Diligence and Sugar Cane

This week has been pretty eventful! I got the one year cards from everyone, which was super awesome! I also am really learning a lot. I was studying the Book of Mormon very intently this week, and it was awesome! I was reading 1 Nephi 13:37, and it felt like it was talking to me! I really felt like God wanted me to know in that moment that these things were true, and that as I seek to bring forth Zion, and endure to the end, I will be lifted up. It felt amazing! I was so happy! I also learned about how we receive answers to prayers. Nephi answers it so clearly, I was shocked I had not read it before:

1 Nephi 15:11
Do ye not remember the things which the Lord hath said?—If ye will not harden your hearts, and ask me in faith, believing that ye shall receive, with diligence in keeping my commandments, surely these things shall be made known unto you.

It really struck me that "diligence in keeping [the] commandments" is part of that. If we want an answer from God, we have to show our faith by testing him, keeping the commandments, and only then will we receive it. It's something that makes sense, but stated so clearly in the Book of Mormon! I love finding pearls of truth that really teach us how to live our lives depending on God. It's amazing!

On another note, I have sugar cane! It is really interesting to eat. You basically chew it until all the juice comes out, and then throw away the fibrous mass that's left. It's really good!!!

Love you so much!

"I Don't Have Time Right Now"

This week has been pretty interesting over here. More than anything, I saw things that really represented a clear lack of understanding.

I want to plead with every one of you to not ever say, "I don't have time right now." When talking about the things of God, that has to be the number one priority. And I don't say it because I am a missionary and I want you to listen to me. In this day and age there is a prevailing attitude and understanding that religion is optional. It's something we do on Sundays, or when we have extra time. What we don't understand is Mosiah 2:41 --

"And moreover, I would desire that ye should consider on the blessed and happy state of those that keep the commandments of God. For behold, they are blessed in all things, both temporal and spiritual; and if they hold out faithful to the end they are received into heaven, that thereby they may dwell with God in a state of never-ending happiness. O remember, remember that these things are true; for the Lord God hath spoken it."

This is really the key. God will bless us in all things! Whatever things are taking up your time, you will be able to perform better with God. Who can compete with an omnipotent being? You will never be able to accomplish everything you want to do, without God. But really it's much more than that. If you think that it's too much time, or too much effort, what are you really trading? That time and effort, what difference does it make? It's the difference between living a static, single life, forever, or living with God, and our families, and progressing eternally. I know I've always felt that sting when I know I could have done better, but that now it's too late. Imagine looking up at those who do gain that eternal reward, and knowing it was in your power, that only your decisions stopped you from getting there. That is the "lake of fire and brimstone."

So I urge every one of you who are striving to follow the commandments, to not give up. Not ever. We will always make mistakes, but when we give up we accept our fate. That is when we stop progressing. God will never give up on you. He will always be there lifting you up and blessing you with strength. And to those of you who are feeling like religion is nice and optional, it's never too early to start striving, to accept the blessings God wants to give you. But it will be too late. At some moment this time to change and become will end, and we will be judged. Don't let it beat you! I know everyone can do it. Were it not so, God wouldn't have sent us here to earth. He is your biggest champion! The whole history of the world is small, weak people becoming the most important, through God. Enoch was young and slow of speech, and ended up creating a city so righteous it was translated. You can do it!

And then there are those who don't believe. I implore you to reconsider. At least give it a shot. If you really want to know God, he will reveal himself to you, but in his own way. There is so much evidence for God, but much of it is personal. How one feels when he is praying, reading the scriptures, going to church, all of these things are the evidence for a God. I know correlation doesn't imply causation, but over weeks, months, or years, it does. In the end, it comes down to a choice to believe and experiment. There is a video I have always liked about how one atheist came to believe, and I know it works for everyone, but it has to come from the heart.

https://www.mormonchannel.org/watch/series/mormon-messages/the-hope-of-gods-light

I love you all, and please, please, never give up!!

Amazing Investigators

This week has been crazy! We had a ton of investigators come to sacrament meeting, and we have some investigators that are literally amazing! We left them 3 Nephi 11 in the Book of Mormon, and when we came back, they told us everything, including that the Lord called 12 disciples, and gave Nephi power and authority! It was so cool to see people who really want to learn more! They even came to church on Sunday, and loved it! They are awesome! 

We also have an investigator that literally wants to change his life, and is 100% dedicated to following Christ. It's so inspiring to see! I don't have more time, because I was putting the final touches on the database, but I love you all!

Finding Fun and HLJ

This week has been awesome! We found some awesome new investigators, and we are really starting to think outside the box to find new ones! We are thinking about having a sister do sidewalk art, singing in the park, doing surveys about the Book of Mormon in the park, it's going to be awesome! Also, my companion and I started caroling hymns to contact, and we'll see how well it works! It's so much fun to think of new ways to find people to teach!

Today we went to a fair in Chosica for its anniversary, and there was a lady selling rings for 5 sols, and she engraved whatever you wanted on them! So I bought a really cool one with the Lord's Prayer on it, and I engraved HLJ (Haz lo Justo, CTR in Spanish), and "Alma 5:7." It's a scripture that has exquisite language that describes what I'm trying to accomplish here in the mission:

Behold, he changed their hearts; yea, he awakened them out of a deep sleep, and they awoke unto God. Behold, they were in the midst of darkness; nevertheless, their souls were illuminated by the light of the everlasting word; yea, they were encircled about by the bands of death, and the chains of hell, and an everlasting destruction did await them.

I'm sorry again for the brevity of this week's message, but we are in the process of moving to a new system to manage our follow up for the investigators... I love you all! Have a wonderful week!

Conference!

I don't have a lot of time this week, as it's the first week of the transfer with a lot of administration...

I loved the conference this week!  It was so powerful, and I loved all of the talks.  I also especially loved the defense of the Book of Mormon, the exposition on the Family a Proclamation, and the talk by Jeffrey R. Holland about the nature of "be ye perfect" and our covenants.  It was so powerful to see how each one could directly answer the concerns of our investigators!!  I'm so excited to be able to share it with them!!

I love you all!
Dallin



Teaching the Gospel and Taking His Burden

This week has been incredible!  On Wednesday, we got to go to two lessons with President Amato.  Like hear President Amato teach missionary lessons!  It was incredible!  He left us with two new lessons.

One, connecting the spirit to the Book of Mormon.  Nobody wants to read the Book of Mormon when they are all super busy, and they don't understand the language, and it's not very interesting from a worldly standpoint.  However, when we connect the Book of Mormon with the feelings of peace and happiness they feel, they have a reason to read it, and they can begin to really acquire that testimony of Jesus Christ, and His church.  It was so simple, and yet so important!  I loved learning it.
 
The second thing we learned was about how we should pray to receive an answer regarding the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon.  We had been teaching Galatians 5:22-23, and then Moroni 10:3-5.  That is all true, but a little difficult to recognize an answer, because everyone expects to and does feel the spirit when they're praying.  President Amato taught us a very interesting analysis of Moroni 10:4.  What it instructs us to do is pray and ask "if these things are not true" (emphasis added).  If we then teach at least the content of D&C 9:9, they will understand how to receive a negative answer.  And it's much easier to recognize a negative answer than positive, because who expects to feel bad when praying?  Nobody!  But we know that if we pray, and we feel bad, that it's wrong, so if we ask if the Book of Mormon is not true, we can get a testimony that it isn't not true, or that it is true!  Genius!!  It was such a cool experience!!

Then on Sunday, we had a meeting with Elder Calderon, of the Seventy.  It was so cool!  We were with the ward councils in all of the stake, and it was such a wonderful experience!  We talked about working together with members, and how we are all the same team.  He talked about how we all have lives that are super full, super busy with too much stuff to do.  He then talked about Matthew 11:28-30.  If we want the promised blessing of rest, we need to take upon us his burden!  I had never thought about that part before, and it was really eye opening.  So in order to take advantage of the support and help of Christ in our busy lives, we have to take upon us his work, and his glory, namely, "To bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man." (Moses 1:39)  It was so cool!!!  The whole ward started to ask when they could accompany us, and give us references, in that very instant!  it was incredible!

Sunday we also had a lesson with a certain Mike.  He was so cool!  He wants to change his life around to give a good example for his daughter and to help her have a better life.  It was so tender to see the love he had for his daughter, as well as the desire to change.  He told us from the start that he wanted to live like a Latter-day Saint, and he came to church, and he's awesome!

Today for P-Day, we climbed a mountain before dawn, up to a Catholic cross, and watched the sun crest over the mountain.  Super cool, and great exercise!  Those are some of the pictures!
I love you all!  Keep changing the world and coming closer to the Lord!

You Have a Hope

This week I had some really sweet experiences. On Saturday we gave a baptismal interview for some Elders in our zone, and while we were leaving the chapel, a little girl comes up to me, and says: "Usted tiene una esperanza," or in English, You have a hope. It reminds me a lot of a scripture from the Bible:

1 Peter 3:15: But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear.

And also Moroni 7, which talks about faith, hope, and charity. I had been praying for these things for about a month, and it was such a cool experience to have a little girl, who I have never seen before, and probably will never see again, tell me I have a hope. Knowing that Satan has no power over little children, and that they are pure, it then becomes basic logic that some of the easiest messengers that God has are little children. So cool!

And then on Sunday, we had ward conference. We went to pick up an investigator, and she told us that she couldn't come because of an emergency with her cousin. So we went away sorrowing, and went to the chapel to greet everyone. We are teaching the owner of a restaurant that is in a lot of debt, so she is working Sundays. Her husband is less active for the same reason. But on Sunday, we saw the whole family coming to church!! They all walked in together and sat down. And then, another family we are teaching, the grandpa, and his two granddaughters walked in!! And the ward conference was so, so inspiring, so full of the spirit, It was perfect! I know it was Heavenly Father blessing our action of faith, getting up early to pick up our investigator, even though it wasn't her time to come to the chapel. That is faith!! It was such a cool experience to confirm our faith, and inspire us to continue working and doing our best!

Also, today we had P-day in a country club! It was half destroyed by the flooding, so we did service Saturday morning, and then today we went back for P-day, and grilled hamburgers, which I made, and then played volleyball! It was super fun, and it looks super cool! Those are the pictures I have :)

I love you all! Have a wonderful life!!