Dear family, friends, and acquaintances, and those other
people who have stumbled across this blog,
Hope your week was full of laughter, fun, hard work, spiritual
and awkward life experiences. Because mine sure was. There we were, in the
middle of nowhere looking for some less active member that lived nearby when we
come across this group of people in front of a house. Obviously I’m going to go
talk to them. But what I realized too late was that they were all drunk out of
their minds. They saw us, recognized who we were and threw this one drunk guy
called to us with his bike telling us to help him out, and then promptly went inside
and shut the door.
To leave the house we helped this this poor man cross a
small little bridge (that if he were to fall into would certainly die, or at
least drown), cross a busy road to the other side where there was a side walk.
Once we got there he promptly dropped his pants to urinate. And we left him
there. Minutes later he came staggering after us saying, friends why did you
dump me, preach! I want you to have my bike, it’s a present! United States!
Wait! ¨
We asked him ¨where do you live? ¨
He replied ¨I have no bread for you to eat, but I love you
guys¨
After offering us his bike coat and hat we told him that
although we are his best friends he needed to get home and God needs us
somewhere else. He then got on his bike and bid us a grand farewell explaining
that he would see us at church the next week! (I honestly don’t know how he
could ride a bike because he could barely walk) and then he parted...swerving
his was home on his bike.
We didn’t see him in church. That was a disappointment.
BUT apart from our grand adventures with those of an
intoxicated mind, our week was very successful. We are planning a temple trip!
So that the branch can go together... it’s sort of a way to help them be more
unified and recharge a Little bit. It’s been about 2 years since the active
members have gone to the temple, so it’s about time.
I thought of this saying that Uchtdorf quoted in one of his
conference talks
“The best time to plant a tree is twenty years ago, and the second
best time is now” (or for the people here in Yungay the 24 of October)
The temple is so important for everyone. Sometimes it
requires a sacrifice to go but it is always worth it. We had a family home
evening with the branch this week and everyone got the chance to bare their testimony
of some experiences that they have had in the temple. The spirit was super
strong and I know that everyone felt the need to go. I miss the temple so much!
This week I have been focusing on Charity, and how crucial
it is to be Disciples of Christ. I know it’s hard sometimes... because some
people are just dump, or mean, or annoying, but the trick is not to focus on
those things. But to focus on Christ. When I was studying one day I thought of
this…
¨Love others, they chose to follow Christ’s plan just like
you did, they are trying to return back to God like you are, they just need
more help to get there than you do. Those that are the most difficult to love,
often need it the most, because they don’t know the Love of Christ.
Love others because you know the reality of Christ and his
atonement
Love others, because you have felt the reality of His love
for you¨
-can I get a amen! Yeah quote me on that one.
Anyway I have grown
to know that Charity is the most important attribute of Christ to develop. I mean
the 2 greatest commandments are love the Lord thy God and your neighbor as
yourself for a reason, so it’s gotta be of importance (matt22: 36-39)
¨cleave unto charity, for all things must fail, but charity¨
(moroni7: 47-48)
God acted 100% out of love when he sent his son (matt3:
16-17)
Everything Christ did was out of love for us and the Father,
Now if we want to become perfected in him that is the hurdle
we need to cross, act out of love in all that we do. If not we just won’t make
the cut.
¨though I speak with the tongues of men and of angles, and
have not charity, I become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal
And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all
the mysteries, and all the knowledge; and though I have all the faith, so that
I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.
And though I bestow all my goods to feel the poor, and
though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me
nothing¨ (1cor 15: 1-3)
The mission is great. This life that we have is awesome. But
it’s hard. When we focus on ourselves the hard parts it just gets harder. When
we focus on others, we find our purpose.
¨Those who lose their lives for my sake, shall find it¨
It’s true. I felt it.
Amen
P.S.
My companion likes to bake... in these last 2 weeks we have
made 4 cakes. I don’t regret anything
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