedience are written on our hearts, when it becomes a part of our desires and really who we are as people that is when the Atonement changes us and consecrates us into Disciples of Christ. So, be consecrated!
I just want to close with one more scripture in D&C 45:2. I found that by accident yesterday as I was studying the atonement. It hit me so hard. There will come a day when the summer is over and the harvest has finished… and I asked myself, “Where will I be and what will I be doing when the Great Jehovah will say the work is done?” The time is a lot closer than we think and we should always take advantage of the time we have. Our time is sacred. Our time is a gift. I love this saying in the picture. Translated it says, “Always give your best and the best will come.” Have patience in the Lords timing, but always give your all, so that we may “stand blameless before God at the last day.”
I love you all so much. You inspire me and motivate me- Remember to always put the Lord first.
Be happy, be epic!