To experience the highs you gotta experience the lows… That being said, this week will make me appreciate the good weeks just a little bit more. However, as President Thomas S. Monson once said, “Remember that this work is not yours and mine alone. It is the Lord’s work, and when we are on the Lord’s errand, we are entitled to the Lord’s help. Remember that the Lord will shape the back to bear the burden placed upon it.”
Tuesday we went on exchanges and went over to help Victor again. (He’s the one that his dad passed away and was a hoarder) So we were there for 4 hours loading crap into a big dumpster and then loading up tools and things he was keeping into a moving truck. We had dinner with the Leos’ and it was their son Richie’s 9th birthday. We had street tacos and they were so heavenly. His dad got hima 4-wheeler for his birthday but it wasn’t little at all. It was pretty dang big and 9 year old definitely should not be riding it lol. Hermano Leos kept trying to get me to ride it. He kept saying, “It’s just like a car it’s fine!” I wanted to ride it so bad and he pressured me a lot haha but don’t worry I didn’t give in.
Wednesday was the last day of the month and last week the ZLs had to take 30 miles from us so we were pretty dry. We ended the month under our mile allotment by .2 miles. Most of that night we just biked and it almost killed Elder Anderson haha. I thought he was gonna throw up. But we made it back for the Stake President Devotional and it was all good. The devotional was super good and it was honestly everything I needed to hear. We read part of Luke 10 and discussed a few take aways. Luke 10:42-42 says,
“And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.”
We talked about how often times we are troubled by many things in the mission field and it can be very overwhelming. But as we focus on one thing and strive to be cheerful and follow God’s path he has made for us, we will be given strength.
Thursday honestly sucked so bad. We tried to stay positive but everything was going wrong. We had a phone call lesson that turned a little south. We talked about the fall of adam and how we don’t baptize babies and our friend talked about Catholicism and how they don’t baptize babies because of sin, but to cast out evil spirits and stuff and our member was like “I have a lot of catholic friends and I’ve never heard that before” It was weird but I just tried to testify of prayer and how that’s the only way we can come to know if something is true. That by the power of the holy ghost we can know the truth of all things.
We also had a lesson with our friend Celia and unfortunately didn’t have a member with us. We talked about baptism and why it’s necessary and basically she told us it’s a process not something easy to do. She said we don’t understand because we were raised in the church and innocent and don’t know anything. Because the world is super bad and we’re all sheltered. It was frustrating because yes I was raised in the church and didn’t have to go through other trials that most converts have to deal with, but that doesn’t mean I didn’t go through my own conversion process. And the thing about the gospel is that it doesn’t matter what situation you’re in, it’s the same steps that bring you closer to Christ.
Lots of other things happened but I don’t want to seem ungrateful. I also stepped in mud and got mud all over the shoes which I was pretty frustrated about. A ton of little things happened that build up too and it was super overwhelming.
Friday was just go go go go go. I was so stressed out. At life message I was doing like 6 things at once and someone got on me for not doing something and I just didn’t know what to do. I was at my limit for sure haha.
But then we went on exchanges and I was with Elder Sauer since we had a lesson. Our lesson was with Yaskareli and didn’t go as planned either… we taught the gospel of Jesus Christ and everything was going good but the member that came with us rambled and spoke a ton. He said a few things too that I was just cringing. He brought up things that definitely shouldn’t have been mentioned until a few lessons later. He also went on about marriage and how you need to marry someone in the church with strong faith so they can be a good parent and spouse and blah blah blah. Poor 20 year old Yaskareli looked so uncomfortable and awkward and I didn’t know what to do. I just changed the subject and testified of the Gospel and proper authority.
Saturday we had our ward party which was a ton of fun. Yaskareli came with her cousin too!! So they sat with us and I talked to them for like an hour which was kinda hard because they’re both a little shy and my Spanish isn’t super great especially when we’re not talking about the Gospel lol. But it was a lot of fun. There was a little program and the primary, young women, and young men performed a few songs. Yaskareli and her cousin are from Nicaragua and aren’t a fan of Mexican food so they didn’t even eat. Then after we left there was a little dance part but they didn’t dance either prolly cause it was Mexican type music. But overall I think they had fun so that’s good.
Sunday was interesting. Nobody came to church so that was sad. Fasting wasn’t bad but we had to leave in the middle of church cause I had the worst heartburn. We got a few studies in and helped out with English Classes. Afterwards we were dragged into the last 15 minutes of the ward choir practice. With us there we had a whopping 5 men. Then we went over to Javier’s which his name is actually Cesar and his middle name is Javier. Anyways, we had a fire lesson with him because the Medranos came with us. Hermano medrano explained the atonement like a child breaking something in the store but not having money to pay for it. That’s what the Savior does for us. He pays the price that we are unable to pay for ourselves. The spirit was super strong and we answered a lot of his questions. It was so sick.
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Spiritual Thought
This week Elder Sauer shared some great insights with me and I also found some cool things. We first read 3 Nephi 12:48 together which says
“Therefore I would that ye should be perfect even as I, or your Father who is in heaven is perfect.”
The goal of this life is to become like our Heavenly Father. To do everything in our power to prepare to meet God. We are gonna make mistakes, but through the atonement we can constantly change and become clean. Then in D&C 67:13 it says,
“Ye are not able to abide the presence of God now, neither the ministering of angels; wherefore, continue in patience until ye are perfected.”
We need to be patient with ourselves. We will never become perfect in this life. That’s reality. But when we accept that we will always make mistakes, that we will sin every single day, we also need to recognize that we will perfected EVENTUALLY. “My son, peace be unto thy soul; thine adversity and thine afflictions shall be but a small moment; And then, if thou endure it well, God shall exalt thee on high; thou shalt triumph over all thy foes.” (D&C 122:7-8) When we do our best, God will bless us accordlingly.
In Preach my Gospel at the end of Chapter 1 there is a phrase that stuck out to me. Obviously it’s referring to missionary work but it applies to every calling in the church. It says, “Your calling gives you authority; keeping your covenants gives you power” As a member of the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, you promised to take upon you the name of Jesus Christ. You are living representative of his true living church. That in itself gives us that authority. But when we keep our covenants, we are given power and strength to do all Heavenly Father has given and asked of you.
I love you all and hope you have a great week!! Muchos Besos! And remember, God is good all the time, and all the time, God is good.
All my love
Elder Grubbs
