Hey folks!
This week I had many opportunities to discover more of my role as a missionary, as well as share with how members of the Church can be missionaries too. Regardless, in my journals, I put headlines to more easily navigate on what day happened what, and a few were:
4 oct The Spirit overcoming sickness, stress, and anger
6 oct The importance of the BOM
7 oct Becoming a more confident teacher
8 oct Learning about Missionary Work
On 4 Oct, I was a bit frustrated because I've been really having trouble with opening my mouth. I was having fear of talking to people, and later after the opportunity passes I have been becoming depressed. Though Elder Cortes was trying to encourage me, I just got more upset when he said, "You can't be afraid, you have 5 weeks in the field." But later on he was telling me that when he was in his own training, his trainer challenged him to go out and talk to people in the bus when they were in a bus. And that's really where I want to get, doing that with ease. I don't think I did too bad with just conversing with friends back home.... but when it comes to iniciating conversation, that's where my big weakness is. I never really saw myself as that social, but I am being prompted to talk to people on the street anyway, this by the Spirit. Right now I am still working on it, but I know that it takes stronger faith, and this is exactly what I need.
The next day while on divisions, me and the zone leader were being hugged by the drunk guy on the street. I kinda felt bad because I was starting to laugh, but though the guy was drunk and poor, we did not have money to give, and really he wanted it. He was just like, "Tiene pisto... Estoy triste, estoy bien triste." Elder Loewen was just looking at me like, "Don't give him nada, he's trying to take your money." After the guy hugged us a few more times, we gave him a picture of Jesus, invited Him to Church and went our way. I couldn't account it very well but in the moment it was seriously funny and probably one of the most interesting 2 minutes I have experienced in the drunk side of this area.
Every now and then in the evenings Elder Cortes and I pass by a group of kids and we teach them a little bit how to beat box, and they ask us to sing and make animal noises. If anyone was wondering, I think I make a pretty good Donald Duck impression... and I think I beat box at least at a mediocre level.
And this past Saturday I was teaching piano to 8 students. This next Saturday, according to changes that the zone leaders will be making, piano lessons will be not just for the ward, but for the stake. The ward is the congregation of people that live in a certain area. 8 come to this. A stake is a group of wards bundled together, and this stake has at least 5 wards. So I'm super super super super super hyped and a bit nervous but overall hyped.
As I was learning about how missionary work applies to more than just missionaries, I wrote down the following thought in my journal:
When we read the Scriptures, and know how to apply them in our lives, we can, in a way, live the Scriptures - truly living what we believe. Thus, when others (friends, family, coworkers, acquaintances, strangers) ask us about our lives and watch us in the way we live, they give themselves their own invitation to essentially read the Scriptures.
The Scriptures are the words of prophets inviting us to come unto Christ, so when we live the words of prophets, we come unto Christ. Thus when others are curious to know how to live our lives, and our lives are centered on Christ, they too come unto Christ. And inviting others to come unto Christ is essentially what missionary work is.
(As Elder Holland has said in his talk this past General Conference:) Many times when we read the Scriptures, we feel discouraged, or at least we feel that they don't apply to us, because the things that the prophets require us to do and the things that they themselves do seem outside our ability. However, we can progress. Jesus commands us to be perfect. Despite this, we cannot be perfect in this life. Nonetheless. His Atonement is perfect. and His grace is sufficient, that by developing our faith in Christ and true repentance, we can improve every day. By our own means we cannot return to the presence of God, but by the help or strength that God provides, we can - and this is grace. We are not only saved by grace; we can be changed by grace.
All of this can be summed up as so:
The more you read the Scriptures, the more you apply them,
the more faith in Christ you develop, the more you pray and rely on Him,
the more grace you receive, the more strength you have,
the more you change, the more Christlike you are,
the more that others too may come unto Christ as you have.
And seek the examples of your friends and family and neighbors and coworkers too. Whether they read the Scriptures too or not, we all have gifts. These are gifts from God, whether strong from birth or strengthened through trial. Observe everyone you know. Focus on the good in them. Then in spare moments think and consider. What gifts do they have? How do they have them? Is it who they are? Did they have to change to be that way? What do they think about, to be that way? What are their habits? What can you do to have that strength too? Don't envy others for what they have, whether they boast of what they have or not, but rather give your excuse to admire them, and furthermore to compliment them and to ask for help. We might have the same gifts, and perhaps we might not have the gifts that others have in our own lives. So it at least a blessing in your own life that they have that gift. Just as this is so, you are blessing in other's lives because of the gifts you have. Write them down and remember them, and strive to strengthen them. Often times we may struggle to apply the scriptures in our lives, but it is really a lot simpler when we take time to think about the people who are dearest in our lives who, by divine grace, are excellent examples of the Christlike characteristics and possessors of the spiritual gifts we cherish and desire to obtain.
Consider these things. Seek the best gifts, count your blessings, pray often, and share the love that you have in your heart with those around you. I love you all.
Elder Braden K. Dredge
Guatemala Guatemala City East Mission
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