Wow what a week!

This week was awesome. 

We started up trios with the Cali Zone leaders and it was so awesome.

This Thursday I went to the Villa Colombia Zone with Elder Sacco and Elder Mancilla, it’s so weird to me that the people I have know for the last 19 months you have never heard of. Villa Colombia is the east part of Cali, and is known to be a complicated area of Cali. All day we were on our feet running from one appointment to the next, it was awesome, all day in a new area. A recent convert accompanied us for the day named Junior; he is 14 years old and was telling everyone that he had to listen to us, ha-ha.

The most awesome experience that I had when I was there with Villa Colombia Zone was that we contacted a family, the Bedoya Family they are epic. The family consists of the mom, dad, and their two sons, 20 and 14 years old. The oldest had recently been in a fight and was shot 3 times in the stomach and since then he has wanted to change his life. It had only been about 2 weeks since he had been shot and he was all bound up to tubes and stuff, however he listened so intently to everything that we had to say and wanted to understand more about every concept that we presented. His family as well was excited to hear and learn about the restoration. We then had a Family Home Evening with the Bishop (who lives in front of their house) and we invited them, they all went and loved it. I love the gospel and the traditions that we have such as Family Home Evenings. Who doesn’t like Family Home Evening??? It was such an awesome day honestly. 

Then yesterday I went with Cordillera, to the Versalles Chapel. Versalles is the first chapel built here in Cali. It was another awesome day. We taught recent converts and some investigators and had an activity. The recent converts were awesome. Like Jose, Jose is 67 years old, got baptized 3 weeks ago, reads the scriptures daily and is awesome. Oh I forgot to mention that he is blind. He remembers everything that you say, and listens so intently to what you say. He is awesome. He lives in a very dangerous part of Cali so we had the lesson in the chapel, and I asked him if he was ever nervous to enter that part of Cali by himself, and he just responded;

"Of course not, when the hoodlums come up and ask me for everything I have, I always just say;

Don’t you have something for me, I’m blind, I’m old, I’m hungry, help me.... and I end up with an extra coin or two in my pocket!"

Hahaha, I was laughing so hard, I could only imagine. Then we had an activity. I was walking with Elder Jara when he told me, "Elder Lyle, I’m worried, we don’t have hardly anyone to play soccer in the activity." In an instant I saw a bunch of boys my age, I called them over and said, "HEY! Do you guys like to play soccer? We are going to play at the church at 6, meet us here at 5:30 so we can go together". At 5:30 there were 4 more boys with them, one of which went to church today. It’s so amazing what happens when we only open our mouths and invite. What’s the worst that could happen, that they say no? 

I love the mission. I find myself constantly trying to be better about talking to everyone. I love meeting new people, but sometimes we might judge a book by it’s cover and say, no they won’t want to hear what I have to say. However, there are many people that are just waiting to hear that invitation that we have for them. 

I am reminded many times of Alma the prophet who said:
(Alma 29 1-2)

1.   O that I were an angel, and could have the wish of mine heart, that I might go forth and speak with the trump of God, with a voice to shake the earth, and cry repentance unto every people!

2.  Yea, I would declare unto every soul, as with the voice of thunder, repentance and the plan of redemption, that they should repent and come unto our God, that there might not be more sorrow upon all the face of the earth.”

I love this part of the Book of Mormon. How many times do we have the opportunity to talk and we do not. I love the desire of Alma to be a better missionary, this is something that we can all be better at, and it all starts by opening our mouths. 

I love this Gospel and all that it has to offer. 

I wish you all an awesome week next week.

We start interviews again this next week, busy week ahead.

My Challenge for you all is: 

Visit one person who you haven’t seen in a long time (less-active) and tell them how much you love them and miss having them in your lives. 

I love you so much. 

Until next week

Elder Rawly Lyle