This past week was phenomenal in so many aspects but a really amazing opportunity was given to me this past week to be able to visit my past area in the Alianza Real due to a stake missionary activity that we had last Saturday where we united all of the missionaries in the Stake and with all the Stake Presidency, High Council, and Several Other Stake Leaders. We divided up and had a member from the Alianza Branch accompany us to be able to know our way around the area, but after 6 months serving in this wonderful branch, it was like coming home and it was a wonderful experience running into the Hermano Uriel and his family who started coming to church again after our visit, and even though we were given a specific route, the Elders in the branch kind of let me go as a free agent to find all the people that I felt needed the invite which was so wonderful!
It was also a funny experience because in the activity I was talking with the Stake Presidency and Stake High Council, and they all recognized me by name without having to look at my nametag which is awesome, because I am going for a year now in the same amazing Stake, called Anahuac, and it has been a wonderful learning opportunity because I feel like I know this part of Monterrey incredibly well and I have grown to love this little part of the Lord´s vineyard a ton! and even some members and recent converts from the other wards have gotten to know me which sometimes makes me feel like a celebrity, haha!
But anyway on a little more spiritual side of things we had a really amazing experience with some Member references this past week named Cristi, Mari and Alejandra. They are three single mothers with several teenage children and they have had very complicated family relations. We began teaching them by getting to know them a little bit and sharing our purpose as missionaries, and these women just broke down crying because they had passed by us in their car before the appointment where we had walked from the other side of the ward to be able to reach their house, which was an hour walk in 100 degree weather, and they asked us why we had come walking in such extreme conditions to help them, and I was able to respond to them, Because you are that important to God, and we hope to teach you about your worth and the potential you have in His Eyes. With this simple recognition of a principle I think they had known a long time ago, but now were not so sure after such difficult marriages, it opened up a beautiful spirit in the Room, and these sweet sisters told us, what can we do to learn more, for which we began to tie in principles of the Plan of Salvation with the restoration, and after we finished teaching about the Book of Mormon, I brought out a copy of the Book of Mormon and Elder Chavez did as well, and with a humble tone of voice we said that we would like to share with you the key to everything that makes us happy and lets us know more of God´s plan, and we committed them that if we gave them copies of the Book of Mormon, that they would read them to which the Hermana Cristi literally snatched the Book out of my hands and basically said, [I am not only going to read it, but I am going to study every aspect of this book!
This beautiful experience made me wish to share with everyone of you that truly this Church is so wonderful because when investigators, members, or contacts on the street, who have been beaten and torn up by life and feel like they have little left to contribute or accomplish in life are able to recognize the divine plan of Forgiveness, of Happiness, and of Peace, everything changes! The light in their eyes begins to return, and time and time again I can testify that I have seen the Light of the Atonement revolutionize everyone from rebellious teenagers to sweet, arthritic, grandmothers, and in every situation they begin to sense this greater Redeeming force and that they are not alone! I can truly share just like C.S. Lewis declared, I believe in Christ as I believe that the sun has risen: not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else. I love the mission, I love this gospel and I love our Savior because through His Loving Sacrifice all things are possible!
I would like to invite each of us to reflect upon the many blessings we receive at the Hands of our all-loving, all-knowing Heavenly Father, and His Son Jesus Christ and resolve to set a few goals to express our gratitude for Their never-ending Grace and Goodness!
I love you all!
Hope you have a phenomenal week!
1. Activity in Alianza
2. and 3. Elder Chavez and I passing Abandoned Railroad lines
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