Recovery

This week was like a recovery week, we got right back into proselyting, and we have been working really hard. We are living in the living room of the other missionaries, in their small apartment. We moved out of the other apartment because of the bat problem. This week was very good, but it has been a week of a lot of growing up. My companion is getting worse socially, and has fallen asleep in a few lessons. He has also made a lot of comments that are pretty funny too...we were practicing English, in the conditional tense and he told me "If I could rob a bank or a bakery, I would rob the bakery." I lost a lot of excitement and work ethic while I was so sick for those few weeks, and I was feeling very sad starting this week. I realized that like Gordon B Hinckley, I needed to rededicate myself to my mission. I did a self inventory and realized that the root of this problem was in my personal commitment to honor my baptismal covenant. I was failing most in the part "Remember Jesus Christ always". There is a quote, I believe by Robert Frost that goes "A man will become what he thinks about all day." I was thinking more about the rush and state of busy-ness that we were in that I had forgotten what Jesus Christ has asked of us "What manner of men ought ye to be? I say unto you, even as I am." (3 Nephi 27:27). I became that type of person, and was not acting as a LOVING servant of Jesus Christ. I Decided to focus myself more in this part of my baptismal covenant and everything has changed. I decided to start reading "Jesus the Christ" by James E Talmage (I`m pretty sure that besides the book of Mormon it is one of the most inspired readings I have ever read in my life, I love it so much), I filled the spiritual craving that I had, but I haven't been satisfied, I have read about 10 chapters already, and my study of the Book of Mormon and The Bible have augmented too. I cant remember a time this week when I was not thinking about Christ or an aspect of his life. Also I had another pretty cool experience this week: We also received a Less Active referral to visit a non-member family. And we couldn`t have come at a better time. The family consists of a Mom (Kelly) who has a 15 year old daughter with a type of cancer that the future isn't looking too good. Her spouse left her a few days back for another woman. Kelly lives in a small concrete living room where they have partitions made with blankets. She supports alone her daughter, a 14 year old son, and her 86 year old mother by making lunches and selling it door to door. She has to travel a lot to Cartagena for medical visits and their living conditions are very poor for the low immune system daughter named Maria Jose. I remember well the process of Ava`s cancer treatment and how the gospel affected our lives for the better, and I talked with the mom. I remember how hard it was to feel happy and hopeful, and laugh...so I helped them out a bit there :). She said that it was the first time they had laughed as a family in about 3 weeks, and that she felt a very beautiful feeling enter in her house as we testified that families can be together forever. She and her daughter accepted a baptismal date, it was a great experience. I don`t know if I`m allowed to read it in the mission, but I want to read "The Miracle of Forgiveness", "The Infinite Atonement", "The Great Apostasy (James E Talmage)", "Articles of Faith (James E Talmage)", and finally "Day of Defense" but I believe Day of Defense is to combat other Churches doctrine, so I will read it after the mission. For now I am deep into the Book of Mormon for my 6th or 7th time and Jesus the Christ. Something cool, is that we Printed out some fotos of Temples as a District to show our Investigators their future goal. I printed out the following for me: Provo Templenacle, Provo, Bountiful (one of my all time favorites), Las Vegas (I am sealed to my family in that temple), Bogotà Colombia!, San Diego (I think I want to be sealed there), and Laie Hawaii. I am so excited to go to the temple after my mission, because I feel like I need to learn and follow more closely my covenants that I have made there as well. We will be moving into a new house this week, and It has been pretty cool talking people down in prices and looking all over town for our new apartment. I feel like Mom, because she is pretty good at that kind of stuff. And also Dad, I feel much more respect for you, because we gave a lesson on the Family Proclamation to a family. The Dad was being very irresponsible and drinking and spending all the families money on Poker and was hurting his good, humble wife. So I gave them a good hard talking to. He tried to use the excuse that "Eve was a help meet for Adam." I gave him a hard talking back when I said "Not a single part of the Bible says: The duty of the man is to watch Futbol all day while drinking their Aguila (Colombian beer) while the woman cooks and cleans. A help meet for man means that she was equaled to Adam in every aspect and capability and that they were perfectly and divinely matched to be the compatible base for the entire human race." That shut him up pretty quick so I kept going "During my childhood and time in my house, I never, Not ONCE saw my Dad come home from a full work day, throw himself onto the couch and ask "Where is my food, woman?", He came home and shared responsibility and duty completely with my Mom, and that is the reason why they never accepted failure in the house." He is a gruff, tattooed, tall man, who was a little buzzed while we talked to him, but he was on the verge of tears. He calmed down and went to sleep in another room, and the spirit abided with us that night. I am beyond thankful for what you guys provided for me, I am the man I am because I had 18 years to try and imitate my wonderful parents. Here's to an eternity more :D!