 |
| BBQ'ing plantains |
The beginning of the
week was a little rough. Lunes (Monday) we found ANOTHER super awesome Venezuelan
family. They had talked with the missionaries before (here in Cerrito) but had
gone back to Venezuela and had just gotten back to Cerrito. We had an awesome
lesson with them about how God only has one way to get back to Him.
Martes (Tuesday) and
Miércoles (Wednesday) were the toughest. Martes here they have like a full-on
party. The entire day they are having a giant water fight, water balloons,
water guns, foam, paint, flour--you name it, they were throwing it. Hahaha. It
was awesome. We somehow made it through the day without getting attacked. ha-ha. We
greeted New Year’s dead asleep, ha-ha, until all the fireworks went
off.
The rest of the week
was awesome. We had tons of really good citas/appointments with investigators
that are progressing really good. We also found several old investigators and a
bunch of new ones. Something I found very interesting, the lessons and things
we teach are very good and important, but if the fundamental doctrines are not
taught, a person will not understand “why” we want them to do certain
things. I listened to a talk about answering the primary questions (doctrine or
truths that never change) and focusing on them more than the secondary
questions. The talk also explained that to answer a question fully we must
learn 4 ways, through STUDY, by EVIDENCE, with EXPERIENCE and ultimately most
important, through the SPIRIT. I thought about that a lot this week and
realized that a lot of times we (missionaries) teach about secondary questions
but forget to help the people first understand the doctrines and primary
questions. I think then, after the primary questions and doctrines are
presented and explained, we then show the person how to gain the confirmation
of the truth through studies, evidences, experiences and spiritually. Ha-ha.
Hopefully that made some sense.
I’ve also been
thinking about missionary work. I feel a lot of times we try to work super,
super hard digging and searching for the “gold” or people who are ready to
be baptized pronto. But I remember parts of Preach My Gospel other places that
explain missionaries and members need to work together. Ha-ha. I made the
relation to working at the mine and digging for gold with a shovel, or with an
excavator. ;) Obviously the excavator is way better and way more effective. However
the shovel is still necessary in needed in parts where the excavator can’t get
to. ;) SOooo when missionaries and members work together to bring souls to
Christ, the work becomes easier and more effective. However, us missionaries
still have our part to work the unknown, unfamiliar parts.
Domingo (Sunday), we didn’t
have a TON of investigators in church like last week, but those that did come
are really, really good investigators that are really progressing. In the night
we had cambios/transfers. Elder Burt left to another zone. I’m staying in
Cerrito with Elder Flores and Elder Ypushima (ee poo she ma). Yep I’m in a
trio again. I’m not too big a fan of trios. I feel there is a reason God sent
us two in two, not three in three, but I’m just here to work and it doesn’t
really matter who’s by my side. Also, they cut the Cerrito area in half and
there are two other elders in the one side, and we are in the other. The sad
part is... most of our awesome super progressing investigators are no longer in
our area. :( Darn. Its all good though. This is God’s work, and He has a plan
for everything.
Les amo!!!
Elder Sorensen
