Week 59 - "The gospel is growing, it is spreading into more nations, kindreds, and people than in any other time of the history of the world. There are more youth leaving on misions, preparing themselves to combat the evils. Our knowledge of doctrine is expanding. There are temples in almost every part of the globe. The work of Salvation is truly being performed."

September 17, 2014

Hey, beautiful state of Utah. How is life treating you? Hope everything is good with all you. Everything is fine here in Chile. It is a bit overcast today, just how I like it, and it started to sprinkle earlier. Hopefully it doesn't rain. I don't think we can take another flood. We just got back from the store. It is incredible the quantity of people in Lider today. We were walking along, two servants of God in search of their weekly sustenance, when we were bombarded by crowds of people, flooding in from all sides. We basically had to fight an old man for a cart. Tomorrow is the 18, basically like the 4 of July on steroids, which has everyone, their grandma and their dog hyped up and buying carts of food they wouldn't normally sanely buy. Which means what for us? Tomorrow we will be walking aimlessly through the streets while the world around us collapses with barbeques and alcohol. Good times on the mish! Heh.

We have the same pants. Mish

This week was fun. Hermana Reyes and I are getting to know each other. The bishop invited us to birthday surprise for an Elder in the ward, which is proof that we are doing just fine along those lines. The hermanas are still a bit distant with us, but we are slowly gaining hearts as well as confidence. Spring is finally on its way, the winter holding on with its fingertips. We changed the time, so now we have more light during the day and people don't go to bed so early. We are sometimes finding new souls to save. Can't complain.

Ramen noodles, missionary style

In almuerzo this week with the members, the second coming has been the main topic. The end of the world and all that. The members in Chile, not entirely sure why or how, have an obsession with the last book in the Bible. They always say that they have read only Revelations in the Bible and that is the only thing they need to know. I am finishing up the Bible and in the middle of Revelations. Frankly, I don't understand almost everything I read. Sometimes I think I relate some part of some verse with something I read in the Book of Mormon or somewhere in the New Testament or Old, but I don't comprehend why the people like to read this particular book so much. There are other incredible, wonderfully uplifting parts of the Bible, where Jesus works miracles, where the apostles testify of the divinity of the Savior, and they choose to read death, destruction and gloom. But anyway. We have noticed that the world is just... dying. It is edging closer and closer to the cliff of destruction and Satan's reign is growing every day stronger.

We made sémola, drank mate and watched a
movie from the Church library. Wooh!

His influence. The hearts of the people are colder, there isn't love for their neighbor, every one lives in their own world. The youth of the world see more value in the technology and looking good than their families or gaining knowledge and education. But also, there are positive signs. The gospel is growing, it is spreading into more nations, kindreds, and people than in any other time of the history of the world. There are more youth leaving on misions, preparing themselves to combat the evils. Our knowledge of doctrine is expanding. There are temples in almost every part of the globe. The work of Salvation is truly being performed. God has not and will not forsake us. On the contrary to what people think today, God exists. He loves us. He cares and He does have a plan for us. He lets evil reign for this brief instant to strengthen us for the next thousand eternities of instants. He gives us our own personal Gethsemanis to make us strong. He won't leave us to suffer on our own. He sent His Son to be with us so we don't have to be alone. The trials that the signs of the Second Coming presents are only to prove the perfection of the plan He has for us. He is purifying us. He put us here to be molded and shaped in the refiner's fire to become perfected and without any point of weakness.

Rambling again, sorry.

All right. I want you to know that I love you. More important, I know that God does too. I know that this is His work. I know with assurity that Jesus is my Savior. I know that the Spirit is real. I know that God answers prayers through others. I know that the mision is the most important and rewarding time that anyone can every spend. I know that the work I do here is blessing me and my dispensations for the next eternities. I love you. I hope your week or your day is uplifted by some little part the Spirit testifies to you.

Hermana Castleton

A Little "snippet" from Whitney's and my email chat:

"I'm fine as well. How was your week? We have had a good week. It has been long, there have been some difficulties, but we are starting to really love the sector and the members. There is this old lady named Eliana and she reminds me so much of Grandma Mary. She is just sweet and always looks to serve others before herself. She makes homemade bread for us every Sunday and gives it to us in the morning. Sweetheart"