August 6, 2015
There are two things that are talked about and quoted most
here at the CCM, the Gospel and...Nacho Libre.
This week has been, nuts, fun, the same as usual, and as
always, filled with growth and an abundance of the Spirit.
We have our flight info! We fly out on Monday, from Mexico
City to Santiago, have a 6 hour layover, and then fly to Osorno. We packed
today.
Last night I was pretty bummed about Spanish. We are
learning subjunctives right now and all of my example sentences I made in class
needed correction, and I was tired, and a bit discouraged. That day I prayed
for help with Spanish, not for myself, but so I can be an instrument in God's
hand in blessing his children. I felt comfort, because I know God will help me,
because I'm learning Spanish for others.
I just had an experience. A wife of the second counselor in
the CCM presidency was with me, Presidente Tenorio, his wife, and Elders Shobe,
Woolley, and Boggs. I was speaking with Presidente Tenorio in my rookie Spanish,
jk it’s a'ight, and the second counselor's wife came and heard me. She asked
me where I learned my Spanish. I said here in the CCM. She then said this is a
miracle. Because I spoke well, and I had the accent and everything. That was a
TM to me, because in this moment the Lord showed me how he is helping me, and
that I am progressing, even when it doesn't feel that way.
We saw a clip of a devotional at BYU Idaho where Elder
Bednar spoke about how we can know if promptings we get are our own or from the
Spirit. To this question he said: Quit worrying about it! Press forward, do
your best, it works out. As long as we are
1. being a good boy or girl,
2. honoring our covenants,
3. keeping the commandments and
4. doing our best,
our life will be guided to do God's work, He will place you
where you need to be, guide you to people and experiences you need to have, and
most of the time you will never know it is happening that way. In the culture
of our church we feel we need to know exactly why, before we follow a
prompting, but we don't.
I have an experience with this. I was in a lesson, and I
felt I needed to share a scripture, and I picked up my scriptures, and everyone
was staring at me, and I didn't know what I was doing, and I was flipping through
the pages, and then I saw Alma. I remembered the 2,000 stripling warriors. I
remembered their example of faith. I remembered where it was. And I was able to
help our investigator.
Sometimes we have thoughts pop into our mind to do
something. And we don't see it as a prompting. Just like I had the thought to
share all of this with you. But I recognized it as a prompting later. This also
applies to priesthood blessings.
The priesthood is a lot like Thor. Yes, Thor. The hammer
represents priesthood power. Being able to pick up the hammer represents
worthiness. For blessings, sometimes what is in your mind from study and
experiences we've had or are having, or things we've learned, are what we need
to say. Those things are there for Heavenly Father to draw from, and He has
given you those studies, insights, thoughts, experiences to bless the person
you're blessing. Is it me or the Spirit? Quit worrying about it. Again, just be
a good boy or girl, strive to honor your covenants, keep the commandments, and
do your best, and then what you say and do will be guided.
1 Nephi 4:6 "And I was led by the Spirit, not knowing
beforehand the things which I should do."
Also, do your prayers stink? I learned how to remedy this!
To improve the quality of our prayers we need to give something to God. Don't only
take and ask. In your prayers, focus on others. Talk with God. With our friends
we don't take, take, take and ask, ask, ask. We tell them experiences, stories,
and funny jokes. Do the same with God. In our prayers ask god what HE would
want us to do, or what HE would want us to change. Forget yourself. Ask for
what the Spirit gives you to ask for.
Also, something I've learned is to say hi and talk to as
many people as possible. The more I do this, the more God is able to help His
children feel His love, and His life, through me.
I love my mission with everything I have. I know I am a
representative of Jesus Christ. I know the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day
Saints is true. I know God has a plan for all of us, for you. He loves YOU. He
hears YOUR prayers. He is guiding YOUR life. He is looking out for YOU. God
works on an individual level. I know that is true.
God be with you till we meet again,
Elder West
From a previous short email last week about Jacob's daily schedule at the CCM:
Our day goes like this. Breakfast. Hour of personal study. Language class. Missionary fundamentals. Lunch. Computer lab language. Personal language study. Exercise time. Daily planning. Dinner. Then another language class. Then a progressing investigator. Then more class. Then bed.
Also from last week:
It also rained and hailed, so we tested out our Chile rain gear.
