Mi querida familia,
I tell you every week that its been a
good one, don't I? I feel like every day here is just amazing, even when there
are problems or tal vez (perhaps) things don't happen exactly how we want them to, we
can't avoid seeing miracles every day.
Sounds like you guys too. So what are you driving now,
Mom? That's gotta be weird having a different car, you had that Enclave for
sooo long. I just love our family, I hope Caitlynn and Seth are doing great
too, I worry about you all sometimes. But I know that our Heavenly Father is
always watching over us. Haley, you just do what you know is right, Christ will
never let us fall alone while we are following Him. Literally, when we follow
Him, we obviously are always going to be with Him (or Him with us). It's
inevitable. He loves us with an infinite love, which has NO limits. He expects
every single one of us to do His will. Even when we don't know exactly what it
is, we can follow the promptings provided by the Holy Ghost which are purely
concentrated to just direct us to Him. When you follow His promptings, you
cannot go wrong. Take the step, and have faith to continue. Reagan, you can do
the same! Just follow what you know is right, always. You will not go wrong.
You know what is right, because we have two incredible parents who have raised
us in much wisdom. Speaking of Reagan, I was talking with the young men
yesterday during the 3rd hour of church because their leader couldn't come to
church. We talked about leaving the electronics (cell phones and computer) to
strengthen our relationships with our family. I felt so grateful that I have
such a great relationship with all of you. I shared the story of how I just
loved going on midnight fast food runs with you all the time. Those are times I
really treasure and remember enjoying with my sister. Its such a marvelous
thought how little things can make such big impacts on our lives. I miss all my
sisters so much. And my parents, my best examples.
One thing I have especially learned
this week is the power in sacrifice and pure dedication. I have never felt so
tired yet so alive and satisfied than these last few days. Elder Marchant and I
found one of our investigators drunk last Sunday, and it just broke my heart to
see it. The Father of such a great family, not to mention such a great man.
Satan really can turn the greatest men to make mistakes. We do not judge the
people ever, I just feel so much love towards him, Marco, that we worry about
him alot. We have seen the problems that alcohol brings into his life and the
life of his family. It literally destroys families. It is one of the
adversary's greatest and strongest instruments to destroy families these days.
Because it is literally everywhere. "Everyone drinks; just a little
doesn't do anything; Its only bad if you don't know how to control yourself; It
helps me forget my problems; It would be rude to deny the invitation from a
friend" Ahhh so many DUMB excuses to sin. Alcohol will destroy every
particle of your life and your family, I promise you. Do not give into
temptation, nobody can try to justify sinning. You just can't do it.
Anyways, after seeing him, we past by
his home that next day. He was ashamed, sad, and knew that it was destroying
his family. But we taught them clearly that day in this home that it would
continue destroying their family if they didn't stop it. We then made goals
with them. Especially with Marco. That he would pray every day before going to
work, and every night before going to sleep. He leaves for work at 6:00 in the
morning, because he's a mason. We wanted him to know that we weren't just saying
things, and that this was the truth. When we pray, we receive power to resist
temptations. We promised to help him. The next day we woke up early, and ran to
his house to catch him before he went off to work, and we found him in the
front room of his home with the Book of Mormon open, and him kneeling down
praying. It made my heart jump! We talked with him like 2 minutes, and kneeled
down again to say another prayer with him. And we've been doing so every day
since. We even walked over Sunday morning to pray with him early in the morning
too. Elder Marchant and I feel so tired sometimes, but then we just keep
pushing forward and working, and the tiredness just goes away. Then we sleep,
wake up the next morning and do it all over again. We went to Palenque and
Tenosique the other day and it was soo hard, we were so tired in the combi. I
totally fell asleep and almost fell over (Elder Marchant was just going to let
me fall over too haha, I saw him just staring at me laughing haha) It was
great.
It has really made me understand how much prayer can help
us in our everyday lives. Marco used to drink daily, stopped drinking on
weekdays 4 weeks ago, and hasn't drinken at all for a week. His prayers are so
sincere when we pray with him too. He is so humble, and aware of what he needs
to change in his life. He loves his family, and his family is so supportive,
and so happy. Seeing them all in church this sunday together was so great! This
whole week we have just been relying upon Christ to become better missionaries
and see more miracles in our area. He is the only one who can provide such
power in our lives to change ourselves, if we only permit Him to do so. With
our faith and daily repentance, changing ourselves to becomes better persons
through His Atonement. I found a perfect quote this morning in the hermana
Atilana's house. Its by Hyrum L. Andrus (don't know him): "Man cannot be
induced to reach up and acquire the goodness of God unless he realizes that in
mortality he is in a fallen state and that he must rely upon Christ for mercy,
truth, and power." If we are humble and recognize our faults, if we
recognize that only Christ can help us, then we must depend on Him to help us
make the changes necessary.
Sorry to get preachy, I just love sharing what I have
learned this week. You are all amazing. I am growing so much here. Never
thought so before. I just want to stay on the mission forever, but I know my
time is running out. I will work the hardest I can, every force in my body
should be gone, they're going to have to bring me back home in an ambulance. =)
That would be okay with me. I'm not finishing the race walking, even if I have
cramps, I'm running anyways... NI MODO (no way)
Con amor (with love), Elder Knight
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