Two Months Out Today!

Hello All!!!

Another spiritually strong week here! It's fantastic to be able to feel the Spirit every day so strongly out here as I try to share its power and joy and peace with others. Oh, if only others knew what we were trying to offer them. They would flock to us. What a blessing to already have the gospel in our lives!

Comp, house-mates, and Elder Greenwood

This week a lot of strange things happened. We got a call one morning from a District Leader saying that the AP's want 50 contacts today from everyone. Well, my comp and I had never gotten more than 20-22 before that. But, with a prayer of faith and a comforting Spirit, we set out. 1 Nephi 3:7 - I know that the lord will provide a way for us to do the things that he asks of us. It was close, but we DID IT! 53 contacts in one day! There was a while when my comp had to talk to a lady at the door about our Gospel. I was prompted to leave and go contact some other people. With the little Spanish I knew and the gift of tongues in play, I was able to get 6 contacts at that time all by myself! The Lord will help us when we take leaps of faith.

 

Oops!

I would like to invite all of you to read the talk "Finding Joy in Life" by Elder Richard G. Scott. It is so helpful, not just only in the hard times, but also in the medium times, the "eh" times, and the good times. It gives you things to do that make you realize what a beautiful world we live in, and what a blessing it is to be here. :)

One of the members this week, as part of our food, fed us Alphabet soup!! Hahaha! I NEVER thought that I would see alphabet soup here! I haven't seen that since I was like 10! It was the same as America too! I couldn't find any ñ or í or rr or ll, sadly. Hahaha! I think it would be awesome to have some Chinese Alphabet soup! Hahaha! Sorry, simple joys in life :)

Look! A sign of hope in the midst of a storm! (See the symbolism?)

It rained so hard the other day down here that the streets were flooded! My comp and I had to run through the street rivers for a couple hours! Hahaha! We got soaked! The first time we had to run through, I REALLY didn't want water in my shoes! But I yelled, "VIVE MEXICO" and charged! Hahaha! I got SO wet. But it was fun:)

This is what looking at a computer too long...

Speaking of fun -- something interesting happened to me on Sunday. I thought that my legs were feeling a little warmer than usual. And for some reason, my belt just didn't fit right that day. It wasn't until we were at a member's house when I went into their bathroom and pulled down my slacks that I realized that I was still wearing my basketball shorts from this morning!!! Hahahaha! I must have been really out of it that morning! It must have been because I was fasting. Hahaha! We fast from lunch to lunch here. So nice -- go to bed hungry; wake up not so hungry. :)

...does to your eyeballs!

Speaking of fasting, as a missionary I've really started to better understand the power and blessing that it is to fast. God has given us the opportunity to sacrifice a little so that we can bless others immeasurably. The sacrifice really isn't that bad either. It hurts sometimes while we are doing it, but we completely forget the pain as soon as it's over and we have food and water again.

Such a small sacrifice that can bless others so much is such an amazing opportunity we have each month! And, when our bodies are weaker, due to a fervent and true fast, we become more sensitive and in-tune to the spirit. The Sacrament is an INCREDIBLE time to feel the peace of the spirit and the joy of the Atonement working in our lives. Taking the sacrament while fasting is even more so. I know that when we offer true and willing fasts that we will bless the lives of others in ways that we may never know in this life. But we do it faithfully, knowing that those people need help more than we do. Together with God, you can make the world a happier place through fasting for others, and take joy in seeing the joy of others :)

Love you All! Stay Safe! Love Life! And Love Christ!

Love,

Elder Greenwood :)