Jully 13 in Aeropuerto

Sorry I don't have a ton of time!

Well this week was great! Elder Chamberlain and I wanted to work a little harder, and so we put the goal to contact 100 people this week! In this mission that goal is INSANE high. and guess what!? we made it. At 8:45 Saturday night we made our 100th contact. We have seen the blessing of grace in the work through our diligence so much this week, more than ever before! Beatrice (not her real name) got baptized (pictures coming asap). Her son is getting baptized this week. The husband of Beatrice FINALLY came to church and felt the spirit really strong in her baptism! S. and M., another young couple that we're working with, got married! And a man named (A.), who we had stoped teaching about 2 weeks ago because he said he wouldn't stop working on Sundays, came up to us and said he quit his job so that he could keep the day of rest and be with his family and in his new one he won't work on Sundays! He's super excited as well!!! 

These are the blessings of grace that come from true diligence in the work, and it applies to everything in life. When God has seen that we have done all that we can do, he blesses us. With forgivness, success, or whatever he sees fit. The only condition is doing what we can. We know when we've done it all, and when there's still more left. I urge all of you that want to change something in your life, be it school or work or forgivness or personal change, to put God's things first, and do all that you can. If you're feeling lazy then get up and do that last bit. If you're afraid to do it, don't worry, God protects those who do what's right, he fights their battles, and whatever problem you face, you face because he wants you to grow. 

I love you guys I hope you all have a great week and talk to you next week!!!

July 6 in Aeropuerto, Veracruz City

Well, everyone, I've been here in the Aeropuerto ward for some time now, about 2 months, and I'm pleased to announce that we will finally be having some converts!!! After lots of work and effort, a person that has become a dear friend of mine has decided that she wants to be baptized. 

Beatrice (name has been changed)  is 30 something, has two kids, and lives with her second husband. She will be baptized this Sunday and her son who is 13 will be baptized next week. We found Beatrice forever ago but she didn't progress because she didn't come to church, even though she had recieved her answer that this was true. Her husband works 24 hour shifts every other day, and though he is a super nice guy, has never wanted anything with church. But Beatrice and their son have changed tremendously, and now her husband wants to come to Beatrice's baptism! We're going to baptize her on his birthday. We hope he feels the spirit and decides to follow them so that they can have an eternal family. 

One thing that I have been impressed with about Beatrice is her dedication. She doesn't have much money. She got offered a really good job, but the problem was that she would have to work every other Sunday. She came to us and asked us if she should take it, because she needed the money. We read the story of Nephi and the brass plates and obedience with her, and she understood.  God made the heavens, and the earth, and all things that in them are. Heavenly Father knows we have need of these things. Beatrice rejected the work offer. Then, another work offer came, with a very good income, but the same conditions: breaking the commandment of the Sabbath day. She rejected it again. And not too long afterwards, she was offered a job where she only has to work 3-4 days a week, and gets payed the same amount as she would have with those other jobs! Beatrice has developed a testimony of obedience. 

When life gets tough, if you will be obedient, then God will care for you through his commandments. But, like a little child that crosses a busy road against the wishes of his parents, when we are disobedient, the world may harm us. Be obedient. It is not a burden, but a blessing. Have the faith to stay true to the One who made you, who has stayed true to you since the beginning. Give thanks unto Him daily, observe His commandments, and He will go before your face, lifting you up, and providing you with peace beyond comprehension. 

In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

June 29 in Veracruz City

The past two weeks have been awesome. And brutal. Let me talk about brutal first.

So Mexico is like, really hot and stuff. Which sucks. We're always dying and sweating. I'm used to being drenched now. It's kinda comfortable. Except the smell and the crustiness. The bad part is that last week, we lost electricity TWICE!!!! Which means our air conditioner (yeah, this is a rich area, we DO have one of those) wasn't working and so we passed the night sweating to death. It was easily the most miserable night I've ever had. In my life. Which just makes it hilarious for me now that it's over. Then, two days later, we lost power AGAIN! But this time it wasn't at night so we only half died. Then, this week, we dont have water!!!!!! So we can't wash all the nastyness off. It's like football practice x5. It's wayyy sweatier down here. 

All that aside, I would like to share something this week. This week I've learned a lot about the gospel of Jesus Christ. The gospel is many times called the gospel of repentance, even though it's faith, repentance, baptism, the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end. We, as human beings, are "carnal and sensual", fallen, thanks to the fall of Adam and Eve. In that state we cannot return to Heavenly Father, because we are unworthy to be in His presence. In order to redeem us from our fallen state, so that our carnal minds may become spiritual, He "sent His only begotten son, so that whosoever believeth in Him, might not perish, but have everlasting life." So if we believe in Christ, we will have everlasting life. But only if we have true belief, which means that we also understand that one day there will be a day of judgement. If we truly believe, then we will understand that we must prepare ourselves for this day of judgement. We must turn our hearts from carnal to spiritual, become like God, and not like the natural man. This change from carnal to spiritual is called conversion, and is brought about only through repentance. The atonement (the sacrifice and death of Christ) does not redeem us IN our sins, but rather, FROM them. This is what missionaries teach.

Repentance is the process through which we change. This leads to the ordinances, or covenants, that we make with God when we are fully repentant. Like baptism, which cleanses us from our sins when we repent. If it weren't for repentance, we would never be able to change, and thus never be able to have eternal life, because we could not bear to be in the presence of God.

Without repentance our faith would be in vain, and therefore not real faith. Without true repentance, the ordinances of baptism, the gift of the Holy Ghost, and the sacrament would be void, dead works, "having the form of godliness, but denying the power thereof", and peace, or the feeling that God gives us as a confirmation that at judgement day we will be saved, would be denied us forever.

That being said, we are all human and we all make mistakes. If we are with sin, we cannot enter into God's presence, nor have peace. So I invite you all to repent. The results are so rewarding! The peace you will feel can be lasting. To repent, first recognize that you did something wrong. You must confess to God through prayer, and then to whoever you have wronged or hurt, and then (if it is a serious sin) to a church leader ordained of God to be a judge in Israel. This is often the hardest step in repentance, but be humble! Don't fear what man can do. Fear the judgement day and your God. It will be hard, but with the help of the Lord and prayer and a plan, all is possible. If you have wronged someone, stop doing it, then analyze the situation and see what you can do to fix it. Then, show your heartfeltness to the Lord by keeping His commandments and giving service to others. Trust in the Savior that you can be forgiven. You will know that it has happened when you cease to feel guilt and feel at peace with yourself. Sometimes it is a long process. Don't worry! It has an end!

The best of all the scriptures that I have found about true repentance is in Alma 36. There you can identify all of the steps. 

I leave you my testimony of repentance. I am human, and have made many mistakes. But I know they have been washed clean through the blood of Christ. "Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord. Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be white as snow, though they be as crimson, they shall be white like wool." I know peace is possible in this life and that it is through true repentance that we reach it. I know that the Savior Jesus Christ died for each one of you, and that it doesn't matter what you may have done, you can be made clean through the merciful process of repentance. 

In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.