What a week! I can easily say this was the hardest working week I have had here, and that is because I determined how much we worked haha! Because I know the area and the people here and my trainer doesn't, but because he knows spanish, we cancel out to a perfect even of helping eachother, planning and growing. Whereas before being a trainee who knew nothing, I felt like a puppy with little to no say on what we did. And if I had a say, I didn't know how to say it haha! So I feel fulfilled and happy
We worked tirelessly to hit our goals this week of new people, among other goals. Having a goal in mind and working towards it and leanings on the lord was a lesson I learned that I think we all should. Whether we met our goal this week doesn't matter if we did all we could and leaned on the lord, and we did a lot of good work setting up this next week. Many people took a huge step in progressing this week. In much part was due to the high counselor accompanying us for a full day. This guy was a temple president for years, has met with general authorities, and was a gospel doctrine teacher for almost 30 years too. Need less to say, people are more receptive to his authority and his asking for commitments.
That day in Dzilam de Bravo I has the freshest fish I had ever had. This fish was literally swimmimg in the ocean maybe 3 hours before the time I was eating it, definitely a funny thought especially when I'm not the biggest fish guy, but a perk of being in mexico long enough and adapting to the food palate here is that everything tastes good now haha! Things I would have thought were gross before are the norm and I can enjoy my food, another blessing.
We actually had a few Bible bashers try to convince us we were crazy. The more I learn about the gospel and the Bible, the more I see how blind people are. In the Bible it's prophesies talk about people being blind and deaf to prophesies and teachings and wow is it true. Being knowledgeable in scripture and the gospel also comes in handy because there was never a single point or scripture that they brought up that we couldn't counter with an answer and a logical explanation. One lady fighting us had told us that Peter holds the keys to God's church, and in hearing this, in my head I thought we had her right where she STOOD. I told her that these keys had been restored to Joseph Smith who we were telling her about, and the Priesthood and all these things. The funny thing was her admitting that her church didn't have these keys but somehow she feels justified and an allegiance to believing her catholic faith is the church of God. She said her Bible doesn't talk about a Joseph Smith and even to that we were like, yeah it does, read THIS scripture and she reads a prophesy of Joseph Smith right out of her Bible that she said was different than ours because ours wasn't true. Obviously nothing comes of these discussions, and people will be stuck in their ways, if everyone had logic there would be no prophesies. There wouldn't have to be books of scripture to hold our hands and testify of things over and over again to get it through our skulls, and also, everyone would be a member of the church of God. This church.
I have been losing weight, not for any bad reason, I'm just active and eat when I can, it's how things go here. But the Yucatecan women in my branch who have given themselves the title of my mission mother, have taken it upon themselves to change it because I am what they deem way too skinny. They load my plates with food piled high to try and Fatten me up. The fact of the matter is, here in Yucatan, if you don't have a belly, you're not Yucatecan HAHA. The members here are amazing and so loving, whether or not i become a true yucatecan by the time I go home remains to be seen.
I had a breakthrough in thinking this week that I would like to share. And it is about having faith in all aspects of our lives. And being humble enough to accept where the lord wants us to put our faith in him. I pray for my faith to be strengthened everyday, to come to find out after much pondering and time of not acknowledging this, that there were many things in my own life that I could put my faith in, that I was not. Even if it's one thing that we are worried about, do we not have faith that the lord will help us? You can break it down to such a level to measure your faith by realizing that if anything in your life worries you, If any trial hurts you, or you are worried about how some things will play out in your life and can't let go of wanting to control it, you don't have enough faith. Not at all to act as though I am anywhere near such a level, no one can achieve such a perfect faith. The fact of the matter is that if we are humble and moldable enough, we will realize everything that happens, and will happen, is completely in the Lord's hand, and is the best for us. He knows best, he knows how you need to grow, and every trial and everything you ever go through was tailor made to teach you something. Being true disciples of the lord is increasing this faith, and seeing the grass for the trees. Seeing the bigger perspective, and knowing with a fulness of heart every feeling and trial is temporary, and is for your bettering. I hope some of you can apply this into your own lives.
I am so blessed, I'm in one of the most beautiful places in the world teaching the word of God, growing everyday. The sunsets here have been so beautiful, that I had the thought that God is always happy here haha. Because he paints the sky so beautifully every night. I miss you all and hope you all have a great week.
Elder B
