Exchanges & a Wedding

   

Buenos días mi gente! I hope each and every one of you are doing well. I hope this last week was an amazing week for you too. This past week was another pretty crazy and busy one, but it was also a lot of fun. I had the opportunity to go back on exchanges with my trainer, Elder Benson. It had been a whole year since we were together, and it was fun to see how we both had changed and developed over the last year. It was also one of the most successful days on the mission that I've ever had. Every now and then I get reminders from the Lord so I'll take this opportunity to remind you that I know that this is His work. I know that He desires the salvation of His spiritual children even more than I do and that He is in the very fabric of the details of this work. Apart from that, we only have 17 more days of this transfer which is absolutely wild. My companion will be finishing his mission which means I will be getting a new companion. 

     As time moves forward and we get closer to July, there has been more and more talk around the mission regarding our new mission president who will be joining us this summer. If you're interested, the church has published a short bio of him on church news. His name is President Brigham, and he is from the state of California. He graduated from Stanford Law and I think he will bring a different perspective and new ideas to the mission field. 

     Can I just tell you how much I love the Atonement of Jesus Christ? I simply cannot study the topic enough. There is more depth and profound insights that I would have never imagined possible. This past week the Atonement of Jesus Christ was on my mind quite a bit. It occupied most of my study time. We oftentimes don't understand the Atonement and the real power that it has until we get to experience it. There are a couple quotes and scriptures I wish to share with you today. The first is Mosiah 27:25,26. "Marvel not that all mankind...must be born again; yea, born of God, changed from their carnal and falllen state to a state of righteousness, being redeemed of God...and thus they become new creatures." The atonement transforms us. It changes us from who we were: fallen, worldy, prideful, stubborn; and makes us new creatures. The atonement of Jesus Christ does not partially cleanse the human soul nor partially change who we are. We become new creatures: to say as if it was entirely a different person who occupied our past. When Elder Renlund of the 12 Apostles came to visit our mission last summer, he quoted a famous ancient writer: "Twas I, Tis not I." Through the blood of Jesus Christ we have the capability to turn on our past and say "yes, I did that. But that's not me." So not only be patient with yourself as you work through this human requirement to become a new creature, but with those around you who are trying to do the same thing! If only we could erase the pride and judgement we shed on others, we would be full of charity and the world would be filled with light. "Don't judge others just because they sin differently than you do," said our mission president. We are all imperfect. But through the Atonement of Jesus Christ we can become perfect. I bear witness of Jesus Christ. I know that He lives. I know that He died for you and knows you by name. He loves you. And He wants you to come home safe and sound. I invite each of you to come to know your Savior and what He did for you. I cannot tell you specifically what you need to do, but do whatever it is that the spirit is prodding you to do. You will find peace and comfort and an increased understanding of the infinite love and patience the Savior has for each of us.