Semana 34 (Tole)

Buenas!!

I'm not really sure where to start, but a dog stole my shoes... but then I found them later! And then the dog stole my comps shoes too...and we never found those...

This week was super great! The miracles truly just keep coming!

On Wednesday we went to Tolé! It was my first time ever going there, and wow it is beautiful. Nature truly is a wonder. Alexander, the member that is reactivating, gave us a tour of the place in his truck. It was quite the adventure! Then we went to eat with his family and to teach his children. We taught his son about the priesthood to prepare him for it. Then we started teaching Dawn, Alexander's daughter. She was a little down, or nervous, or something weird. So, after the lesson, I started doing magic. We were all talking, laughing, and just having a good time. We became good friends! And Dawn was really happy. Trust and friendship is key to missionary work! Oh, and Dawn will be baptized on the 23rd of April! This Sunday! I'm so excited for her!

The bread addiction still is going strong...

Thursday we had intercambios which was fun! I was with Elder Rodriguez. That man is a beast, that's for sure. All we did was go do baptismal interviews for people. This is a really good thing, but I just really enjoy teaching. Also, during the intercambios we got really good news!

Story time: The very first day of this transfer with Elder Fabian, I wanted to go to a street I'd never gone to. This street literally became a miracle. We met Jefri and Israel, and we are hoping to meet more people. Well, Jefri now has a baptism date, and Israel is getting there. My testimony of the Book of Mormon and prayer has grown from these two people. The Book of Mormon is literally so powerful. Jefri got his answer that this church is true. And Israel went from basically not wanting anything to do with us to loving the missionaries, and wanting nothing more than to know if the Book is true. Sadly, they didn't come to church this week. But, they are making great progress, and I have high hopes for them! So keep praying for them!

As far as the spiritual thought, it has to do with these miracles.

I love the scriptures Mark 9:23-24 combined with what we read in Alma 32:27-28.

23 Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth. 

24 And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.

27 But behold, if ye will awake and arouse your faculties, even to an experiment upon my words, and exercise a particle of faith, yea, even if ye can no more than desire to believe, let this desire work in you, even until ye believe in a manner that ye can give place for a portion of my words. 

28 Now, we will compare the word unto a seed. Now, if ye give place, that a seed may be planted in your heart, behold, if it be a true seed, or a good seed, if ye do not cast it out by your unbelief, that ye will resist the Spirit of the Lord, behold, it will begin to swell within your breasts; and when you feel these swelling motions, ye will begin to say within yourselves—It must needs be that this is a good seed, or that the word is good, for it beginneth to enlarge my soul; yea, it beginneth to enlighten my understanding, yea, it beginneth to be delicious to me.

Just ponder those scriptures together for a second.

My experience is this: The goal for every companionship in Panama was to get at least 2 baptisms in the month of April. Now there were a lot of excuses I could come up with to explain the odds of getting even one  baptism was extremely slim. But, all that does is put an umbrella of doubt over the spiritual blessings that are constantly raining. Instead, I chose to believe. Or rather, have the desire to believe. I had no idea how we were gonna have baptisms, but every day I would tell Elder Fabian "We are gonna have two baptisms." Just like the man in the scriptures, I chose to believe in Christ. To ask Him to help me not doubt. And now, my belief, my desire, has become the good fruit of faith. We are going to have baptisms in San Felix. Truth be told, we practically did nothing for the baptisms that are coming. The Lord is just hastening His work. And He asks us to believe, and have faith in that.

This was just such an amazing process for me. There is a difference between belief and faith. I encourage you all to think on that one. But it is amazing for me, that my unknowing small desire of belief, turned into fruit of faith and knowledge.

There is still lots of work to be done! I love, and pray often for you all. Please keep San Felix in your prayers! Especially Dawn, Jefri, and Israel! Until Next week!

-Elder Lutze

E. Lutze & Big Boy E. Rodgriquez

Supposedly it's poisonous!

Truck ride in Tole