Baby exercise!

We had a good week here in Simòn Bolìvar. Things are all starting to come together well in the sector. Plus, it turns out I have amazing natural ability with the rubix cube.  It is becoming quite impressive.  Im making my companion proud.

Our investigator Camila is doing really good. She told us that she got an answer from the Book of Mormon. We were so happy to hear that. She told us that she really feels like she is on the right path. It makes me want to do back flips in the yard while Paul and Luke gasp, it seriously makes me that happy. The only problem is that she doesn't have a lot of motivation to go to church. She feels worried that people are going to judge her for being single and having her little baby.  It hurts my heart to put myself in her shoes and feel judged for a life circumstance that is crushing you and you are working as hard as you can and people judge you. By the way, her baby is like the chubbiest baby in the world. He's so chubby that the doctor said she needs to do exercises with him. En serio!  This delights me.  He's like seven months old. Anyways were working a lot with her and she is very hopeful.

There is also Bruno. Elder Pope and I are trying to do better with teaching lessons with the members. And we had a really good lesson with Bruno and a member. It was so nice to have somebody with us that has had very similar experiences as Bruno, who could help him. The member told Bruno that maybe everything doesn't make perfect sense, but what is important is that he feels that it's right. Sometimes truth in your heart and spirit IS MORE CORRECT THAN TRUTH IN YOUR MIND.  This is a powerful thought I am thinking alot about. 

 14 For, if ye forgive men their trespasses your heavenly Father will also forgive you;

And everybody knows Mr. Positive is going to require a lot of forgiveness over his lifetime.  This may be my only hope. :)  I hope everybody has a good week!

Seeing is healing

It was so good to talk to the fam yesterday! Good to see everybody is doing good and things are still the same back home :)

We had a really good week this week. Time sure is flying. 

Yesterday after talking with the family we went over and visited with one of our best investigators, Camila. She is such a good investigator because she always keeps her commitments that we extend to her, which makes it really easy to teach her. There is not anything we have ever asked her to read, or try, or do that she has not promptly followed through with.   But after talking with her for awhile we found out she had a problem keeping one of the commandments. So we decided to talk about that last night. We were a little bit worried because we didn't know how she would react. But things went great. The lesson went really good. She is twenty five years old and has a little baby. She lives alone so she has to work a lot to provide for herself and her baby. She literally works herself to the bone for the bare minimum survival of herself and her baby.   I'm pretty sure she is one of the best people in the entire world. I'm reminded how much God loves every single one of his children, and understands and has total mercy for each circumstance. 

It was really strange we had a reoccuring conversation with various people this week. All of the conversations were about how in developing a relationship with Christ they were able to realize faults and deep spiritual wounds that they never knew existed, and they were able to be healed.  Seeing the problem is the first step.  If we cant see it or admit it, we cant take any steps to heal it. About four or five people mentioned this theme to us. I definitely agree with it. I have found on my mission that the awakening in my soul of wounds and weaknesses has been greater.  But along with that, my ability to surrender these things to God and let him heal me has been much greater.  He is so good.

I couldn't be with my mom this mothers day but I did get to talk to her. I'm so grateful for who she is and all she has done in my life. I'll let Elder Holland explain how I feel.

Indeed heaven never seems closer than when we see the love of God manifested in the kindness and devotion of people so good and so pure that angelic is the only word that comes to mind.

Mom you dont get any credit but today you get some from me, your best kid.

 I love you guys, have a great week!

Meeting Needs

One more week until Mothers day! I'm way excited to talk to all of you guys next week!

So I'll start off with a crazy story. A lot of crazy stuff happen to me and Elder Pope here. So were knocking on a door waiting for somebody to come out. The wheel of a passing car all of the sudden pops off. The wheel almost nailed these two people walking in the street and the car nearly got in a crash. But the two people who were nearly hit acted like nothing happened. And the dude driving the car got out really casually, and took a taxi while his car was in the middle of the road. It was insane! Sometimes people are a little to laid back here.

We had a pretty good week. This weekend we had Stake Conference. It was really good. The Stake President here is the most amazing person. He's really way to young to be a stake president, but he has talked to our mission before so I knew he was a really good teacher. He gave a really inspiring talk. After Stake Conference, people came up to the stand and shook his hand. BUT after, he went out and shook everybody else's hand.  HE was walking into every room looking for people he hadn't said hi to. I thought it was really cool to see that. He acted like it was his honor to shake everyones hand and have some contact with his stake, not the other way around.  I cant explain why it touched me so much, but it really did.  I hope I always remember the attitude of this coolest Stake President. 

We met Pol this week, from Colombia. He lives with his girlfriend and his little daughter. We met him a few weeks ago but were finally able to find him in his house. We only taught him a little bit but we asked him some good questions, and the spirit was really strong. So we hope he can progress! Please pray for Pol family.

So I have been thinking about this quote alot this week.

 

“Sin is the result of deep and unmet needs.” 
― Spencer W. Kimball

I wonder how two young missionaries in Chile can meet deep and unmet needs.  Sometimes it feels impossible.  Sometimes it feels like the only reason I am here.  God is really meeting my deepest needs here in Chile.  Who would have thought the missionary who came to serve, is actually served in the deepest places of his heart. 

I'll see you guys next week! Enjoy your week!