Hola a todos! I hope that this last week has found each of you well wherever you might be. I'll hit you with the quick highlights from this last week and then you can be on your way. For starters, I have been loving my new area out here in Winchester, VA. The people are mostly super nice and the Spanish work is incredible. My companion just got out of training so it's been fun to see the things he has learned and help him continue to grow. He's a stud for sure.
It's crazy to think that this week marks the end of July. In the brutal Maryland winter when I arrived on the mission, I was convinced I wouldn't even live long enough to get to the summer. But the truth is I have loved every single second, even if sometimes I convinced myself I didn't.
My companion and I have been finding people to teach like crazy these last couple of weeks and so we're super excited to build on their interest and help them get baptized. The Spanish work in this city is some of the best in the mission and the Latino demographic is prominent depending on what side of the city you are on.
The highlight of this last week came on Saturday, when our mission was visited by a member of the Quorum of the 12 Apostles. Elder Renlund arrived around 10am on Saturday and we proceeded to have an all-mission conference in Frederick, MD. He arrived with his wife, sister Renlund, and spoke to us on the importance of this great work. He gave great advice on how to help the people we are teaching progress to baptism and specifically focused on chapter 11 of Preach my Gospel. This chapter about keeping commitments to the Lord is something that I have found relevant in not only my teaching but in my individual life as well. Oftentimes when we think about commitments, we think about the covenants we make with God through ordinances, such as baptism. Yes, these are extremely important. More than anything else in our lives. But something I have begun to implement in my life, or more specifically in my nightly prayers, is that I have started making small, personal commitments with the Lord. For example, nothing big, but I promise Him that tomorrow I will find one act of service I can do for my companion. Something like that. But I allow the Lord to hold me accountable instead of my own conscience.
Anyway, overall it has been a pretty good week. To close with a spiritual thought, my mind is turned to Alma 34:32 which says "For behold, this life is the time for men to prepare to meet God;yea, behold the day of this life is the day for men to perform their labors." In this life we experience many temporary things, including life itself. Regardless of whether we have lots of time or perhaps little, we will all stand one day at the judgement bar and stand accountable for everything we have ever done - every thought, every deed, every desire, every good thing, and every bad thing. It does not matter where you are in this great fold of the Good Shepherd. I promise that the Lord is searching for you. Perhaps it is time you went searching for Him.
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