Buenos días a todooooos!!! Espero que todos de vosotros estéis muy bien 💪
Random Highlights:
Torreorgaz
- I mentioned it in one of my last emails, but for those of you who dont know, there is this pueblo called Torreorgaz that's close to Cáceres, and basically back in the day a ginger cura went there and had kids with a bunch of people and made almost everyone there gingers, so whenever someone asks me where im from I tell them Torreorgaz, and then I really tell them where I'm from. With all that said, we were street contacting, guy asks me where I'm from, I tell him Torreorgaz, and he gets super suprised and he's like "no way are you fr" and then I tell him no, and he says "yo sí soy de Torreorgaz," so I met a brother that day 🙏
Korihor
- Had a prompting to read Alma 30 during personal study, and then immediately after we went street contacting and contacted a guy that said literally the exact same things that Korihor does in Alma 30
Pday w/ the DAWGS in Badajoz
- Elder Robinson y Zúñiga son goats
Comida
- Jamón, tortilla, paella, and churros, nearly impossible to beat
Anyways, lets get right into this week 💪
Monday: Had a wonderful Pday with the Élderes en Badajoz, gave Élder Zúñiga a tour of the casco historico de Cáceres and bought some Nougat things that were pretty good. Then we worked and then I showed him how to make Paella.
Tuesday: Had a lit exchange w/ Élder Zúñiga. Our friend Raphael told us that he would pray and read the scriptures to know if he should accept a baptismal date!! Please pray for him that things might go well in his life and that he could choose to get baptized 🙏 Also had a wonderful NDH w/ Ronald and Georgina and Doris, and Georgina said that she wants to start receiving the charlas!!
Wednesday: Had lunch w/ Marcos and Rosa and they made us Paella and a BUNCH of food, they gave us enough food to feed a family of 5 🤣🤣 Met w/ Liliana and Viki as well which was amazing, they told us a bunch of funny stories and we taught them and invited them to share the gospel!!
Thursday: Pretty normal day
Friday: Had a super good NDH w/ Angel Zurdo and Diana. We also invited them to share the gospel. And we got to play a board game w/ them and their family, and Diana whipped us up some fire mexican food 🇲🇽🙏❤️
Saturday: The day we met the guy that said the same things that Korihor said. I'd like to highlight some of the things that Korihor says in Alma 30, and the response that Alma gives him. In Alma 30, it starts out giving some background, and it says that everyone can believe what they want to believe, and it gives the scripture Joshua 24: 15, which says "Choose ye this day whom ye will serve... but for me and my house, we will serve the Lord" we should all love everyone and respect their beliefs, but that doesn't mean that we will stop our beliefs. Later on, Korihor says that there is no Christ, that the people are "bound down under a foolish and a vain hope," that "no man can know of anything which is to come," that their belief in Christ was a cause of their "foolish traditions," that their beliefs are the effects of a "frenzied mind," "that there could be no atonement made for the sins of men, but every man fared in this life according to the managment of his creature; therefore every man prospered according to his genius, and that every man conquered according to his strength; and whatsoever a man did was no crime," "telling them that when a man was dead, that was the end thereof," saying that their "foolish traditions" were created to "ursurp power and authority over them, to keep them in ignorance," saying that the leaders of the church just want money and dont want to work, and that God is an imaginary being " who never had been seen nor known, who never was nor ever will be." Alma responds in verse 32, and the following verses. Alma says that they receive no payment for their service in the church, and that he has labored without ceasing, and says, "if we do not receive anything for our labors in the church, what doth it profit us to labor in the church save it were to declare the truth, that we may have rejoicings in the joy of our brethren?" Later on Korihor again says that there is no God, and then Alma questions Korihor, saying "what evidence have ye that there is no God, or that Christ cometh not? I say unto you that ye have none, save it be your word only. 41 But, behold, I have all things as a testimony that these things are true; and ye also have all things as a testimony unto you that they are true; and will ye deny them?" Korihor asks for a sign that these things are true, and Alma tells him, "Thou hast had signs enough; will ye tempt your God? Will ye say, Show unto me a sign, when ye have the testimony of all these thy brethren, and also all the holy prophets? The scriptures are laid before thee, yea, and all things denote there is a God; yea, even the earth, and all things that are upon the face of it, yea, and its motion, yea, and also all the planets which move in their regular form do witness that there is a Supreme Creator." All things denote that there is a God. My family, friends, brothers and sisters, if I did not know that the church and gospel of Jesus Christ were true, I would not be out here serving a mission. In a secular point of view, I literally gain nothing and lose 2 years of my life being out here. I dont receive any type of monetary payment, neither does anybody who serves in the church, not the prophet, not the apostles, not your stake president, not your bishop, nobody. But I do know that this church, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, is Jesus Christ's church. It is the only church that holds the power and authority of God. It is God's church on the earth today. I, and thousands of others, "declare the truth, that we may have rejoicings in the joy of our brethren." I have been in my service as a missionary. I have been blessed with more than words describe, and much more than money could buy. My joy is nearly full, and I am a completely changed person. I have seen people's lives go from the darkest, most depression thing ever, to the brightest, happiest thing ever. That is the change that God brings to us. The longer a thing lasts, the more importance it has. What does a man prophet if he gaineth everything, but loseth his soul? Our souls are eternal. What greater importance is there? It is only in and through Jesus Christ, that we can inherit eternal life, with our Loving Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ, and our families, forever. If you are wondering if God exists, if you want to know if this is the true church, if you want to know that Jesus is the Christ, pray to your Heavenly Father. God knows everything, He is your Father, and He loves you. The scriptures have the answers. You can see God's love in all of His creations, and if you ask of God in prayer, with a sincere heart, with true intention, having faith in Christ, you will receive an answer, as I have, that these things are true; that you are a child of God, that He loves you and has a plan for you, that Jesus is the Christ, the Savior of the world, that Joseph Smith is a prophet, and that Jesus Christ, through Joseph Smith, restored His new testament church, and it is on the earth today, as the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. I leave that as a promise to you. And feel free to reach out to me or any other missionary or any other member of the church, and we will be happy to help you with whatever you need.
Sunday: Had an amazing sacrament meeting!! Sunday is always the best day, when we get to renew our covenants 🙏 Our first sunday here, back in the beginning of April, there were about 23 people at most attending church, and yesterday we had 62 people attend church!!! It makes me so happy to see so many people coming unto Christ and experiencing His joy. Also had an amazing lesson w/ Carlos, it would be greatly appreciated if you could all pray for him as well as he is preparing for his baptism in August!!
Hoje: I've already written a lot 🤣 But I wanted to share some context to the email title. It was a huge miracle with so many little details, but I dont have time to explain them all. Basically, saturday morning, I woke up knowing that we had to teach the restoration to someone, and both of our citas got cancelled where we were going to teach the restoration. Right before going out street contacting, we dropped off our bags in the church, and I had a prompting to take out a pamphlet of the restoration and take out the Book of Mormon and take those 2 things with me. We went out and immediately we saw a guy sitting on a bench, and I got a prompting to talk to him, but I ignored it for a second, and then immediately it got so strong that I knew that I couldn't ignore it, so we turned around and talked to him. He had a spain soccer jersey, so I told him I liked his shirt and where I could buy it. He was a 21 year old hombre in the army, and we talked to him, and he asked us why we are out here as missionaries. I got to share my conversion story w/ him, and it touched him a lot. As we were talking to him I heard a voice tell me to teach him the restoration, so I asked if we could sit down, and we taught him the restoration. He read Moroni 10: 4-5, and said he felt really good reading it. He asked me if I had ever asked God something and received an answer and how I knew it was from God. I pointed him back to verse 5 of Moroni 10, and bore my testimony. Élder Oporto also bore his testimony, and then out of nowhere one of our members came over, and we asked him how he knew that the church was true, and he bore his testimony as well. He asked me what happens after we die, and I went to open up to Alma 40, but the Spirit told me to read Alma 41: 4. He exclaimed "¡¿Este libro tiene las respuestas a todo?! ¡Es como un wiki!" I testify to each and every one of you that the Book of Mormon has the fullness of the gospel of Jesus Christ. The answer to every single question is found in Jesus Christ. Search the scriptures, and you will find Him. He is in every page, and as you study the scriptures daily, especially the Book of Mormon, you will begin to see Him in working in your life. It is like slowly putting on a pair of glasses after getting accustomed to a blury vision, and once you see the clear picture and vision that He gives, you will never be the same. I leave all of these promises and my testimony with all of you that Jesus Christ lives, that He is our Savior and Redeemer. In the sacred name of Jesus Christ, amén.