Well, the time has arrived; I am going to my LAST
AREA! I have been called to work in "El Bosque" area, in the
"La costa" zone for the last 6 weeks of my 2 year mission.
President has asked that I accept the position of Zone Leader as companion of
Elder Torres (Another Elder Torres... not the Oro that I am with right now.)
:) I couldn't be more excited!!!!!
This week I was impressed deeply by Neil Anderson’s talk on
Testimonies... It brought me back to a trip up to Flagstaff with my mother. She and I
were the only ones in the car and my mother decided to challenge me in finding
my OWN testimony of Joseph Smith. I had a whole week at "EFY"
and made it a goal to find out for myself if Joseph Smith really was a prophet
and if He really did translate the Book of Mormon by the power and authority of
God. I remember driving back to Cottonwood
after that week of spiritual highs and explaining to my mother the feelings
that had overcome me as I studied, pondered and prayed to know the truthfulness
of the Book of Mormon. It is because of this experience that I am able to
look into a complete strangers eyes and tell him, "I know that Joseph
Smith is a Prophet of God and that he was called to restore the true church of
Jesus Christ in these last days." and KNOW FOR MYSELF THAT I AM NOT
LYING. I am able to testify and promise people that God directs His
church today through living Prophets. Thank you for that opportunity.
It was quite awesome to watch general conference in English
and then when the Spanish speakers stood up, to walk into the Chapel and listen
to their voice. I understand everything now and it truly manifests to me
every time that we are part of the True Church of Jesus Christ because we have
Living Prophets and we are (I am) blessed with the Gift of Tongues. When
the elder began telling stories about Minas, I was filled with joy knowing that
we shared the same experiences; I never knew the lady in his story but knew
many personal stories that are very similar.
I love this Gospel and can't believe that God has blessed me
enough to be born in the Covenant... As I continue to grow and learn more
throughout my life, I appreciate that blessing more and more intensely.
God has foreordained me to be a Missionary of the Church and I thank Him every
day for that blessing.
I would like to share with you a story that happened just
last week here in Florida:
Hermano Da Luz is a convert of just over a year. He and his family
were baptized together and they have since, received callings, done baptisms
for the dead, and accompanied the missionaries in MANY opportunities. He
was married to his wife in order to get baptized and live the Law of Chastity.
Just last week, we had the privilege of calling Elder Bastidas (the elder that
baptized the Da Luz family) to inform him that Hermano Da Luz would be entering
the temple Thursday afternoon to receive his Endowments. Elder Bastidas
was thrilled with the news and I felt the happiness that comes from knowing
that I did my part in teaching Hermano Da Luz sufficiently so as to be worthy
and prepared to enter the Holy House of the Lord. Our ward left in a
short bus Thursday morning and would not return until about midnight of the
same day... My companion and I continued our work in our area as usual with great
plans and great lessons. At about 4 PM, a strong storm hit our little
town, knocking over trees, ripping off tin roofs, and destroying everything
within our little town. The storm was so bad that the ceramic shingles on
the Church's roof were cracked from the hail and some had been torn off by the
strong winds. Thankfully, my companion and I were safely inside an investigator’s
home when the storm hit, we were blessed to be protected under their tin roof
that some how withstood the strong winds and we were able to wait out the storm
that lasted for over 2 hours. When the storm finally ended and I had
assured the well-being of my district members, my companion and I left the
security of our investigator’s home and met up with the Zone Leaders to continue
our Missionary Work. That day we had a baptismal interview scheduled so
we did divisions with the soaking wet Zone Leaders as my companion left with
Elder Saavedra to the other area while I stayed in my area with elder
Mitchell to perform the baptismal interview of one of our investigators.
The interview went fine and we finished at about 8:30 PM, as we left our
investigators house, I was reminded of Hermano Da Luz´s feeble home, made of
scrap wood and old tin sheets held down by cinder blocks and a few strands of
twine. Elder Mitchell and I decided to swing by his home before retiring
to our house that evening. As we walked towards his small home, I began
to think about the incredible damage the storm must have done to his home... I
knew that they were all in Montevideo
(About 2 hours away) and that they were not home to secure their
belongings. As we drew near to his home, we saw the many similar homes in
his neighborhood destroyed and mangled by the effects of the storm. We
helped an old lady lift up a tin sheet of metal and place it loosely back on
her 6 foot roof, so that she would be able to be somewhat protected from the
drizzling rain for the rest of the night. When we Finally reached the Da
Luz´s shack, I was surprised with a screen that I couldn't have ever
imagined... His 10 foot by 10 foot house stood in the same spot, with debris
and mud thrown around his beat up yard, there was a RIVER flowing through the
dirt road that passed only 3 feet from his house; and yet... His cinder blocks
still rested in the same place as they had been three hours earlier, the twine
seemed to have gained strength as I observed each one and found it
unharmed. I looked into the plastic window and saw his home in the
normal, unorganized manner that it has been in each of our many visits to his
home. I was utterly surprised at the untouched state of his home and
couldn't believe my eyes. We left contempt at the protection that their
home had received and we returned home. The following morning, my
companion and I went by the Da Luz family’s home to ask him how his experience
went in the temple and as we sat in his humble home, he expressed to us the
powerful testimony he had gained during those 24 hours. He said that as
he sat in the Initiatory room, he could hear the storm begin and by the time he
had reached the Celestial Room, he calmly prayed to his loving Heavenly Father
in humble prayer to watch over his home as he knew that this storm would
soon reach his home back in Florida. He felt assurance that it would be
so and continued happily throughout the rest of the trip. As they
returned home, they witnessed the devastating effects of the storm as their
short bus "Put-Putted" back to their home town. The fallen down
trees on the freeway made it impossible to travel at the true speed limit and
they ended up getting home at around 2 AM Friday morning. He, his wife,
and his two young children walked from the church to their home two blocks
away, dodging the low hanging branches and weaving their way through the debris
of their destroyed neighborhood to Finlay reach their untouched home.
Hermano Da Luz testified to my companion and I about the importance of Prayer
and Faith. He taught me what it meant to TRUST IN GOD and KNOW that He
will answer the prayer of the Faithful when they are "gone about on their Father’s
business."
I know that I am on the Lord’s errand and I am thankful for
the opportunities that He has given me. I hope you can understand the
story that I tried to depict for you. :)
Love you all!
