Well time sure does fly here in the mission field, this week was a bit difficult because my companion and I were in our area for maybe two full days, but despite that fact we worked, hard, and we were blessed we found a bunch of new potential investigators. I am the most stoked about a family of four though, their knowledge of the gospel is really small and we have to start at the beginning, but they are really receptive and I am confident that they will continue to progress.
One thing that irritated me this week was a less active incomplete family, two of the boys are not baptized and the family is not coming to church. We talked to the mom and she said that she knows that it is essential for her sons to be baptized and she knows that she has to come back to church not just for her, but for her sons as well the only problem is that they are really poor and she has to work on Sundays, after talking a bit about faith and miracles we told her this "Hermana we are representatives of the Lord sent here to teach and to testify in his name and when we promise something in his spirit it is just as if He were here promising it himself, when he promise something it will happen you just have to do your part, we promise you in the name of Jesus Christ that if you stop working on Sundays that you will never not have enough, but you will always have sufficient means for your family." (The word for money is plata and I might have accidental said plato or plate once or twice...) And she told us in effect that she couldn't come to church this week because she had to work, and that she wasn't going to commit to anything in the future or in other words no. I am glad I had this experience it allowed my faith to grow and allowed me to see for maybe the first time that people are scared and that for a lot of people faith is hard, now that I think about it looking at the examples in my life, my mom, dad, teachers, brothers, sisters, uncles, aunts, grandparents, etc. it never seemed hard for them to act on faith as I think about it now though I realize that it had to have been hard, maybe harder than I can comprehend, but the difference is that they all, you all act where as this sister has yet to do so. Life is hard and difficult and in all honesty no worth it if we don't act with faith, sure it tests us but THAT IS HOW WE GROW, when we are tested. Think about it how does a muscle grow? You use it, you work it, you test it until it burns and feels like it is going to fall off. And for a few days it is sore, but then what happens? A miracle takes place in that muscle that was worked and pulled and stretched, that same muscle that hurt for days, stops hurting and indeed it is strengthened. Brothers and Sisters, mom, dad, friends, and other family, PLEASE, I am pleading with you allow you faith to be tested, until it burns and until it wants to fall off because only through this process can we truly unlock our potential, only then can we find out who we were before this life, who we need to be here and now, and most importantly what we can become.
In other news we had a baptism and a marriage this week (Same person) it was awesome, although I came just before Jessica was baptized, and I didn't have much to do with the teaching I can testify that this is the work of the Lord. That through the waters of baptism we can be completely clean, something that struck me this week is the importance of the sacrament. In effect it is the same as a baptism for members, each week if we come and partake of the sacrament worthily and repentant we can leave completely clean again, its not easy, it takes work, but it can be done we can be completely clean every week of our lives.
I want to leave each of you with my testimony of something I learned this week well actually two things. 1 is the importance of the Book of Mormon in missionary work, it combined with the spirit is the greatest tool we have as missionaries. One of the APs here said it is the equivalent of Lebron James, so why on earth would we leave it out of the series until games five or six, PUT IT IN!!! Teach it, use it, study it.
2. This work is not possible alone we all need help and although all of you aren't here to help me I challenge you and ask you to give references to the missionaries they need them, give them opportunities to serve that's why we are here to serve!!! And above all BE MISSIONARIES!!!!! the work is not and was never meant to be for two years, the work is forever and I realized this week how tired I am and then thought, yep, I am going to be tired for the next tow years.....and then for the rest of my earthly life.....and then in the spirit world,,,,,and then I will continue to progress in whatever is next. We are going to be tired, but that is no excuse not to work. Try to have or at least try to find the attitude- There is work that needs doing and who better than I to be doing it? Go to work, lead with you faith, grow your faith, there is work to be done and you need to be doing it! I love you all with all of my heart might mind and strength, but I can't give those to you now for, for the next two years they are the Lords, my letters will have to do. Love you all.
Elder Hutchins
by the way--I will have you know that in my ward there is a 70, and another 70 is coming this week to talk to us and will be staying at the 70's house here and we have lunch with him on Saturday so there might be two 70's with us...... Awesome!!!
by the way--I will have you know that in my ward there is a 70, and another 70 is coming this week to talk to us and will be staying at the 70's house here and we have lunch with him on Saturday so there might be two 70's with us...... Awesome!!!
