Steppin' It Up

So my district got here last Wednesday. 

Four missionaries stayed and four came in. I’m now in charge of a boatload of missionaries…

Kind of stressed not going to lie.

Awesome things are happening here in Ipiales. All of a sudden lots of people are listening to us. It’s incredible to see the progress of some of the people we are teaching. 

Let me tell you the story of:   The Hirazo Family

We got to know them last week. 

Their dad died about 7 years ago.

There are 5 kids ranging from 5 to 22. 

The mom is now in jail and all the kids live by themselves.

We live in a fairly uppity part of Ipiales, so when they told us they lived in our neighborhood... 

They actually happen to live on the outskirts of where we live on the side of a house in a tin shack. I always thought it was a garage that someone had built for their house, but no. This is where they live. I was shocked. 

We are teaching them and they are understanding everything so fast it’s incredible. We just came from their house right now. I taught them how to make cream of potato soup and steak rice.

Let me just say:

Thank you all for all of your incredible support. I have received such incredible emails in these last few weeks. Thank you so much. I wish I could respond to all of them. Know that every single one of is read. 

Also let me clear something up:

I hear a lot of ¨You are so devoted to your church! ¨

That is a lie. 

I don’t have a church; I belong to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. 

I’m here in Colombia to spread the news that the original church that Jesus Christ established has been restored completely on the Earth once again. The authority to heal, do ordinances, give blessings is here once again. 12 apostles, a prophet and most importantly Jesus Christ directing everything.

This is not a gospel of men, but rather:  The Gospel of Jesus Christ.

I’m here to serve Him and no one else.

I’m not here because I’m devoted to my church

I’m here because I love my Savior.

I’m here to share this message with all who can hear me.

I’m here to testify of God’s love for all of his children and how we can move closer to him and receive even more blessings.

The houses here in Colombia are very interesting. There are no doorknobs on the outside of the houses, only a place to put the key. Imagine the presence and blessings of God like a house and we are outside. We can’t try to just open the door because there isn’t a way to do it without a doorknob. So what do we do to enter:

Mathew 7:7-8

7. Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:

8. For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.

We knock.

I invite people to knock, in humble prayer if this is true.

I’m not here to convince anyone. That’s not my job. My job is simply to invite people to knock on the doors of heaven.

Know that I love you all

Elder Rawly Lyle