4/21/10

hey everyone!

So this was one of the busiest weeks I have had in the mission! We had to travel a lot and the district had a lot of baptismal interviews I had to do so I had to travel all over Cuauhtémoc! The sad part was that we ended up with little time to work in the area and teach our investigators. The obvious highlight of the week was the conference we had on Friday with Elder Johnson, the area president.

We went to Chihuahua on Thursday night and then on Friday in the morning we had the conference and then after we all ate together and had an open question discussion with elder Johnson. He is a very powerful speaker and he taught us so much about missionary work. He talked a lot about the first 4 articles of faith and talked a lot about the 4th one. We talked about the most basic part of missionary work and he showed us how little we understand.... ha-ha. He talked a lot about D and C 29:7 and how we are here to look for and teach the people the lord has prepared. There is NO excuse to not baptize every week and to find the people that the lord has ready for us. We also talked a lot about how we can have the spirit with us and the cost of not living worthy of it. It was more of an open discussion and he was guiding it. He teaches so powerfully and with almost ALL questions. I also thought it was cool that he speaks English and his wife as well. he is from the state of Chihuahua and is from Casas grandes here in Chihuahua. His wife is from Idaho who he met when he studied at BYU in Utah. He speaks perfect English and Spanish without accents on either language! He has spoken both since birth. His wife also speaks Spanish, but she talks like us... ha-ha! I was great to listen to and get to learn so much from someone who understands so much of the gospel and the plan of salvation. I realized that pure knowledge of the gospel makes us humble. When we understand we are humble and patient.... which means I need to understand a LOT more of the gospel... I realized how much power there is in the simple act of reading the scriptures each day and how the Lord reveals to us the things we need to know when we need to know them, IF we do our part of look for them.

Daily gospel study has changed me so much and was a key factor in my change here in the mission, I HIGHLY recommend it if you are not currently doing it. :)

I was also really privileged to perform several baptismal interviews this week and I LOVE hearing the testimonies of those who are going to get baptized, they are so pure and so reliant on the lord. I learn SO much every time I get to do one.

But also when the spirit indicates that someone cannot pass and be baptized it is SUPER sad. A young man did not pass and after I felt like the whole world was against me. The spirit told me very strongly that it was the right choice, but his mom was so sad and she had invited so many people to the baptism.... it was sad and I felt really alone that night. But like always the lord is there to comfort us always! :)

I love the mission and all goes well here in the mission Mexico Chihuahua

Congratulations Chase and Hayden and I hope you have the best experience in the mission as I have! :)

Love,

Elder Andrew Davidson