That was
a quote we shared today in our zone training from a talk that President Kimball
gave many years ago. Its called “The Attitude of the Mind”. Matt you should
look it up and read it. Its pretty cool. One of my companions showed it to me a
few changes ago and its super useful. It all starts in the mind.
This was
a good week. We really tried to put in practice what Elder Duncan taught us and
we saw some fruits. We unfortunately didn’t have anyone new come to church for
this month but the Lord will provide. That’s how it always is when we try
something new or try to change. It’s hard at first and we may fail, but there
is always progress when we try try again. Sometimes I have not had success
because I get stuck doing the same thing and its comfortable. Or I am comfortable
with the measured success I am having. But there is so much more! So much more.
The Lord always wants us to find a better way to do things. He was and is the
best. He never did anything comfortable or easy.
I went up
to Comalapa this Sunday. Its a villageish place almost an hour away from Chimaltenango.
It is one of the branches that Elder Diaz and I cover while there are no missionaries
there. It was like a flashback to Rio Santiago with it being a small struggling
branch and such.
Yesterday
we went to a place called Colinas to play soccer and volleyball with the Zone
from Antigua. I got to see my old companion Elder Guzman there, so that was
really fun. The place where we were is where Guatemala has their EFY every year,
with every stake. It is so nice. The Church never goes half effort on anything
or any project. Very beautiful. If the Smith Family is ever to do a family
reunion in Guatemala, I would pick that place. It was a blast to be with 30
plus missionaries. It was also one of the last times I’ll ever see Elder Guzman
because he goes home in May. So it was fun to reminisce.
Last
night we had a family night about the Plan of Salvation with some converts. I
learned a lot about the atonement. What’s cool is that I learned more while in
the act of teaching it. Thus we see that when we know the doctrine to be able
to teach it, the act of teaching brings us more knowledge. I think its the holy
ghost that does that job. After receiving a little revelation, I wrote it down
in my agenda. It goes like this:
''The atonement has already been made for ALL sin, his Hand is ALWAYS there (2
NE 19:21) and that will never change. 2 NE 16:8 - he was sent FOR us. But if we
never reach out our own hand through obedience and Repentance, it would be as
if there had been no Redemption made (Alma 11:40-41) But it has! Reach out your
hand!''
I thought
that was a cool thought and some things I had never thought of before.
I love
this work. I have learned that its not about me or even my own conversion (that’s
a nice byproduct!), its about the people I serve and their conversion. For
example, we have a guy that’s getting baptized this weekend. The missionaries
in the area were teaching him for months and months and....nothing. They took
the missionaries out of the area and then a couple months ago he started going
to church by himself. And at the same time stopped drinking and smoking. Elder
Diaz and I come into the picture 3 weeks ago. The first time I taught him, it
was like I was talking to a convert I have in Golondrinas, the same attitude
and same doubts. I told him about him and he completely opened up. We then
committed him to read the Book of Mormon (now that he had demonstrated true
intent) and the rest is history. Ahh that is what I live for. Now we just need
to find more. Pray for Edgar please.
Love you
guys so much. Save some meat for me dadio on the smoker.
Elderrrr
Smith
Elder Smith and Elder Dias on Pday
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