Everything is going just fine, not much news. Celia came to church in a brand new dress and it was awesome to see her! Ana was sick so she couldn't come to church but her friend Catia came to her baptism and now is showing a huge desire to be baptized. this week we will be working to help her progress and quit smoking as well so she can be baptized as well!
We have been speaking with basically everyone that has crossed our path during the week. Our President is really teaching us that point. But I have really gained a testimony of that especially witht the story of Ana. Our enemy is able to do his work if all he can do is "bind our tongues" like Elder Holland taught in a talk a few conferences ago. Missionary work is really just that, open you mouth. Invite people. Call attention. Teach. Bear testimony. All these things require our words. And many times when missionaries because of tiredness, fear, our pride choose not to open their mouths to contact or invite, many people do not have to opporunity to embrace the gospel. I have been talking throughout the week with Elder Mccolley and we were talking how we have learned that it isn't through creative arguments, and expert teqniques that we can convice someone that doesn't want anything to do with us to come to church or hear our message. "The elect will hear" but we have to find them. This work is done completely by the influence of the Spirit. There is no specific defined formula that always works. That all you have to find the right combonation of variables to get a good result. Such as more obedience will always bring more baptisms... it is not always true. You need to be able to seek the infulence of the Spririt through constant study and perserverance. There is no one way to do it.
There are no secret patterns, smooth techniques, the gospel is simple. Have faith, repent, endure to the end. It is interesting how many of us without knowing can have many problems with the first two most basic principles of the gospel. Faith and repentance. Do we have the faith to pay our tithing every month even when times are tight? Do we have the faith to keep the sabath day even when it pays more to work on that day? Many other things could be said the point is there are always points of our faith to be strengtened.
Repentance is also something needed for every single one of us. Repentance isn't always confessing serious sins. Repentance can be a greater committment to serve more dilligently in your calling, or to spend less time on the internet when you could be doing other more productive things. We are here on earth to learn to become gods and goddeses. We can only do that though repentance and grace.
Remeber who you are and where you came from. Whose presence you left, and where you have the potential to go. Don't forget.
Don't ever forget.
I love you all tons and tons
Elder Eldredge
some fun photos of swords from spain:)
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