Dear Mom and Dad,
So, this week we were visited by Elder V, the second counselor in
the area presidency (south america south, it includes Chile,
Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay). He talked about quite a few things,
but here are a few that I really liked.
The Ammon attitude. A very common missionary error is to think, "I´m
only going to be in this area for a few months, so I should work as if
I´ll only be here a few months and then, ciao no más (bye bye)." If
missionaries think like that, then they won´t be as dedicated or as
hardworking as the Lord requires. So, Elder V encouraged us to
develop Ammon´s attitude. When king Lamoni asked him how long he was
going to stick around for, he said, "Yea, I desire to dwell among this
people for a time; yea, and perhaps until the day I die."
The Atonement. Somebody asked the question, "What can we do to help a
missionary who isn´t obedient or hardworking?" The answer: Study the
atonement. If we really understand the atonement, then we will do
everything that God wants us to do, without question or complaint.
Worthy converts: Elder V encouraged us to work to bring worthy
converts to the church. A worthy convert is someone who really
understands the doctrine, has repented fully of past sins, and has all
of the commitment and all the habits needed to stay active in the
church. I like this idea a lot, it gives a very high standard to aim
for.
We did a few interchanges this week. In the first interchange I went
with Elder D, from Colorado/Utah/Arizona (he moved a bit). It was
one of those amazing days where it rained all day long, and we didn´t
have much luck getting inside people´s doors. We got pretty wet, but
we had jackets and it was really an enjoyable experience. Next up I
went with Elder , who just got to Chile a few weeks ago. He
reminds me a lot of you, dad, hardworking, diligent, obedient, and
pretty chill as well.
Interesting experience with a kid named N. Whenever we finish
talking with someone, in a lesson, on the street, wherever, we always
ask them who else they know who would be benefited from our message.
On Tuesday, somebody showed us to a 17 year old kid named N, who
is athiest but really receptive and willing to try out. We shared
about how if he read the Book of Mormon he could know that God exists,
and then we left, excited to come back in a few days and keep teaching
him. When we came back a few days later, his dad had forbid him to
meet with us. It was interesting, because I still felt peaceful and
happy even as he told us that. I know that he will meet the
missionaries again in a few more years when he is on his own, and I´m
possitive that he will read the Book of Mormon and find out that it is
true then.
Last story. When I was with Elder O, we were heading down a set of
stairs when a man and his wife were heading up. The man stopped us and
asked if we knew another missionary, who right now is serving as the
mission secretary, because they had talked about some free english
classes that he could go to. As we started talking about english
classes and trying to figure out how to contact the other missionary,
he invited us into his house. There we more fully met L and
B, who had both, in they own time, looked for the true church
but hadn´t quite been able to find it. When we taught them about the
restoration, it seemed like pieces were falling to place for them.
They started reading the Book of Mormon right away, and are already
excited to go to church this next Sunday.
I love this work. I love the miracles that God showers down upon us. I love it!
Viviendo el sueño,
Elder Jason Ray
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