Monday, May 16, 2016

Be not afraid, only believe

This week has been great. I’ll start off by talking about my back.
I had a cita with the doctor this morning. The mission nurse traveled 2 hours from Osorno to give the zone shots, and she also came to this cita I had. The doctor told me that we are going to start doing physical therapy. I go every morning. This will happen for two weeks and then I’ll have another cita with the doctor. After, the mission nurse told me that the church’s doctor that supervises Chile had looked at my MRI, and if the results of my doctor appointment weren’t good, I would be going home. SO GLAD I’M NOT GOING HOME. I said many prayers of gratitude and had survivors shock for a while. I’m starting off by working 4 hours daily this week, 5 hours daily next, then 6 hours the next, until I’m better.
Last week we went to Hiper Lider. It is like a Walmart from the states. That was an amazing experience.
REAL soup cans that we saw in that big LĂ­der.

I caught 2 flies with my hands this week. Hobbs is my witness.
Saturday, we did our first weekly planning as a companionship because we can now work. We ended with companionship inventory. That was the best inventory I’ve had in my mission. We are both really good friends. He is such a good missionary. Obedient. Happy. Working.
On Sunday, we had lunch with our ward mission leader. Afterwards, we shared a scripture, and he then showed us a ton of scriptures he has marked up. Then he told us he wanted to show us a knife. We said we had to go and asked if we could say a prayer. He insisted and we consented. Then he whipped out a sick EAGLE TALON KNIFE. The handle was literally an eagle claw.
During personal study, I flipped to Exodus 4:10-12. As I was reading, it talked about Moses and how he was worried about his speech, because he was of a slow mouth. He didn’t feel capable enough. Then the Lord told him, He made man’s mouth and makes the dumb and the blind. Halfway through my reading of this scripture in Spanish, I remembered that this scripture comforted me with all of my "Will I ever learn Spanish?" worries before the mission. And I just read that very scripture in Spanish and understood it. A miracle. I then thought about other times in my life where I was scared, and it all turned out well in the end. I realized this applies to my present situation with my back. That comforted me.
Also before my cita with the doctor this morning, I was feeling pretty up tight. I was anxious about what was going to happen. We got there 20 minutes early, and the gates weren’t open yet. So we stood by the river bank enshrouded in fog. I started to sing Jesus the Very Thought of Thee and Master the Tempest is Raging to myself to calm down. As I sang quietly to myself in the fog, the Spirit comforted me. Everything shall obey God’s will, so peace be still. And the 3rd verse of Jesus the Very Thought of Thee comforted me a lot as well. I’m only doing my best, and Jesus looks kindly upon my efforts. A tender mercy. I felt at peace afterwards and ready to face the uncertain future from that doctor’s appointment.
In my personal study this week, several scriptures have helped me a lot.
Doctrine and Covenants 58:2; Doctrine and Covenants 98:3; and Mark 5:36
An hermana in our ward learned about my back and was very kind to me and asked me questions. She was legitimately concerned for me. She came up to us just before sacrament meeting on Sunday with a jar of jam in her hands. She made it for us. She wished me well. During the sacrament, I was pondering on how I’ve seen Lord's hand in my life. I thought back to that experience. I felt so loved and cared for. I felt important. I felt that someone was thinking of me, and served me. I felt God’s love through that hermana. Receiving that jar of jam was like God saying to me, "I see you. I know you. Don’t be afraid."
During the week, we went to the church to prepare for a church activity. That morning, the mission nurse told me she would be coming to my cita with the doctor. That stressed me out because all of a sudden, that cita was a big deal. I was worried. Sitting in the chapel, as others were setting things up, I bowed my head in prayer and told God how I was feeling. The words came to my mind, "Jacob, do you trust me?" I said "Yes, I trust thee." Then the words came, “Then don’t fear." Accompanied with an overwhelming feeling of love. God has been nothing but merciful to me. He comforts us. He doesn’t want us to fear.
On Saturday, I asked Elder Hobbs to give me a blessing of comfort for the upcoming doctor’s cita. In it, he told me that whatever the results of the cita were, I could be at peace, because it would be God’s will. And whatever the outcome was, God knows me and he knows I will try my best. He doesn’t want me to fear.
Wow. Just writing this letter, I’m realizing how much help and comfort God has given me. I guess I just want you guys to know that I know that we don’t need to fear. God has a perfect plan for us. He loves us. I’m so grateful for Him. He is merciful.
Thanks for helping me through this time Mom, Dad, and kids. I love you all so much.


Elder West

My view of our big screen TV J