20 Mayo, 2015

This past week was a little rough, but we still were able to find a little bit of success. Starting on Wednesday, I started to feel sick with an achy body and a fever. On Thursday, it put me in bed. We left in the morning even though I knew that we should not have, and I sat down on a bench while my companion talked with the people passing by. I literally fell alseep in the street. When we went to the food, I literally fell asleep on the couch and when I woke up, the member said that we had to go home. She forced us back home even though I did not want to, and we later got permission from President´s wife to go home early. After that, I slept from 6 pm to 6:25 in the morning. I will admit I was pretty sick, but Friday I woke up better but was still weak until Monday due to not eating anything for 2 days. 

However the reason that we have p-day today instead of Monday is because we had a missionary training with an Area Seventy. Elder Nash, the Seventy, gave a bunch of great thoughts and explained 3 Nefi Ch 11 like I had never heard before. It was great because he also helped us to know how to help others keep their commitments better. Basically all we need to do is make sure that they understand the Plan Of Salvation and have an eternal perspective. As he said, "everyone in the street that is not a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints does not and cannot see the eternal perspective. What we need to do as members and even more as missionaries is lift them up and put them on a mountain so that they can see everything. When they understand the Plan, they will not fail their commitments and will thrive in the Gospel." That is very important because unless we do that, our family and friends that are not members will never understand the reason why we do what we do. When they do understand though, they will want to gain a testimony and live the Gospel as we do.

I was actually able to talk to an Elder that had been in my first area in the mission, Camarones. He told me something that still has me happy until today. One of my converts, Miguel Angel, is currently ward missionary leader in Camarones and is preparing to enter the temple. Also, Fausta Carpio García is really partcipating in the ward and is also preparing to enter the temple. This news made me extremely happy because that is what missionary work is for. We do not just baptize people to baptize them. We baptize them so that they can one day go to the temple and make more covenants with God, so that they can reach eternal life with their family. I do not have my scriptures with me, but I think it is 2 Nephi Chapter 5 where Nephi speaks about edifying a temple similar to the one of Salomon and how it was beautiful. About 10 verses later it says, "And it came to pass that we lived happily." My translation is a little off I am sure, but the message is the same. We can be happy before entering the temple, but as we make more covenants with God we will live in such a way that we will have the greatest happiness and receive the greatest gift. And that gift is eternal life. 

I know that if we all live with an eternal perspective, we will live with greater happiness, we will understand why we do what we do, we will become closer to God, and we will have the surety that we will live with our families forever one day. 

Love you guys all a ton and hope you all have a great week!

Elder Andrews