Called to Serve: "...are you exercising your priesthood responsibilities to their full extent? "

Hola familia!

Dejenme contarles que esta semana fue muy emocionante!

So I totally got sick last Tuesday. I woke up, and I felt like death crept into my bed, wrapped his arms around me, dug his mischievous hands into my lungs and just crushed them. Yeah...it was nuts haha couldn't breathe, eyes were watering, was cold, body ached, the whole shazam. So That day, we went to visit Damon, a less-active who really needed a reminder of the power he yields as a priesthood holder. I asked if him and my companion could provide me a blessing and he did. Later in the week, he stopped ignoring us and actually went to visit investigators with us as fellowship!! I honestly can say that I was given sickness for that opportune moment. My sickness went away around Wednesdaynight. It was so awesome! So brief note, a reminder to all those priesthood bearers...are you exercising your priesthood responsibilities to their full extent #QuestionMark

Anywho! Last week we hit our standards of excellence for our mission! So we strived to do it again this week. We hit all of our goals, except for investigators at church because of the long weekend :'( #SadDay But we won't give up for this week! But we still had an awesome week. Along w/ P-day we had taught 21 lessons in 3 days! Craziness! Let me stress the amount of member missionary work going on here. It REALLY makes a difference. Investigators have fellowship before they even get introduced to missionaries. It has proven success! 3/4 investigators introduced to missionaries after being first fellowshipped get baptized! Why would you not want to do that!? Ahhh...help people!

Okay...rant done. We found 3 new investigators this week, 1 baptized, 3 more on date for march, and will have 2 more on date this week. Work is hastening! Kind of cool to see the different Utah culture when it comes to the LDS members though. Although I will say, 50% of the problems we see in investigators, is them being offended by LDS members inserting opinion into doctrine. Sigh...but my companion and I are always super prepared to fight the misunderstandings so it works out.

I met Guatemalans this week!!! SUPER happy haha They had not wanted to be visited before, but they allowed us to come over and eat since I was "of their people" haha In the pics you will see that one of them made us pupusas/empanadas ! Ah super good! Other pictures include pet chickens, cats, selfies, and a wide variety of sorts haha The one where i'm at the window is me trying to contact a second story apartment for a referral we got. I had to climb up to the window and see if he was there ignoring us haha HE WAS!! He finally answered the door cuz he was impressed at the length I went to get his attention haha It's true that we are encouraged to go outside the box in finding.

So Saturday we baptized Flora! The room was packed with support too! We had members of the congregation and all the auxiliaries to watch it was so awesome! I did the baptism and she was sooooooo happy! Ah. Life is good.

So I did a lot of reflecting this week after we had interviews with our mission President, which is super awesome by the way. Him and sister Center say i'm always smiling, but I don't notice it. Haha BUT back on track, we have had a lot of people we've been teaching that are beating up on themselves for past mistakes. They have gone through the repentance process and live righteous lives but they feel like they haven't been forgiven. Nephi, talks of this at one point, and identifies the Devil as being the cause of us wallowing in self-pity. 2 Nephi 4: 17-30. I'd like to focus more on 27-28, and 30 that say:

27. And why should I yield to sin, because of my flesh? Yea, why should I give way to temptations, that the evil one have place in my heart to destroy my peace and afflict my soul? Why am I angry because of mine enemy?

28. Awake, my soul! No longer droop in sin. Rejoice, O my heart, and give place no more for the enemy of my soul.

30. Rejoice, O my heart and cry unto the Lord, and say: O Lord, I will praise thee forever, yea, my soul will rejoice in thee, my God, and the rock of my salvation.

For those struggling with beating yourselves up because of past transgressions - STOP. These feelings are of the Devil to keep us away from the love of our Heavenly Father. Do as Nephi instructs, and "cry unto the Lord" for help. He truly is "the rock of...salvation". May you "no longer droop in sin", this I humbly pray, in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.