York: The Promised Land

 Hola a todos! 

     I hope that each of you has been doing well this past week. This has honestly been one of the fastest weeks of my entire life. I am coming to love my mission and the people in it more and more each day, and the opportunity to serve in the Lord's vineyard has truly been a great one. 

     This past week we had the opportunity to have exchanges in the Northeastern section of the mission, up in Elizabethtown and York. I'll be completely honest, the exchange that I had in Elizabethtown was not ideal. For a variety of reasons, I left feeling we hadn't accomplished as much as we should have. The following day, however, I was to be with one of my best friends on the mission, Elder Smedley. He is truly one of the hardest-working people I have ever met. His diligence and desire to be consecrated and obedient are inspiring. He as well had had a difficult day prior to the exchange, and so we decided that it would be a reset day for both of us. We felt the Spirit directing us throughout the day, to talk to this person or knock on this street. It is humbling to know just how much the Lord is involved in His work and to know that all our efforts are never wasted. The Lord blessed us to see many miracles that day, but I learned more about the importance of following the subtle promptings of the Holy Ghost. I learned that testimony is a powerful tool when helping others feel the convincing power of that same Holy Ghost. This truly is a joyous work, and I am grateful to be a part of it. 

     This past week I was studying a lot about obedience, and the necessity for it. I'd like to share with you a quote I found from my studies. "What President George Q. Cannon said long ago is true today and will be until the Savior comes personally to lead His Church and His people: “Obedience to the Gospel brings [people] into a very close and intimate relationship with the Lord. It establishes a close connection between men on the earth and our Great Creator in the heavens. It brings to the human mind a feeling of perfect confidence in the Almighty and in His willingness to listen to and answer the supplications of those who trust in Him. In times of trial and difficulty, this confidence is beyond price. Trouble may come upon the individual or upon the people, disaster may threaten and every human hope may seem to be overthrown, yet, where [people] have availed themselves of the privileges which obedience to the Gospel brings, they have a sure standing place; their feet are upon a rock that cannot be moved.”15 (The Faith to Ask, and Then to Act, Henry B. Erying)." Since obedience is the first law of everything, it is crucial that in this life we develop the capacity and habit of submitting to the will of God. If we have any hope of obtaining any blessing in this life or the greatest of all blessings, eternal life, we must learn to be obedient. There is no other way to salvation and no other way to temporal and spiritual blessings in this life. I invite you to ponder what more you can sacrifice, to submit yourself more fully to the will of the Lord. I promise that as you do so you will find more spiritual power in your life to overcome the daily challenges that threaten to destroy our personal peace.