There is Opposition in all Things

Well this week was fairly incredible if you ask me. 

As a district we had a goal:

That we would bring 40 people to the Americas branch, investigators. And well, we brought 49. It is something of a miracle that put the entire branch and the other missionaries into awe. How did we do this you may ask? We learned the importance of unity and interest. It’s as simple as that.

This week we made an epic goal and huge plans in order to make this happen. Although the moment we made these plans to bring 40 investigators to church the world threw itself against us. The paro (strike) got worse, people starting marching through the streets. For us, the missionaries, it meant we had to stay in the house till 1pm everyday. But luckily we live out in the outskirts of Popayan so we didn’t have much to worry about, however we still had to follow the rules, of course. So what did we do with our time in the house?

We invited the other missionaries from our branch and we made invitations and plans to make this the best week ever. Elder Jones and I get along great, (although his companion is difficult). So we started making plans. 

We bought candy

We made heart shaped invitations.

We had a night where all of our investigators and some members of the church got together and we made them salchipapas, french fries with sausage, cheese, mayo and ketchup mixed together, its was awesome. 

And we used our secret weapon that we like to call “snakes”. 

Snakes are what we call women here who.... well...

Who like us you can say.

And we, Elder Jones & I, the two gringos, they call us the body and the eyes. Jones is a workout alcoholic and my eyes are very interesting to people down here, so funny.

So we used the “snakes”.

We had the “snakes” that are members walk everywhere with us. We didn’t teach one lesson alone. We taught them all with people from the branch. It’s awesome, we now have about 15 people scheduled to be baptized for the 21st of September. We are having such great success it’s incredible. We’re so busy we don’t have enough time in the day. 

Everything is going great here, except for the priesthood situation. All of the priesthood here is what my companion calls a chichipata, or in other words, it doesn’t work. The members of the priesthood here don’t want to work with us, which makes it really hard to do divisions. We don’t have enough time in the day so we need to split up, however we need someone to accompany us, and nobody can. It’s really hard. 

Saturday we had planned that all of the men in the branch would meet to help us reach our goal of 40, and when we arrived not one person showed up. My companion gets really angry about that kind of stuff. 

It’s really hard when you feel like you have no support.

Opposition in all things. 

Sunday we woke up to find that the strike had ended and we were greeted with 49 investigators in the chapel. We have been blessed this week.

Today was the best P-day ever.
Jones and I made lasagna, which was awesome. I made the sauce. We bought some sauce and added literally 2 lbs of meat to it. It’s a good thing my mom taught me to doctor up things cause at first the sauce was horrible, but after a few tweaks it was perfect. The lasagna was epic. 

Now to the Message of the week: 

For all of you at home I have a goal for you this week. 

Focus on the needs of others

Read Mosiah 4:16-27

It’s our responsibility to share what we have 

19 For behold, are we not all beggars? Do we not all depend upon the same Being, even God, for all the substance which we have, for both food raiment, and for gold, and for silver, and for all the riches which we have of every kind?

Sometimes we are caught up in the things of this world.

However it is a commandment to strive to give all you can to follow the example of Jesus Christ.

Sometimes we can’t give all that we have, sometimes all we can do is try with all our heart, just as long as we are following the example of Jesus Christ.

We can only do what we can do.

27 And see that all these things are done in wisdom and order; for it is not requisite that a man should run faster than he has strength. And again, it is expedient that he should be diligent, that thereby he might win the prize; therefore, all things be done in order.

What is important is that in the end we have done all that we are capable of doing. That we are able to do all these things in order. Don’t sacrifice too much that you can’t do what is needed in your own life. However serve with all that you can as well. 

Balance in all things

Opposition in all things

There is always a balance in all things in this world. 

Challenge for this week: 

Focus in on the needs of others, and at your expense do something for someone else at least one time this week.

How awesome would it be if we could all do something special Thursday night, in a night of service for others.

Invite them to dinner, bring them dinner, have a fun night with them, bring them to the movies. Something, anything, just do something for someone else. They might be in need financially or they might be in need spiritually, they might just need a friend right now. Someone needs your help this week. Do something about it 

I share these things in the name of Jesus Christ

Amen

Elder Lyle