Dear Fam,
I had another amazing week, of course and have so much to say in so little time! Some of the highlights of this week were that we made 4 moves (God's not keeping me away from having to work with you even on my mission) and then just a bunch of other miracles that will come as I go...
On Saturday we got to listen to a member of the 3rd Quorum of the Seventy speak to us for 3 hours about our mission and it was amazing. He talked about how important it is that we are striving constantly to sanctify ourselves. The recurring theme in my life that keeps popping up in everything I read is a scripture in Doctrine and Covenants that says something like "If you are exercising unrighteous dominion over anyone, the windows of heaven close, the spirit withdraws and that's AMEN to that person's priesthood power." So I just am really repenting a lot this week haha.
Rally the troops! Jeffery R. Holland is coming to speak to our mission the Saturday before transfers (I think it's something like the 14th) and I have never been so excited! I've been studying a lot of his stuff to prepare for that spiritual feast that's about to come. He really is the most amazing person at speaking on the earth in my opinion and I realized my favorite chapter of scripture because of a talk that I listened to by him. It's John chapter 21 and I love it so much because it outlines how much the Lord expects of our devotion and how amazing of a person he truly was. After everything was done and overwith everyone turned to Peter to know what to do next because he was now the head of the Church. The Atonement was performed and the Messiah had ascended back into heaven, and Peter told his apostles "I go a fishing." Completely left with nothing else on his mind, he returned to that way of living before Christ had come, to go and be a fisherman. While the apostles were fishing, they had absolutely no luck and didn't catch a single fish. They were all tired and exhausted and in the distance they heard a voice tell them to cast the net on the otherside. Fatigued and probably even frustrated at the suggestion, they did it and could not pull in the amount of fish that they had in the net. The next thing that happened was that John the beloved looked back over to see who it was and told Peter it was Jesus. Without even thinking twice, Peter jumps off the boat and swims over to the savior and i'm sure had the most amazing reunion ever and then when Jesus talked he asked Peter if he loved him. And it took Peter three times to realize that he couldn't abandon everything that he had learned and the power that was given him. The third time Christ asked him if he loved and Peter answered a little bit sad and doubting in a yes, of course I love you, he told him to feed his sheep. Of all of the years of following Jesus around and watching the dead be raised or whatever else, this was the moment when Peter became the man that anyone wished that his shadow would be cast upon them. From the time that Peter realized his love for the Lord. -That was just kind of a little bit of a paraphrase of part of that talk, but I hope that you can realize why it's so awesome!
Mom and Dad, I was just thinking a lot about you yesterday when I was writing a talk that I gave in church (in Spanish) about obedience to our leadership. I think that my talk was really inspired because I was supposed to talk about missionary work, but my mind just kept wandering away from the subject every time I would ask God what I should be writing. I think the main point I was trying to make was that whoever wants to can claim authority over someone else, but really only those that are called of God to lead truly receive the revelation needed for that certain group of people they are called to preside over. So, for example, regardless of whether it was Thomas S. Monson or the deacon's quorum President, they have authority from the same source and when we follow the instruccions of our leaders, we are following the instruccions of Christ himself. (Wow I just spelled instructions in the Spanish way haha... I'm not going to change it.) So anyway, you two are the only two people with the authority to raise me on this earth as my parents, and I was thinking about the wonderful influences you have always been to me, so thank you so much.
There was an amazing miracle this week I need to tell you about before I go. We went in to teach these two potential investigators and it was so awesome! We taught them the first discussion and then invited them to be baptized and just expected what we call a "light commitment" after we do this thing called the invite test, but that's just too much to explain... So anyway they just said yes the first time we asked and we are were a little bit shocked haha. Then, the old man that was in there that we didn't think could speak any english just woke up from his nap and stood up and started to testify that our church was true and that they should get baptized and that he was baptized a member a long time ago in New Jersey and it was so awesome! We still don't know if he's actually a member of our church or not, but he still helped us out so much, so we're teaching them right now and they're preparing to get baptized in three weeks. Oh my gosh it was just so funny, but also so amazing!! I also just love how much the people here over-exaggerate their emotions. We told this Sister named Hermana Sonia that two of the missionaries in our companionship had never been over to her house and apparently she thought we had, so she pretty much yelled "NO ME DIGAS!" which means something like don't tell me that! haha and then they always go off and start talking for like 15 minutes without taking a breath. And I mean that's not everyone, but just a lot of people haha.
The weather is beyond hot, but whatever. Haha I mean it's Florida and it's not like I wasn't expecting this same thing in Mexico. The weather is just always really nice, but it's so humid. When you step outside there's like a wall of water that hits you and it's just so different from Colorado hot. The nice thing though is that the nights and mornings are not ever cold. I think I'm starting to become a wimp to the cold like the Brasgas haha. It's hot, but there's not really anything to complain about. Our air conditioner works most of the time. By the way that's ridiculous that school starts that soon. It feels like I've been gone forever, but at the same time for only one day. My Spanish is coming along. Yesterday was awesome. I could actually understand these two Mexicans that I was talking to. I'm the first witness and prime example that the gift of tongues is something real!
Out of time, love you a lot! I can't wait to get pictures of the new house :)
Love you all so much and hope you're doing amazing!!
Eric
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