This past P-day we went to the stadium of the Boca futbol
club and toured around, which was pretty awesome. I've been slowly improving
when it comes to playing futbol... but I'm still pretty bad. However, this past
week élder Buxton kicked it to me from the corner and I headed it in for a
goal, so everyone was pretty impressed even though I know it was just luck. Oh
well, I'll take what I can get.
This week we had divisions again and I was with élder Buxton
in my area. It was a really good experience and I learned a lot. I had to lead
out in all of the lessons, and I realized that I really can do this and the
Lord will fill my mouth with words when I simply have the courage to open it. I
also learned that one of the most important things is just to relax when we're
in lessons. I'm reminded of all the breathing stuff I did with Andra and Bonnie
and I've been trying to breathe more in the lessons and I've noticed that it's
a lot easier to relax and the Spirit is able to help out more when we aren't so
nervous.
We had to drop the beloved Guillermo family this week, which
was really hard. Danny told us now that he doesn't want his boys to make the
decision to be baptized until they are at least 18 because he thinks that until
they are adults they aren't capable of making the decision for themselves. I'm
not really sure where the reasoning is in that, but we have to respect people's
agency. He has really just hardened his heart which was quite obvious as he
would repeat over and over that God is everywhere and we don't need to be in a
church as long as we try to live right and be good people. As much as we tried
to help him, he just wouldn't open up his mind, and as he wasn't allowing his
children to be baptized either, we just had to drop them to spend our time finding
and teaching people who are prepared for this message.
On the flip-side, the reference that the Guillermo family
gave us of Olga and her two children Graciela and Danny are doing fantastic.
They really enjoy going to church and are reading the scriptures and praying.
Yesterday Graciela couldn't come to church because she had to take someone to
the train station, and Olga was just sitting at home and didn't want to go to
church alone. However she said a little prayer and asked God what she should do
and then opened up her Book of Mormon and read a scripture that says something
like "don't put off to tomorrow what you can do today" and she got up
and went to church. Later we went to her house and picked up Danny to bring him
to church as well and it was really great. The Lord works in mysterious ways.
We thought that the Guillermo family was put in our path to be baptized, but
maybe it just isn't their time and through them we were able to find this
family. When we follow the Spirit and take advantage of every opportunity we
are given, we will truly be led where we need to go.
Alan is doing really well also, but unfortunately he
couldn't come to church yesterday because he had to take his little brother to
a soccer tournament, so unfortunately that pushed his baptism back another
week. We have faith though that all will work out with him.
Yesterday was kind of an interesting day as we had two
different appointments with an inactive member and a nonmember husband of a
member who were just attacking the Book of Mormon. The husband of the member
said that he can't believe the book of Mormon is true until there is proof that
Zarahemla exists and where it is. The inactive member just kind of slipped into
apostasy and has been interpreting the Bible the best way he can and doesn't
believe that the church is true.
I learned much from yesterday and received personal
revelation through these appointments. It doesn't matter how much knowledge we
have or want, we will always arrive to a point when we simply have to have
faith. It is impossible to know everything. When we humble ourselves enough to
simply ask our Father in Heaven, expecting to receive an answer, we will always
receive it. This answer, this feeling, is something that no one can take away
from you. I know that Jesus Christ lives and He atoned for me although I have
not seen Him. I have felt His love and His help and guidance in my life. I know
that The Book of Mormon is the word of God even though I have not seen
Zarahemla, because I have read it, I have meditated on the word, and I have
asked God and received the confirmation that it is true. I also know that
Joseph Smith was a prophet of God and that this church is true. I know that I
don't have all the answers for every question, but frankly, even if I read in
the newspaper tomorrow that Zarahemla has been found or if I see my Savior
tomorrow it wouldn't change what I already know to be true. However, no one can
receive this witness until they humble themselves and simply have faith. I also
learned that it is when we stop doing the little things that we slowly slip
into apostasy. This inactive member wasn't attending church and wasn't really
reading the Book of Mormon when he decided to go on this personal quest to find
out what is truly the doctrine of Christ according to the Bible. It is when we
stop doing the simple things such as attending church, reading the scriptures,
and praying that we slip into apostasy and Satan really starts working on us.
We as members cannot afford to let our guard down. If we are not progressing
steadily forward in our testimonies, we are moving backwards. There is nothing
sadder in this work than visiting with inactive members of the church who have
completely fallen into apostasy. When we think we can figure something out on
our own is when we develop pride and fall, which is a pattern shown time and
time again in the Book of Mormon.
I know this church is true. I know that my Savior lives. The
Book of Mormon is the word of God. Joseph Smith saw God the Father and Jesus
Christ. Thomas S. Monson is God's prophet in the world today. If anyone has
doubts or questions, there is no better place to go than directly to our Father
in Heaven, because He knows if this church is His church, if the Book of Mormon
is His word, and if Joseph Smith was His prophet. When we humble ourselves
sufficiently to ask Him, He will make it known unto us. In the name of Jesus
Christ, Amen.
élder John William Garrett
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