Weekly Letter 86
Brothers and sisters,
How you have you all been doing? This week definitely was an up and down week. There were the moments in which we had special spiritual conversations with our investigators, and there were many in which we were in the street praying and thinking "What would be the best thing to do right now?" following impressions and acting with faith. I still have bronchitis, coughing almost every minute, and my companion Elder Marino still has his stomach troubles; the missionaries in the zone too have their sicknesses and their trials and their standing still in the street figuring out what to do, and their moments visiting with investigators and members; but we thrive on, and we strive to build the Church here in Zacapa.
Aura is our biggest focus right now to help her get baptized in April, but seeing her progress and her desires to go to the temple the first week of April, and seeing that she already has enough knowledge of the Gospel, enough attendances to Church, enough spiritual experiences and enough support from Relief Society, she may be baptized by the end of this month. We are very proud of her for her progress. She used to be very timid around the missionaries, and now she is becoming a happier person, as she participates in service activities with the Relief Society. She is becoming an even more spiritual person than she was before. And might I mention, she has a son who is serving in El Salvador, who she is gaining more contact with, also thanks to the Relief Society, and through him he is learning even more about the Gospel. Her change was miraculous. I'm so thankful that Elder Marino and I could help her come to know the Gospel for herself after so much time having just enough faith to let her son be baptized and go on a mission. Missionary work is one of many ways in which the Lord uses to unite families.
As to other investigators, Maria Fernanda unfortunately has not received permission from her parents, or so we know up to this point, because she went on a vacation with them this last weekend. Neither has Vanesa received permisison. But Alejandra, who we taught for the first time this Sunday, says her father might allow her to be baptized, because they did for her older sister. Both Alejandra and her older sister Amarilis have received the missionaries and have gone to church at least 5 times, and yet after December just stopped getting up early, and because of that they stopped progressing. This will not be too difficult, to help them make promises with God they really desire to make. We just have to make sure they have support from the rest of their relatives who are active in the Church and make sure they have other friends in the Church too. Coming to know the Savior is a process that often doesn't just require a personal drive to do so, but support from friends and family to do so too.
Now, in the end, what can I say for myself? The spiritual impressions we follow, the words we say, the things we do, it is all the Lord. The Lord is doing His work through us, His missionaries. He wants Aura to have a happy life and a family sealed in the temple. He wants that blessing for Alejandra and her family. And He wants that blessing for many more people. Yet it is all according to His plan, and His timing. Just like Alma, I can say the same:
Alma 26:12 Yea, I know that I am nothing; as to my strength I am weak; therefore I will not boast of myself, but I will boast of my God, for in his strength I can do all things; yea, behold, many mighty miracles we have wrought in this land, for which we will praise his name forever.
And I have realized something. Missionaries are not just instruments in the hands of the Lord. We are sons and daughters of God too, learning to want to do the will of the Lord, and not just do it. We are not learning to become servants, but rather we are learning to become Gods too. The Savior himself submitted himself to the will of the Father, and made himself as a servant, and as a result, He became perfect, and He became even as God is -- all through his obedience and his consecration.
Let us remember, my brothers and sisters, that if we really examine ourselves, and examine our lives, and see how much we have done, and see how much the Lord has done, we would indeed say, "Wow, I really am nothing. Everything I have belongs to the Lord."
I am so grateful for my calling as a missionary, and for the opportunity to serve the Lord. I have surpassed my expectations as to who I would become on the mission, and it is because of the Lord's mercy and grace. I desired to do good, and I desired to do it more, and the Lord has changed me. I am still an imperfect person, but surely the Lord has changed me more than I expected I would. I testify that Jesus Christ is my Savior, and that He died for all of my sins. I testify that He has redeemed me, and continues to change me. I testify that such change comes through diligent prayer and study of the Gospel, and consecrated service and striving to follow Christ's example -- indeed, choosing to do what He would do as if it were the only way to do it. I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
Have a wonderful week!
Your chapin friend,
Elder Dredge
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