Hey family! How are yall?!
So, I have a little story to share. First of all, the mission has its ups and downs. One of the ups would definentely be when an investigator that you have been working with, comes up out of the water and looks renewed. Other ups would be when you find a person who is really interested in hearing about the Gospel. These definentely are blessings of the mission. But, for there to be good moments, there has to be bad moments also. But my story ends up with a happy ending so its all fine!
We have been working with this one investigator who is a little over twenty years old. He is so interested in the Church and like I said a few weeks ago, I had maybe the most spiritual experience in my life in a lesson with him. He doesnt have too much support from his family, in fact, his grandmother is a devout Catholic and cant stand ¨the mormons!¨ But, he has come to know that the Church is true and agreed to a baptismal date. His date was yesterday. So, we met with him almost everyday this past week to share a scripture or a message with him to give him some support that he needs. At the beginning of the week he was extremely nervous but with each lesson, he got less and less nervous. We had some really Spiritual lessons and the Holy Ghost strongly testified. We were not able to meet with him on Friday because he had an art exhibit downtown in Concepcion so we tried calling him a few times that night, just to check in, but he didnt answer. We didnt sweat it because I felt really good about him and his date. The next day we got a phone call from his fellowshipper who said, ¨he doesnt want to get baptized, and it was nice to know the Church, Chao.¨ We were crushed. We had never been to his house because his family doesnt like us too much but we decided to this time. He wasnt there so we went back to our house. I got on my knees and prayed and pleaded with Heavenly Father for him. I loved him but I still didnt have close to that God-like love that Heavenly Father has for his children. I prayed for that love and it just wouldnt come. All of the sudden I thought of Jesus Christ and his sacrifice. At that second, a wave of emotions hit me and I cried like a baby. My pillow was soaked. I really gained that love for him as my brother and I pleaded with Heavenly Father to just let me talk to him once that day. We went through the day and nothing really could go right. Almost all our appointments fell through and we ran out of minutes on our cell phone so we went on a huge hunt to find a pay phone. Basically, it just wasnt one of the best days. We decided to go to his house that night (this is Saturday night, the day before his baptism) and he was there! He came out and we were able to talk with him! I was filled with joy. After talking to him, he told us of his concerns and basically it just came down to all the opposition that he has had to face this past week. A huge part is that his family is not very supportive. We all bore our testimonys together and we all had a few tears in our eyes that night in front of his house. He really felt the love and support that he needed again. He said that he would get baptized the next day. After that, I felt like I was walking through Heaven as we walked to our next appointment.
So, he had picked me to baptize him! I was so honored and excited and would be my first time to be able to perform a baptism. I brought all my white clothes to Church Sunday, ready to go! We got to church, and the our ward mission leader told us that his sister (who is the fellowshipper) got a text that said that he couldnt withstand the opposition and wasnt going to get baptized. I cant express how I felt, again. So, we gave him some space yesterday and didnt see him but today we are going to head over and talk about it. Hopefully he can see General Conference this next weekend and hear and see the Prophet of God.
I said the story had a happy ending! The happy ending is that the Church is true! Its a little hard to see people say ¨no¨ to the blessings of the Gospel but agency is one thing that nobody can take away. I know that this Church is the Church of Jesus Christ and that Heavenly Father loves his children so much that we cant even imagine.
Other than that, everything else is going fine. We worked hard and I can still go to bed feeling like I did all I could to bring others to Christ. That is a wonderful feeling.
Hope all is well in Texas! Love yall and miss yall!
Elder Gregory
pictures to go with the last post
Here are a few pictures over the past few weeks. A few of them are of us playing the game that I explained. A few others are of the ward party and stake party a few weeks ago. Another is of me standing in the middle of a really busy road when there is nobody on the streets because its a holiday!
Sept 20 2010
Im down here in Concepcion and there are barely anyone in the streets and everything is closed pretty much! It is the 200th year anniversary for Chile and so its a four day weekend for a lot of people. So, the work as been a little slow lately but we are still keeping busy working!
We have been eating a whole lot of empanadas. Its fried bread with meat and onions and atleast one olive inside. They are pretty good but just like anything, too much of a good thing turns out to be a bad thing! So, I think I have had enough empanadas for awhile. There is this one game that they play here. The older men are big on it but anyone can play. What there is, is a square of dirt with wood around it and small heavy disks. The point of the game is to throw the disks as close to a line of string going through the middle of the dirt. You stand about 30 feet away or more and see who gets closest! It doesnt sound like the most amazing and fun filled game in the world but its actually a lot of fun when people get into it.
We went to the ward party and they danced "quaka". Im not sure how you spell it but for the most part eveything in Spanish is said how its spelled! But anyway, this dance is the national dance. Of course missionaries cant dance but we had a lot of fun watching. Again, I love this ward so much. Ive learned so much from them and they are amazing to the missionaries that come through there.
I was reading in 2 Nephi 2 the other day and that chapter is packed with doctrine and amazing scriptures of agency and the necessity of the fall of Adam and Eve. I have a lot of it highlighted but there was one verse that wasnt. I looked at it saying that I was going to apply it in some way because its one of the only ones I hadnt marked or had notes for. It is verse 19 and it says that "fueron echados del jardin de Eden, para cultivar la tierra." (Only have my Spanish scriptures right now!) But it pretty much says that Adam and Eve were cast out of the Garden of Eden to till the Earth. I thought about it for a second and realized something. "To till the Earth" means to work and that really is our purpose here on Earth. We are to work to learn and to become like Our Heavenly Father, who is a perfect a ressurrected being. We have to work for our families so that we can have a place of learning. We have to work to study about the world around us. And we can work in many different manners. So, relaxing with our family and friends is not bad at all in any way, in fact that is what Our Heavenly Father wants us to do- to enjoy our family and friends! But, after we have done that, we should take it as time that we used to rest from our labors and we should have more desire to work hard the next day. So, two of our main purposes here on Earth is to gain a body and to learn to be like God, which requires much work.
Ill attach a few pictures! I love yall!
Elder Gregory
(Ill do the pictures later when Im on a computer in my sector.)
We have been eating a whole lot of empanadas. Its fried bread with meat and onions and atleast one olive inside. They are pretty good but just like anything, too much of a good thing turns out to be a bad thing! So, I think I have had enough empanadas for awhile. There is this one game that they play here. The older men are big on it but anyone can play. What there is, is a square of dirt with wood around it and small heavy disks. The point of the game is to throw the disks as close to a line of string going through the middle of the dirt. You stand about 30 feet away or more and see who gets closest! It doesnt sound like the most amazing and fun filled game in the world but its actually a lot of fun when people get into it.
We went to the ward party and they danced "quaka". Im not sure how you spell it but for the most part eveything in Spanish is said how its spelled! But anyway, this dance is the national dance. Of course missionaries cant dance but we had a lot of fun watching. Again, I love this ward so much. Ive learned so much from them and they are amazing to the missionaries that come through there.
I was reading in 2 Nephi 2 the other day and that chapter is packed with doctrine and amazing scriptures of agency and the necessity of the fall of Adam and Eve. I have a lot of it highlighted but there was one verse that wasnt. I looked at it saying that I was going to apply it in some way because its one of the only ones I hadnt marked or had notes for. It is verse 19 and it says that "fueron echados del jardin de Eden, para cultivar la tierra." (Only have my Spanish scriptures right now!) But it pretty much says that Adam and Eve were cast out of the Garden of Eden to till the Earth. I thought about it for a second and realized something. "To till the Earth" means to work and that really is our purpose here on Earth. We are to work to learn and to become like Our Heavenly Father, who is a perfect a ressurrected being. We have to work for our families so that we can have a place of learning. We have to work to study about the world around us. And we can work in many different manners. So, relaxing with our family and friends is not bad at all in any way, in fact that is what Our Heavenly Father wants us to do- to enjoy our family and friends! But, after we have done that, we should take it as time that we used to rest from our labors and we should have more desire to work hard the next day. So, two of our main purposes here on Earth is to gain a body and to learn to be like God, which requires much work.
Ill attach a few pictures! I love yall!
Elder Gregory
(Ill do the pictures later when Im on a computer in my sector.)
Sept 13 2010
We played soccer this morning and here is a picture. We play soccer so much! Well, I guess I am in South America...
Hola familia! Things are going good. I have a new companion, Elder Stull, and we´re working hard. Some days are better than others but we work hard everyday regardless. I am so thankful for what Elder Davis taught me and did for the people here but I think it was his time to move on from this ward. He served as best he could and now its time for someone else to come in and have their different views of things and how we should take care of it. I saw Elder Davis today and he has a lot to do in his new sector but hes completely capable and willing. Hes a good guy and was a great companion.
We are teaching a lot and I really feel that we are trying our best to teach to the needs. Ive learned the importance of relating Gospel principles to things that we can relate to now. Especially for children and teenagers it helps a lot. For example, Elder Stull did a wonderful job of asking questions to get to know this one family that we found doing contacts. They invited us in and he asked questions to get to know them. The mom is really friendly and the two teenage boys were willing to listen to us also. We got to know them and with that information of things they like to do, sports they like to play, we were able to relate it to Gospel principles. For example, after our lesson we challenged them to baptism and told them a date that we and they are going to prepare for. At first the two boys were timid about it but I tried to relate it to basketball and soccer which were their favorite sports. We asked them which would they try harder, when they go out and play a game with their friends for fun, or for a competition when your goal is to win? They told me obviously that whenever you have the goal to win and not just for fun. We related this to a baptismal date. Whenever there is a goal in site, we are willing to work harder for that goal. We told them that a baptismal date would help encourage them to work harder to gain a testimony for themselves if this really is the church of Jesus Christ. They understood it and accepted the date! This really helped them understand and Im happy and thankful the Spirit prompted us to say those things. President Humphrey, and especially his wife, have been trying to get us to ask inspired questions. I really have a testimony of how important it is to really feel and understand the needs of investigators and teaching to their understanding.
Well, as I have already told a few people in my family in emails, Im putting talks on my mp3 right now so Im not writing as much. I just bought an mp3 and want to load it with talks. I never couldve imagined before the mission how much I really would love listening to talks! Im really excited for General Conference coming up here soon.
Speaking of talks, Ill share something that I heard in a talk from Elder David R. Bednar, an apostle of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. I also shared this scripture yesterday with someone so I want to share it with yall. (Hopefully I haven´t said this before but if I have, its really important so it wont hurt hearing/reading it twice!)
In the first book of the Book of Mormon is the Book- 1st Nephi. Nephi is very humble and walked in the ways of the Lord. He was guided at times to tell his brothers that they were being disobedient because sometimes the Lord needs to firmly humble his people. Nephi´s brothers would complain a lot of problems that were going on in the wilderness where they were commanded to be by the Lord. One time they were extrememly frustrated with Nephi and tied him up and bound him. This next part is what I want to share with yall. When he prayed for help, he didnt pray for the Lord to just free him from the chords. He asked for the strength so that he might be able to do it. So through his faith, Nephi broke free. This is a wonderful example of how we should ask our Heavenly Father for help. We shouldnt ask him to do things for us, but for help after we have done all that we could do.
All right, time to head back to the house!
Love yall! Elder Gregory
It's the end of my first cambio!
So Im not technically in training anymore! Yes!!! Im ready to do some major growing. My new companion is coming tomorrow and I dont know too much about him. Hes a gringo and his name is Elder Stole. He was trained by one of the assistants who is an ace missionary. So, Im excited to meet him! Elder Davis is headed to a zone on the otherside of Concepcion to be a zone leader. Hes got a whole lot of responsibility coming for him. Every companionship in my zone has a new person as of tomorrow. So, lots of changes but Im so excited.
I would love to tell an experience that I had this past week during a lesson with an investigator but I would feel bad typing it because it wouldnt nearly give the feeling that it deserves. Its just one of those stories that Ill have to save for when I get home! But, Ill just say that out of my close to 3 months here in Chile and my 2 months in the MTC, it was the most Spiritual moment of my mission and possibly my life. So right now, I am doing everything in my power to be worthy of the Spirit of God and teach with it during the lessons. But the end result of the experience is that we have an investigator who is dead set on getting baptized this month. He is really in his conversion process and the Spirit testified to him of the truth of our message.
This experience actually happend when I was in a mini cambio with someone else who only has a month and a half more than me. I have been doing a lot of mini cambios with people in the zone this past week. I stay in our sector and others come. It sort of served a double purpose. First, Elder Davis was a district leader so he wanted to meet the other investigators of different sectors in the district. The second reason is that he wanted me to get a feel for leading the planning and what we do that day because Ill have a new companion who wont know anything or anybody of the sector when he gets here. So, I feel pretty prepared and am grateful for the mini cambios that I have had these past two weeks and what Ive learned.
Now, a quick spiritual thought. In Alma 5 in the Book of Mormon there are a lot of verses that made me think a little bit. One says how the Lord says that his arms are spread open to us as in welcoming us. He asks us to come to him and repent. This doesnt come across so much as a chastisement to me but an invitation. He pleads with us to accept his sacrifice and repent of our sins. We all could use a little reminder that we mess up in this life but there one person in whom we can be perfected. This person is our Savior, Jesus Christ.
Sorry, I dont have the verse numbers but Ill do better next time! Chao y Cuidense mucho!
Elder Gregory
I would love to tell an experience that I had this past week during a lesson with an investigator but I would feel bad typing it because it wouldnt nearly give the feeling that it deserves. Its just one of those stories that Ill have to save for when I get home! But, Ill just say that out of my close to 3 months here in Chile and my 2 months in the MTC, it was the most Spiritual moment of my mission and possibly my life. So right now, I am doing everything in my power to be worthy of the Spirit of God and teach with it during the lessons. But the end result of the experience is that we have an investigator who is dead set on getting baptized this month. He is really in his conversion process and the Spirit testified to him of the truth of our message.
This experience actually happend when I was in a mini cambio with someone else who only has a month and a half more than me. I have been doing a lot of mini cambios with people in the zone this past week. I stay in our sector and others come. It sort of served a double purpose. First, Elder Davis was a district leader so he wanted to meet the other investigators of different sectors in the district. The second reason is that he wanted me to get a feel for leading the planning and what we do that day because Ill have a new companion who wont know anything or anybody of the sector when he gets here. So, I feel pretty prepared and am grateful for the mini cambios that I have had these past two weeks and what Ive learned.
Now, a quick spiritual thought. In Alma 5 in the Book of Mormon there are a lot of verses that made me think a little bit. One says how the Lord says that his arms are spread open to us as in welcoming us. He asks us to come to him and repent. This doesnt come across so much as a chastisement to me but an invitation. He pleads with us to accept his sacrifice and repent of our sins. We all could use a little reminder that we mess up in this life but there one person in whom we can be perfected. This person is our Savior, Jesus Christ.
Sorry, I dont have the verse numbers but Ill do better next time! Chao y Cuidense mucho!
Elder Gregory
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