But Buenos Días!
This week went
by really really really fast. I just realized that I´ve been here for 4
months already and I´m almost to the point where I´ve been here longer
than any other area, including Guayara, which is really weird to think
about because even though the time went really fast there, it was still a
really long time that I was there in one area. Weird stuff. We´re
thinking that Elder L** and I will still be here for another transfer.
Elder V** is headed home soon, but Elder L** extended his mission
until July so he´s probably got another tranfer here too now. And that´s
ok with me because I´m positive that the familia L** and one other
family are going to get baptized here really soon.
Four of the familia L** came to church again yesterday, The oldest
daughter brought her friend again and they were asking about baptism
again. After they lost their baptismal dates because of the different
things that happened when the family went to Oruro, we haven´t been able
to talk about any other baptismal dates... .. but
we got talking to Presidente Zambrano last night about the family, and
he gave us some really specific suggestions to help out the parents. I think la familia G** gave me the
patience that I need now with la familia L**.
And yup, things are gettin pretty crazy around here because it´s
Carnival again. Don´t know if you all remember last year when we
couldn´t write one week because we were in the house for 3 1/2 days, but
ya, that´s this week. Saturday afternoon until Wednesday morning. Last
year in Plan 3000 it was super crazy and really dangerous and we always
heard how crazy everything was in el centro. Well now that I´m in the
dead center of the city, yes, I can tell you that it really is just as
crazy as they all say. Basically Carnival started in el centro 2 weeks
ago haha. But it´s slowly getting worse and I can´t even imagine what
it´s going to be like this weekend... It´s a horrible holiday.
Not a whole lot has been going on. Things have calmed down a
little. It´s not raining as much as it was either. We didn´t get to
teach a lot this week, but the stake had a priesthood conference
yesterday and it was awesome! Poco a poco [little by little] the Lord´s hastening His work.
I feel like I should put some spiritual thought here, but there´s just
so much stuff in my head right now that I´m not sure what. A ver [let's see]. We´re
going to try to mix in a whole bunch of stuff that I learned this week.
So the other day I was with Elder N** again (one of the Elders
that I was with in Guayara. He´s in Santa Cruz right now for Visa stuff)
and while I was waiting for some emails from a lawyer, we got talking
to Presidente Zambrano about some questions that we had... which turned
into a huge 4 hour discussion with just us and the mission president.
Sometimes I really like being in the offices haha. But ya, after awhile,
we got talking about how everything in the world is changing so fast
right now. Sometimes I feel like it´s just me and that I´m seeing things
different because I´m in a mission and all and I´m definitely changing
as a person, but sometimes it just feels like the members are changing
so fast and mission work is changing and basically that everything is so
focused right now in serving others in such a way that I´ve never seen
before. So we got talking about that and Pdte Zambrano showed us lots of
conference talks about the last days and scriptures that talk about the
second coming and such. Basically yes, things are changing really
really fast. And it´s not like that´s anything new, but really, can´t
you just feel it?.... so that brings me to my next thought. If
everything is changing so fast, what happens to us if we aren´t changing
too? Other people are progressing and understanding the scriptures in a
different way than before and finding answers to prayers and everything
because they know that they have a part in this whole plan. So what are
we doing to keep from falling behind? Eternal progression. There´s no
reason to stop progressing and be satisfied with what we have when
there´s still more to do. There´s ALWAYS something more to do to serve
someone else in a way that we haven´t served before..... next thought.
Elder L** showed me part of a conference talk yesterday that talks
about bridges. It´s from President Monson when he was the first
counselor to Pres Hinckley. He sites some news reporter or someone that I
don´t remember what his name is, but he says ¨Moses didn´t descend from
Mount Sinai with the 10 Suggestions, but with the 10 Commandments.¨
(something like that... I´ve heard the quote before, but don´t remember
how it is in English... but you get the point.) So a question that´s
been in my mind: Why are we so afraid to just live the gospel and follow
the Commandments? They come from God! It´s a way to have happiness and
peace and blessings! Why, then, is it so hard to just try something new?
Change something to be in line with the teachings of Christ? Allow Him
to enter into our hearts? Step out of the comfort zone to be a better
person? If we do it, He´s there waiting for us, and that should be
reason enough. I know that I´m the biggest hypocrite in this, but
really, why are we just so afraid of doing good things? We´ll be
blessed! And even better, others will be blessed!
Even being the hypocrite that I am in this, it´s still my
invitation to ask yourself what it is that holds you back from being a
better person. Then put that thing or feeling or person or whatever it
may be aside and go where your Heavenly Father wants you to go. Maybe
it´s hard, but there´s nothing better.
I think more than anything that I´ve learned this week is how I´ve
changed as a person. Most people would say that it´s just because I´m on
a mission and things are different here and I can be more focused here
and that it´ll all change when I get back. BUT. Aren´t we all
missionaries? Don´t we all have the opportunity to repent and be better
people? Can´t we all share the news of the best happiness imaginable? We
can share it by how we act. Others see that. Here in the mission, those
who don´t have testimonies are sometimes impelled to be good and do
good things and live the gospel. Back at home you all have the choice.
Choose to be better people. Choose to live the gospel. Choose to share
it with others. Choose to find what Christ has in store for you. Choose
to break the restraints of the world and move forward with the gospel.
Love you all.
Still enjoying my time and don´t want to be home para nada [for nothing].
Con amor y preocupaciones por qué rápido está pasando el tiempo [With love and worries why time is rapidly happening/passing],
Elder Groneman
...Oh ya, I´m supposed to say that I won´t be writing next week because
of Carnival...... but I´ll be writing on Saturday from now on instead
haha!
.....enjoy the book I wrote.
No comments:
Post a Comment