October 8, 2013

 

Dinosaur rodeo. That’s how we do it in Chile.

 

Our zone leaders wanted us to always be thinking of baptism and our new goal of 8 baptisms this month they asked us to sleep in our baptismal clothes...

I guess it working because we are going to have a baptism this week!

 

Okay how great was general Conference? I loved every moment of it. And I DID listen to it in English! Honestly I probably would have understood all of it but I just can’t stand the Spanish voice overs, their voices don’t match the people talking, and their lips don’t move with the words. I can’t stand that. 

Thank you all for sending me your conference notes (soo moms idea, I can feel it) I enjoyed reading what stuck out to you all during the conference. Many of the same things I have in my journal. I want to go over them again though and see how I can better apply those principles I learned into my teaching here in Quillon.

Also I am so glad to hear that you all listened to general conference, because here next to no one went. For the first session we had 2 people come, next we had 4. For the Sunday morning session however we had a great turnout of about 10 or so. I was so bummed out about this. I have received so much help and spiritual strength from this conference and I wanted that so much for our ward and our investigators. 

While taking notes I realized how related all of the talks were, and how one talk seemed to build on principles of another. 

I especially loved some of these key phrases, principles and scriptures that were repeated throughout the conference

Humility. God will lead the humble by the hand. The humble are the teachable. How to receive power. Through humility, obedience, hearkening to the voice of the spirit. Learn of me, for I am meet and lowly in heart... 

Obedience and decisions. Each day is full of decisions, each decision determines our destiny. Live what we teach. Small decisions may have far reaching and eternal consequences... make the decision to do what Christ has told us to do. Lay down our weapons of rebellion and become agents unto your own selves.

A grateful person is rich with contempment

Have faith not Fear. Fear is the opposite of faith.

Take my yoke upon you, for my yoke is easy and my burden is light.

(I didn’t site my sources for all of these points listed above, but I promise all of it was in general conference. If any English teachers are reading this...I’m sorry)

I particularly like the promise that M. Russell Ballard said to us. If all members pray, reach out to just 1 person between now and Christmas. All will feel the love of Christ more abundantly in their lives. We have listened to the will of God, now I urge everyone to study it and do it. Listening is only step 1. There’s about a million other steps after that. So start climbing

This week was full of many trials. I think the Lord is testing my Patience, pretty much everything that we planned for this week, didn’t happen. Many appointments fell through, a couple promising investigators fall off the map (and one literally fell and went to the hospital, he was an older man but he is doing better now) and I got a new bicycle! And it broke and I almost fell off it into the middle of the road.

Also I lost 3 kilos of bananas

...well actually that’s the story. I lost 3 kilos of bananas (that’s like 30 bananas). I left them on the bus on the way back to Quillon from Chillon after our zone class. The bus ride is about an hour, so naturally I'm passed out for that whole hour. And when we got to our destination I just got off the bus and went on my merry way. It was only after the bus started driving off I remembered. I literally turned around dramatically and screamed ¡My Bananas! But I was too late. I was distraught.

Whoever is out there eating my 3 kilos of bananas I hope you’re happy.

Also something very strange is happening to me.

Many of my friends at home thought I was going to change, become a different person because of the mission. And it’s true. My eyes are turning green. I realized it this week and I don't really know what to think about this. But that’s fine because I don’t have much time to think about it. I just wanted to let you all know so you will recognize me in 2 years.