This was the best week and the worst week of my mission. Our numbers were absolutely awful, but it was also the best week I`ve had. How is that possible? The Atonement. It`s real. It works.
"Tuesday, November 4th, 2013
I`m clean. I have been forgiven. The Lord sent His messengers to call me to repent. Those messangers came in the forms of ment. E` Gneiting and E` Huambo, my Zone Leaders. I can honestly say they changed my mission forever, they changed my life forever.
Last night, E` Giacoboni and I had a Noche de hogar with the Boza`s. And like always, we got back late. It was almost 10:00. When we got back, we had a bunch of missed calls, from the Zone Leaders. So we called them back. E` Huambo answered and asked us if we were home, and we said yes, and he hung up. We were confused, but we went on with our planning. About 10 minutes later, we heard from down below, Elders Gneiting and Huambo. So we let them in and they asked us why we were late, and not for the first time. I can`t even write what happened next, it was so inspired, so powerful, it changed me forever. They called us out for our disobedience in the little things. We haven`t been sinners. But we haven`t been as good as we could be. They just asked us what they could do to help us. No more. They just asked how they could serve us. They asked us to forgive them for their bad examples. For all of my time in the field, they`ve pretty much hated each other. E` Huambo was NOT happy that they have another transfer together. When they taught in Zone Meetings, they didn`t have the spirit. Almost never. The just preached, they didn`t teach beause they didn`t have the spirit. But this week, they changed. In the zone meeting, they came late because they were at the doctore, but when they came, they had power, for the first time in my mission. And then last night, they had power again. They asked us to forgive them, and asked to help us. We didn`t know how they could help us, and we told them that. Because the problems were our own, it`s not their fault. And then E` Gneiting said that he had never had an opportunity like we do. To have our leaders come to us and ask to help. that`s a blessing to us. Then he said that we all should kneel and pray, each one of us would say a prayer. We all kneeled, and E` Gneiting started to cray. Then E` huambo prayed. The spirit was so strong in the room! By the time E` Huambo finished, E` Giacoboni was sobbing. I felt like I needed to pray, but I didn`t know when. I felt something stopping me. So I said a prayer in my heart, asked my Father in Heaven to bless me to know when to pray. I felt in my heart, that the Lord can`t fill mymouth if I don`t open it. I just felt sure, so I prayed. I can only remember one ting I prayed for, and that was I asked Heavenly Father to take the pain from our hearts. To make us clean. And after E`Giacoboni prayed. I can`t write the words of the prayers, because they were too sacred for me to repeat. I felt the Love of God. The Lord saw fit to inspire E` Gneiting and E` Huambo to visit us. And now, we`re different. We had a companionship inventory, and we set goals to improve. It was so powerful. if I let it, this will change my entire life. But I have to chose to let the Atonement work in me, always.
I got some cool personal revelation last night. As we were having our comp inventory, I felt like the challenge of the first part of the field, If I change now, will make me stronger than if I had a 100% obedient trainer. Because a one point I was worse, I`m going to be stronger and better.
I can`t even discribe how powerful this was for me. The Atonement is real!! I can look back and remember our mistakes, but the pain is gone. I am clean. The Lord has forgiven me. He even blessed me with forgiveness in my heart. Like with Bishop Montes. I don`t even have a tiny problem with him now. How can I? The Lord forgave me, I can forgive the bishop. All the pain, all the bitter in my heart is gone now. I just feel the joy of Christ.
I finished the Book of Mormon for the first time on my mission this morning. Though I already knew the answer, I knelt down and asked if it is true again. I just felt such peace, the peace that only comes from God. I also had the feeling that in the near future, i was going to have to bear testimony of that book and the peace we can receive as an answer, that we won`t have a vision, just a sweet feeling that it`s true. I know the BOM is true. I have no doubt! It is the word of Godto men on earth. Joseph smith was a prophet and he translated it from plates of gold by the power of God. We can come closer to God by reading it than by anything else on earth. It bears testimony of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It bears testimony of Christ and His atoning sacrifice for each one of us. It is true. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day saints is the true chruch of god. It has the authority to make everlasting covenants with God for eternity. The Plan of Salvation is for each one of us to have eternal happiness. I know these things. I am a witness of Jesus Christ. I know He lives.
Wednesday, November 6, 2013
I love repentance! Because E`Giacoboni and I repented, we have been blessed with the spirit. We taught Edgar Silva today and we taught him about repentance. We discovered his problem. He doesn`t feel worthy to be baptized. We tuaght him with the power of God. There was an undeniable spirit there. We bth knew we couldn`t have taught him like that if we hadn`t repented. Because we had, we were able to testify to him with real power. It was incredible how we worked together as weel. We had real ping pong. There was one time, when I just felt that I needed to testify of the BOM. I still don`t know why, but I did. The words were in my mouth. My spanish was even almost perfect for a minute. The Lord wanted Edgar to hear His words through me. I almost heard a voice telling me to talk, and when I almost hesitated, I felt I needed to talk quick before E`Giacoboni did. So I did. I thought it was just me being selfish, but after, E`G told me he had an overwhelming feeling then of "BE QUIET!!" He couldn`t talk. The Lord stopped him so I could speak. It was a powerful lesson. I`m so grateful we`re repenting and changing so we could testify like that. It was so poweful!!"
That`s my week! There were other little bits, but nothing huge. I just have such a powerful testimony of the power of repentance now. More than before, and I already had a testimony. The Lord loves us and wants us to repent and turn to him. But we have to clean ourselves before we can invite others, that`s why we weren`t having success. But now we`re clean, and if we continue to repent and to work, we will do miracles, with The Lord by our side.
Mom - question. Did you send garnments with the packages? (no, i haven`t gotten them yet). Because I`m problably going to the temple next week (I`M SO EXCITED!!!!!!!!!!!) And I could buy some there. But if you sent me some, i don`t need to. And it`s true. The gospel is about covenants. We have to make them, and we have to live them. It`s like E` G and I. We weren`t sinning,we just weren`t giving our entire hearts to the work, which is the law of concecration.
Dad - Really? You have a healthy heart? Wasn`t it pretty terrible when I left 3 months ago? I`m actually going running tomorrow for my workout with E` Narvaez (he lives next door.) I`m actually pretty excited in a messed up sort of way
John - hi
Jordan - I feel like I had a question for you but I don`t remember...
Tashie - that birthday song is disgusting. I`ve heard it before and everytime I just want to die. Yuck. And Thor 2 is out????????????????? Yes. I`m jealous. oh yeah. Brother O`bagy is the best! You can learn a lot from him. Has he mentioned me or John yet? I can`t believe your in seminary...
Shaylee - Thor 2? Oh...............................
I love this gospel of peace, joy, and repentance through the son of god
love,
Elder Schouten
ps thanks for the birthday wishes.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.