You Never Know What Waits You

Let me tell you all what I’ve been through. 

I really am not having fun running with a backpack on. This week I have ran so much with a backpack on that I’m surprised my back isn’t bruised from the repetitive pounding it gets from by bible, ha-ha. But let me tell you all exactly why.

This week I wanted Elder Rebolledo to step out of his comfort zone and start contacting people in the streets and knocking on doors. I taught him the same principles that my first companion, Elder Borg, taught me. I haven’t used those principles in months. We started contacting people and something crazy happened, every person we talked to accepted us and listened to us. 

The coolest family we met was the Mosquera-Hernandez family. We couldn’t talk to them the first day we met them but they told us to come back. We went back the second time to find someone else in the house. We started presenting ourselves and found out that he is the son-in-law of Maria and Gerardo the grandparents and owners of the house. We started talking some more and he stopped us and said, ¨Sorry to interrupt but I need to say something I’m a member of the Church and have been since 1994. It’s been a long time since I’ve been to church and I’ve been praying to find my way back, can you help me?” My companion and I were in shock we found this family knocking on doors. He was praying for a way back and we just happened upon his doorstep. 

We invited his daughter, Laura (13) and his father and mother-in-law to get ready to be baptized on the 7th of June and they accepted. They live next to Abner Ramirez. We are teaching this family from the kids to the great grandparents. The great grandpa is a little difficult because he is deaf and a 7th Day Adventists. So all of our conversations consist of me shouting in his ear scriptures as to why Sunday is the Sabbath and not Saturday. It’s exhausting let me tell you.

I’m having a blast. There are so many appointments every single day. I’m majorly stressed out, again...and I LOVE IT.

I told President Prince that if he gave me 2 new missionaries and another missionary with a good reputation that Jamundí would change, and oh it so has. With the constant excitement that we bring to everyday there is nothing that can stop us. 

SO QUESTION

How do you feel? Right now. 

Do you feel like you are facing a challenge so big you can’t overcome it? 

I know exactly how you feel; I was there when I started training Elder Rebolledo. I had no idea how to train a new missionary nor how to do a good job in what has been known as the pit of the mission. Well I found great council in the scriptures. 

When Nephi and his family went off to the desert to leave Jerusalem, Lehi the father of Nephi, said to his sons go all the way back to Jerusalem and bring back a bunch of bronze tablets that weigh a ton. Oh and you’ll have to get them from the bloodthirsty rich dude. He won’t just give them to you but I know you guys will figure it out. You can imagine that Nephi and his brothers were a little worried about how they could possibly get these bronze plates and then lug them back out into the desert without being murdered. Nephi’s brothers started to say no way, we are going to die we know it. But Nephi’s response is the best advice and or council you can ever receive:

1 Nephi 3:7

7 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, said unto my father: I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them.

I testify that God has prepared a way for men to accomplish the things he has asked them to do. If your goal is worthy and good, God has prepared the way. 

So keep on chugging through it, it might be difficult and in whatever you do remember:

BRING THE RAIN

Challenge: 

Complete something that you have tried many times to do in the past but haven't succeed.

This is your time

DO IT

If it is praiseworthy or of good report we seek after these things. And God has in fact prepared the way 

I love you all

Elder Lyle