Well... after all of Aesop's Fables, this is not a fable. The Latinos do not understand, nor do they like St. Patrick’s day, haha. Elder Elliott and I got a kick out of pinching them real hard with our green ties that morning. Of course, we played fair and explained them the rules first, but simply don't understand. I pinched my companion, wished him a Happy St. Patrick's Day, and he greeted me with a real hard pinch back. Well... I told him the rules of what happens when you pinch someone wearing green and he really didn't like the punch he received in return. I thought they understood after that, until the next day he pinched me real hard, asking me where my green was haha. Oh the fun of the culture change.
Oh and I really loved the talk by Pres. Uchtdorf in the Liahona with the glass half empty of half full, but I won't lie, the joke of seeing the glass 'Half Blurry' came into my head. Sometimes in life we have pessimists , sometimes we have optimists, and sometimes we have those who live confused! Haha.
Anyway... here's a week in the life of the Tree Cat:
To be honest, this week was a bit tougher. Things seem to be really hitting my companion that is serving only 2 hours from his family. We've really been looking to have the Spirit, be guided by the Spirit, not simply go to who we've planned, but to plan and be worthy, listening, and ready to act on the changes the Lord wants in our plans. This week I tried to focus on that and I want to tell you all the real value there is in following the Spirit, no matter how small, no matter how insignificant. In this week we haven't had many lessons, haven't had many progressing, we did have a ton at church, but it was nuts and we didn't have the sweetness there should be in the meetings.
The highlight of my week came... last week! On Monday we were walking through the center of town and I had the slightest glance, not even a whisper, at a lady fumbling with a table. We ran in the moment to hold up the table and put back in place the two legs that had fallen loose. She thanked us and we went on our way. As we turned the corner I noticed 3 ladies fumbling on a stool to fix up the roof to their little market tent. The Humble Bumble ran over and simply helped, without need for a stool, fix up their ceiling. The most gratifying moments of my week were, combined, maybe 45 seconds. It was done with a smile, it was done in following... or simply being alert to what happens around me, it was service. The Lord guides us, places us, and hopes we'll succeed. It was so sweet to simply act on a moment placed before me. I didn't even preach the Gospel. That's not the important thing in the mission either... if we won't live it. We read the scriptures, we go to church, we pray, but in the street and in the home, do we seek the Spirit to lift as the Savior?
Also, on Sunday I learned a great lesson too and had the privilege of acting on the Spirit to teach this lesson. We were giving a class to our investigators on the Principles of the Gospel, it was on the Life of Christ. We can talk all day about Christ and His life, but does it really mean something to us? It didn't to me until I read Helaman 5:12 in a really hard time in my life, but I KNEW and still KNOW from that moment that Christ is my Savior. We were in the class listening and someone asked... So why is this important to US... today? The question was never answered, but one investigator who has come 3 weeks in a row without even being taught by us was persistent on getting the answer. I really hope you get anything at all from this story haha, I feel like I'm lost and troubled, but it was such a sweet sensation to stand up and tell everyone in the class why the life of the Savior is important to me! Sometimes we simply talk and listen, but do we know? Do we feel? Do we desire? I read that passage of scripture in Helaman 5:12 in a really rough time in my personal life, things almost came to a close with a neck injury too, but I now know of the importance of finding and cultivating that personal relationship with Your Redeemer.
To end my rambling, this investigator has an appointment with us, he has the Book of Mormon, he has friends in the Gospel, and more than anything, he knows the importance and the way to find his personal relation with Christ.
There wasn't much this week, but oh yes there was. We sought the Spirit, we found it. We tried to serve, we did it. We know where to improve, it will be done. Cristo vive, yo lo sé y me encanta saberlo. Por eso me quedo en la misión con tanto ánimo y esfuerzo. Siempre hay algo que mejorar, pero siempre hay algo por ser feliz. No hay obras, recompensas, dolores, y gozos como así. Tratando de quitar el dolor del mundo con El Evangelio de Jesucristo! (Christ lives, I know and I love to know. So I stay at the mission with such courage and effort. There is always something to improve, but there is always something to be happy. No work, rewards, pains and joys as well. Trying to take away the pain of the world with the Gospel of Jesus Christ!)
¡Nos Vemos!
Elder McGinn
No comments:
Post a Comment