Hey guys,
First off, thank you mom for the pictures. They brought such a feeling of
peace and of joy and of pride and most importantly, of the spirit. I loved
looking at you big jake in those fotos. i am so proud of you and that you have
this great and wonderful opportunity to act as the savior did and to be an
example to those around you. your testimony is growning and is strengthening
mine. thank you. i cant think of anything more important than being spiritually
strong and being able to endure to the end. actually this last week we did a lot
of teaching from the words of the prophets from conference. one talk in
particualar that i have reflected on again and again as well as my comp...was of
the example of the 3 mins that the athlete will compete. how many hours, days,
and years do they prepare for those 3 short mins. i love how he applied that
into our day....that this life really is just that short in the scheme of
things...in comparision to the time of the eternities. i lvoe this analogy not
just because im a sports fanatic...but really think about it......why do we
practice football for hours? why did we have to do all that work before the
season....many times we questioned why....maybe we thought we were right, but
the coaches were telling us otherwise, to do it again, to be faster, to read the
play quicker. to learn where to be if the guy in front of you reacts in this or
that way. we prepared....to be in the right place, at the right time, and to do
the right thing when the play or person was attacking you. it is the same for us
spritually. we read the scriputres, we go to church, we pray, we go to the
temple. some may question why? its always the same. they may think they are
right...but the prophets are saying....hasten the work of the lord...you need to
work harder, you need to read with more intent and study more, you must partake
of the sacrament every week to renew your convenants...we prepare so that when
we are faced with temptation and the play of life is unfolding right before our
eyes, we know where to be, we know what to do, and we know how to react. may we
all prepare and do as the savior said and did. follow the promptings of the
spirit, let him guide you as the example of the horses from elder L. tom perry
said. have faith in the master. always. for this life is the time to prepare to
meet god....and it is a short one. prepare yourselfs in all aspects for the
second coming.
Anyways, as for my week. what a busy one. we were really busy with trying
to find some more people to teach and to invite to church. we were also focused
on the baptism that we had saturday evening. What a great experience as well.
his name is freddy and he is a great guy with such a desire to come unto christ.
i wish you could all just talk with him for a couple of mins. you, like i was
and am, would be strengthened and edified in your testimonies. it was a very
spiritual experience and i felt so much love and joy. the scritpures are so true
when they say that how great shall be your joy for the one soul that
repenteth.
we have planned this saturday another baptism for a 17 yr. old named edwin.
he is struggling a bit with descisions and i ask that you all keep him in your
prayers. he needs our help and the help of our heavenly father.
other good news...we have been working with this family. familia
turpo....who was doing so great and going so strong...but then took a hard turn
and really fell spritiually. their kids were the ones baptized last sunday but
the parents no, because they lack the marriage. at first it was great. in
antoher moment they wanted to separate. but we have been working with them for
weeks now and seeing their children be baptized increased their desire and they
are working to be married in 2 weeks. their baptism is the following day!! what
a blessing of the lord!!!
we also had a record number in the sacrament meeting. our goal for the year
is 200 people and we have been increasing steadily every week to about 170´s.
but after working a ton with the members and consejo de barrio (ward counsel) we
had 194!!! we were so excited as we were pulling out extra chairs and then had
to leave to go and get more from the downstairs!!! all in all we are happy and
so excited to work this week!
the only bad news i can think of is my comp....he has two ingrown toenails
that are killing him. we went to the doctor and they are going to operate on
him....but they are going to not only cut open his toe to remove it...they are
going into the bone to remove the part where it inicially grows. that should be
happening tomorrow. he is pretty nervous about it. and that will take him out of
walking comission for a couple of days...so illl be with a temporal for a bit.
but all will be well.
other than i am healthy, happy, and loving the work here in peru...there
isnt much to say.
i love you all so much. i am so grateful to have you all in my life and to
be so very blessed with such great friends, and to be in this wonderful gospel.
i couldnt imagine anywhere else that i could be right now. i never want to leave
peru!! :)
cuidase mucho. les amo con todo mi corazón...para siempre.
con mucho amor,
Weston
1-4-3
--
Elder Birtcher
Perú - Arequipa Mission
No comments:
Post a Comment